How to Calm an Aggressive Dog - Aggressive Dog Behavior Training
When your dog regularly growls, snaps, or bites, you have a serious behavior problem on your hands. Aggression is one of the top reasons dog owners seek the help of a professional dog trainer or animal behaviorist. And it's not just larger dogs and so-called "dangerous breeds" that are prone to aggression; any breed is capable of becoming aggressive under the right circumstances.
Although aggression can't be cured overnight, there are steps you can take to curb the aggressive behavior and help your dog remain calm.
Why Do Dogs Behave Aggressively? Aggressive behavior in a dog refers to any behavior connected with an attack or an impending attack. This includes becoming still and rigid, growling, snarling, baring teeth, lunging, and nipping or biting.
Your first step toward stopping this behavior is to figure out what is causing your dog's aggression. Some dogs growl is someone approaches them while they're eating or chewing a bone, for instance. Others react aggressively toward children or strangers.
The aggression doesn't have to be directed toward a person either. Some dogs become aggressive around other animals, only specific animals (cats but not other dogs), or toward inanimate objects, such as wheels on vehicles or yard equipment.
Additionally, some dogs are bred for traits that actually promote aggressive behavior. For instance, terriers are bred to attack rodents and other small animals, while "guard dogs," like Dobermans and Rottweilers, are bred to protect property and people. These are natural instincts that require owners to ensure that these types of dogs display aggression only in appropriate situations through proper training.
The key thing to keep in mind is that you can't come up with a plan to modify your dog's behavior until you know the reason behind it. The most common types of dog aggression include:
Territorial aggression: The dog defends its space or your home from what it deems to be an intruder. Protective aggression: The dog protects members of its pack against another animal or a person. Mother dogs are also extremely protective of their puppies and may become hostile toward anyone who goes near them. Possessive aggression: The dog protects food, chew toys, bones, or another object of value to it. This is sometimes called resource guarding.