Learn Why Your Dog May Be Aggressive

Aggressive dogs can be quite frightening. They can frighten little children and adults too. There are some breeds that are more prone to aggression but even so there is usually an underlying reason for aggression in dogs and finding out why your dog is aggressive can help you in your training efforts. A dog that is calm in most situations is an easier dog to have.

Aggressive behavior can be caused because your dog wants to establish dominance. Dogs are pack animals and there is always an alpha dog within the pack. Your dog may want to be the alpha dog leader. However, you need to be the leader so let your dog know that you are the alpha dog of this pack. He may still act aggressively towards other animals or other dog’s because there is a hierarchy to the pack. This may be one reason why your dog acts aggressively.

Another common form of aggression in dogs is territorial aggression. Your dog will fiercely protect everything that he considers to be “his” including yourself, your home and your family. While this can be a good thing if you are threatened at some point, it can cause many problems in ordinary circumstances. It is seldom that a family is truly threatened and if your dog’s territorial aggression is out of control it can cause problems with visitors and neighbors. Excessive territorial aggression is unacceptable behavior.

Sometimes a dog will be aggressive because of fear. Your dog lashes out because something has scared him and he does not know what else to do. Something starts it and your dog starts growling, pulls his ears back and tucks his tail between his legs. This type of aggression is often misunderstood and thought to be direct aggression but the dog is just acting out of fear rather than meanness.

Aggressive behavior can sometimes occur for no apparent reason. However this aggression is usually misdirected. Something happens that instigages anxiety within the dog but he is not able to react to the actual stimuli so he lashes out on something else. This may be a reason for some unexplained dog fights between 2 or more animals. The dog is just not able to act on the real issue.

Sometimes aggression is caused by a biological or medical reason. For example, we all understand that a mother dog may become aggressive when she is protecting her litter. Less understood though is that sometimes aggression can be caused by a medical reason. That is why it is crucial to take your dog to the vet for a complete examination to rule out any medical issues.

Most dogs will be calmer and have a better temperament if they are spayed or neutered. This will also make your training efforts easier and more effective not to mention the fact that there are too many unwanted and unloved dogs out there. If you are not in the dog-breeding profession it is just the responsible thing to do to get your dog spayed or neutered.

Your training exercises to curb aggression will be more effective if you take into consideration the causes why your dog is being aggressive. Understanding the reasons for your dog’s aggressive tendencies can help you to tailor your training methods to his needs.

Related posts:

1. Training Aggressive Dogs
2. Aggressive Dog Behavior Training: How To Stop Fido From Fighting
3. Dog Training Tips – What Is There To Learn
4. Aggressive Dog Behavior Training: Stopping the Danger and Enjoying Your Dog
5. Aggressive Dog Behavior Training: Get the Real Facts Before Your Dog Hurts Someone

Tagged with: dog • dog training • Dogs • family • pets • puppies • puppy • puppy training

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!