How to Train Aggression Out of Your Dog can be a little tough to pull off. It will definitely require that you make the dog understand what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable. The best way to do this is to use dog training tricks. You want your dog to learn how to behave around people in a way that is conducive to having a good relationship with everyone you encounter.
Remember, you cannot punish your dog when they are being aggressive. Always seek professional help. Triggers and/or underlying reason(s) leading to aggressive behavior. Remain calm, speak softly but firmly. Muzzles are very beneficial.
Dog training tips for dealing with aggressive dogs is to reward them with treats when they behave in the right way. This is one of the easiest ways to train them in general. When they behave positively, treat them. I like to include treats in my dog’s daily routine. I always find that they like the treats when I do bring them out to play.
Using the treats method also helps with the recall game. When you are playing with your dog, give him a treat when he meets you in the correct place. This encourages him to repeat that behavior. I recommend that you take him out every couple of days, however, and try to reward him more often at home. It is important that he knows that you appreciate his good behavior.
Be careful about situations where he bites others. Aggressive dog behavior can be a sign of other health problems as well. Some dogs may have eye problems or arthritis and this can lead to aggressive biting. Also, if your dog has been trained to attack other dogs on sight, this can lead to eye problems, eye gouging, and even blindness. He may even become so aggressive that he bites out of fear.
Another tip for dealing with aggressive behavior is to pay attention to your dog. If he barks, gets close to people or dogs, snarls or growls when he walks by, you should take notice and take action. These are all signs of excessive energy and he needs to release that energy through barking, walking around and showing other signs that he needs to walk away. Dogs become aggressive behavior for a variety of reasons. You need to determine why your dog is displaying these actions and correct it so he doesn’t act out again.
Some dog trainers may think that punishment of aggressive dogs is the best way to train aggression. However, most experts do not agree with this practice because punishment does not teach the dog what proper behavior is. Instead of using methods such as hitting, throwing a leash around his collar or squirting him, you should work on reinforcing your dog through positive reinforcement.
Your dog’s natural instincts are to hunt, protect or prey and they do those things in a natural manner. You can correct their ways by removing all danger situations from his environment and making him feel secure and safe. You can do this by teaching him to sit on command, to remain quiet in a room or with you while you are in the same room, to stay put rather than jumping on visitors or other animals and to keep his snout where it should be – close to his body but not touching it. By removing these situations, you will train your dog to behave appropriately in all situations.
A dog aggression problem may be very subtle and seem very minor at first. You may feel like you just have to wait it out, hoping that it will subside. When dog aggression is not dealt with, it may escalate and lead to other, more serious problems. Even a mild case can result in your dog biting or lunging at another dog, you, or someone else when you cannot get them to calm down. While it may seem trivial to you, ignoring dog aggression can actually be a big mistake.
The first thing you need to do to prevent your dog from exhibiting aggressive behavior is to avoid punishing him whenever he exhibits unwanted behavior. Always keep treats handy in your home. Whenever your dog behaves in a way that you do not like, simply grab a treat and give him his share. Do not start punishing him immediately. If you are in a public place such as a park or the grocery store, always keep treats within reach and close by, so that you can grab a treat quickly if your dog starts to act up. It is important that you understand that dogs learn at different rates and that you may have to work to re-program them to behave in a more acceptable manner.
Another key to solving the problem of how to train aggression out of your dog is to never hit or scream at your dog. Hitting or shouting at your dog will only cause her to become defensive. If she is defensive, this means she is going to bite you back, and it is only going to make her more aggressive. Dogs bite because they are protecting what they consider their territory. If you continually punish her for biting you, then she will not know when she is appropriate to bite back at. Hitting your dog will only lead to her being fearful of you and she may growl and even snap at you when you get too close.