One of the biggest common behavioral reasons that dog owners seek professional veterinary assistance is the aggressive behavior of their dog. Studies have shown that dog training aggressive behavior can be treated with positive reinforcement and a few simple dog training tricks. Aggressive behavior can be a result of poor socialization from a puppy or even lack of training at all. It is also the most frequent number one reason that dogs are returned to or surrender to animal shelters instead of being adopted. Training an aggressive dog shouldn’t be attempted without the assistance of an experienced dog trainer, but a few of these dog training tricks might help you.
Here are some dog training tips to help you train your dog to behave properly and stay relaxed. One of the biggest factors in aggressive dog behavior is lack of treats. When you are training your dog, always include treats as an important part of the training sessions. It doesn’t matter whether you use them for play or as rewards, the treats should always be part of the training routine. Always give the dog treats when he performs the correct behavior and ignore or penalize him when he does something wrong.
Another dog training tip for aggressive dogs involves rewarding your dog when he performs the correct behavior. Rewards are effective because they encourage the right behavior. Some dog trainers suggest rewarding aggressive dogs with a treat when they obey your command or by providing them with a favorite toy whenever they do something right. Always remember that positive reinforcement promotes and strengthens positive behaviors, while punishment breaks and weakens positive behaviors.
One trick that many people who have owned large breeds of dogs tend to forget is that your dog will growl if he feels threatened. Aggressive dogs may also bark out of frustration, which should also be controlled. For instance, you can train your dog not to growl by slowly moving the object that he is barking at closer to his face. Eventually, your dog will learn that he can easily gain access to the object by barking at it from a safe distance.
A good classical conditioning program should always include lots of praise when your dog performs the desired behavior. However, the purpose of training a dog not to growl or bark is not to get him physically punished. Instead, this type of behavior modification should teach him a new behavior to follow such as “stay” or “come”. The key to classical conditioning for dogs is to make sure you use lots of positive reinforcement (especially treats) and lots of guidance. Never hit or shout at your dog when he behaves badly.
The “come” command is taught through body position: when you see your dog about to come, hold your dog’s leash and say “come”. Hold the leash with one hand, then extend the other forward in a beckoning motion. Your dog should come right to you. If you hold the leash tight, your dog will have to work harder to pull himself to you. Be sure to practice this on a regular basis.
Treats are the final part of an aggressive behavior modification program. Again, you must make sure to use lots of treats in your training sessions. You want your dog to learn the “stay” command and the “come” command before you start using treats. Remember that you want to teach dogs not to be aggressive toward humans, not just other dogs. This takes time, patience, and consistency. Consistency will also help your dog to remember what he is supposed to do and when.
If you can’t afford to hire a trainer to do these things for you, then you can teach these techniques yourself by purchasing an obedience course that focuses on dogs. These courses often include a CD with plenty of audio and visual exercises and information on how to manage and control your dog. These courses usually also have extensive photographs and demonstrations of how to train your dog to stop being aggressive. Most of these courses also include growl classes and other assorted exercises that teach you how to train your dog to react more gently to others. These classes will take longer, so be sure to plan accordingly.
