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DOG AGGRESSION
This site was designed to help the average pet owner, and based on my doing personal appearances, being on the road, and getting a chance to talk to the dog owner, I had not realized how common aggression can be among pet owners. But once I started this site and doing personal appearances across the nation, I got many questions about a number of aggressive issues.
Before I begin, let me say that there is no one over the internet that can give you an exact solution to your aggressive issue that you are dealing with, because as trainers we are not actually there and cannot physically see what is going on. So it would be foolish for me to tell you that I am going to get rid of your dog aggression. But what I can do is help you understand about aggression, and hopefully give you some good direction.
The information that I am going to give you is based on my training, and my expertise. Like all training techniques, mine varies from many others. But when we are talking about aggression, there are two types: TRUE (PREY) AGGRESSION and FEAR AGGRESSION.
TRUE AGGRESSION is a type of behavior that occurs where the animal has taken it upon himself or herself to be become aggressive towards a person or another animal. This kind of aggression can develop over time from a variety of things. It might be over an object, a toy, food, treats, people, dogs, or other animals. And sometimes, when TRUE AGGRESSION is at it's worst state, the dog may need absolutely nothing to make him aggressive. He just is. Remember that this is something that most likely did not develop overnight.
FEAR AGGRESSION is a type of behavior where the dog is pretty much the opposite of PREY AGGRESSION. This is an animal that would rather run and get away from the situation he is in. This is an animal that is so afraid of the situation he is in, that in the dog's mind, it's "kill or be killed". The dog will resort to this action if he or she has exhausted all avenues of getting out of the situation that he is in. And this is something to take very seriously. FEAR AGGRESSION can at times, can be just as dangerous as TRUE AGGRESSION because in the animal's mind, it's "kill or be killed". This behavior will happen especially if the dog feels "cornered" and there is no way out.
If you have been reading the pages on my site, you have seen that there are many different degrees to bad behavior and problem solving with dogs. Some are more minor than others. Obviously if you are dealing with a minor problem, it is easier to correct. If you are dealing with a major behavior problem, it is going to be a little more complicated and will take a little more time. This is the case especially in dealing with any type of aggression. It is essential that you catch it early and not allow it to escalate. Once aggressive behaviors begin to grow, you have the potential of putting family and other animals in great danger.
The bottom line is to catch aggression issues early. This is accomplished by understanding and reading your dog and his body language. Your dog's body language will tell you a lot:
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The way your dog stands
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Your dog's ears
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Your dog's tail
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How high your dog's head is in relationship to his body
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Is your dog shaking?
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Growling
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Barking
These are just a few things to keep your eye out for. If you see any of these behaviors and have a question, call a trainer that understands aggression, and let him or her take a look at your dog.
TRAINING TOOLS
If you are training a dog that is showing signs of aggression towards a person or animal, the dog must understand there are consequences for that kind of behavior. If you are going to want to correct your dog for aggressive behavior, it is a good idea to have a tool that will give you as much control as possible. As far as leashes go, I would highly recommend a very strong leather leash that is comfortable on your hands, and also strong for a dog that might really want to lunge away from you.
I would also recommend one any kind of collar that will give your optimum control for RED or ORANGE DOGS such as my alternative training collar, a chain collar, a head harness, or a pinch collar for very unique aggressive situations.
TRAINING YOUR DOG NOT TO RUN OUT THE DOOR
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