Stopping Dog Aggression Early

Most aggression in dogs could have been prevented if dealt with swiftly and early. Some dogs were just born to be at the head of the pack and even though domestication has bred out most of the wild behavior, wolf like aggression can still linger. Most puppy litters will have an alpha puppy that will be the leader and the most dominant of all the pups. It isn’t always easy to tell which puppy is the dominant one when you check out the litter. Even though getting the alpha puppy certainly isn’t a bad thing, as he or she will probably be a great hunter, there are a few defiant traits that need to be broken. The key is to let your puppy know right from the beginning that he is not the leader in your home. If you establish this relationship quickly then you can stave off any potential future problems.

Avoid Isolation

Training an aggressive dog can be a challenge but, is absolutely necessary in order for you to enjoy dog ownership and keep your dog and you out of trouble. One of the most important aspects of keeping aggression at bay is socialization. Your dog must be offered the opportunity to prove himself during and after his training. If you keep a potentially aggressive dog isolated he will certainly become more aggressive even if you train him to submit to you. The main reason isolation increases his aggressiveness is because of fear, sort of like the bully at school who seems the scariest but is really the most frightened of all the children. Social interaction alone is not the cure for aggressive behavior but, it is one of the most important elements of the cure.

Let Your Dog Know Who Is Boss

Next, make sure your pup knows who is in charge. A dog will react to his stomach and so the best way to start his training is with his food. If your dog is inside then he doesn’t eat before you or any other member of your family. He is going to learn from your actions. He doesn’t get to control the room or the situation. Every now and then you should take his food from him and force him to wait for you to offer the food to him again. This method will teach an aggressive dog to submit quicker than most other methods probably because it can be done daily and will become routine to him and to you. It is important during the early stages of thwarting aggression to make certain your dog is not going to attack you. Don’t allow any form of aggression if you sense that your dog has a tendency to lean toward antisocial behavior such as growling or biting.

Be Aggressive

Sometimes it is necessary to thwart aggression using a more aggressive approach. If your dog needs to know who is top dog then you will have to show him. Using a training collar is one method that can work as long as you are consistent. Using a training collar will get your dog's attention and will make certain that he pays attention to your instruction.

Be Generous With Praise

The last element of thwarting aggression is praise. Once your dog realizes that he pleases you when he submits to your authority he will attempt to please you even further. However, he can’t react positively if he doesn’t know you are pleased with him. Most of the time going a little bit overboard with the praise will get the message across in a more timely fashion.

Build The Relationship

Breaking your aggressive dog early will ensure a life long relationship with your family and will make certain that he can be a part of the family at all times and not feared or sent away because he can’t handle the situations he will face and control himself. Think of this training as the best investment for his happiness and the effort you put into it will pay off in the end.

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