Nobody enjoys aggression in a pet. Aggressive behavior in a dog needs to be addressed as soon as possible, especially if it is a family pet. Even if you are training a guard dog, aggression that is out of place is a big problem. The larger the dog, the bigger the problem, but aggressive behavior even in a small dog is still a significant problem.
There are many reasons your dog may exhibit aggression. Perhaps there was a dominance issue or something wasn't properly treated when it was a puppy. Perhaps the puppy was attacked by a different dog, or treated unfairly by a human. Whatever the cause, you need to address it right away. The result can be scary or even dangerous if the behavior is allowed to continue.
Why is my dog aggressive?
As mentioned above, there are numerous reasons a dog may show aggression. Often, the behavior starts in puppyhood. During the period of 6 to 14 weeks of age, your dog should be socialized with people and other dogs, and you should begin his training. A puppy loses important socialization if he is taken from the litter before he is at least 8 weeks old. Also always use gentle treatment until he is at least a few months old as hitting, yelling and other harsh punishments during this time can lead to apparently unexplained aggressive behavior later in his life.
Aggression can be triggered by a lot of different factors. Certainly heredity and genetics can be factors, some breeds are commonly known to be more aggressive than others, but there are always exceptions to the typical behavior of every breed. Also, spaying or neutering your dog will usually tend to make them more docile than others. Environment is probably the most important factor in causing aggression in dogs. Poor living conditions, lack of socialization, mistreatment or an attack from another dog can all be causative factors in a dog being more aggressive as it ages.
In a pack, pecking order may be determined through aggressive behavior such as biting or posturing as a dog tests its dominance. If you are not the alpha dog in your home, your dog may try to establish a position as alpha dog through aggression of one sort or another. Establishing yourself as the alpha dog while the dog is young and holding that position through his adolescence will ensure the dog doesn't get a chance to take control of the household then, nor will he likely try later unless mistreated.
How to stop aggression, or at least control it
If your dog exhibits aggressive tendencies after the socialization stage especially if it has been altered, you must address the problem immediately. Again, you must be the alpha dog, and you must not let the dog take dominance, even if it is scared, which may actually be the reason it is misbehaving. If you've trained your dog to respond to your commands, and you control the times of walking and feeding, you will maintain your position as the alpha dog you can head off aggression without incident. On the other hand, if you let the dog take over or misbehave in the home, it will learn it can show stronger aggression toward others. As with many other problems in live, it is much easier to control if it is a small issue or tendency than if it is allowed to become a big problem or an ingrained behavior.
If a dog feels threatened, they may develop defensive-aggressive behavior and may strike out at a person or even another dog in fear. This may be more likely to happen if your dog wasn't properly socialized. If you do see defensive-aggressive behavior, be sure to keep the dog away from small children, which the dog may see as more direct threats (and who also may react with fear, reinforcing the dog's bad behavior). As soon as possible, contact a training specialist or dog behaviorist who can help you to correct the bad behavior through acclamation or resocialization.
Aggressive behavior in dogs can be a huge problem, and dangerous or even expensive if someone gets hurt and your dog is help responsible. Remember, a dog is like any other member of your family and you are liable for their actions.
Dog Aggression CAN be controlled or corrected, even as your dog gets older. Early action can prevent it from advancing and return your dog to the calm, obedient pet you desire.
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