Aggressive Dog Training - Expert Advice

Almost everyone loves dogs. People like to run, throw a stick, play fetch and pass time with dogs. We enjoy sitting on the sofa and scratching the dog's back. People like to receive a big kiss when they get home from work. The one time when this isn't the case is when you have an aggressive dog. In this instance, aggressive dog training will be required.

If you have an aggressive dog, you can face legal problems. Different states handle this problem in different ways. Dog owners can end up in jail. If your dog attacks and injures someone, the dog could be put down. You can curb the aggression in your dog through aggressive dog training.

First you need to understand what makes a dog aggressive. It could be the dog is territorial and doesn't want their space compromised. Or it could be they feel threatened by something or somebody nearby. The root cause of aggression is often found to be a lack of security. The dog may often have little or no confidence. Dog obedience training on a simple level won't help with these dogs.

Perhaps the dog barks and lunges at people. This may imply it needs thorough aggressive dog training. This demands a special skill and you should select your trainer carefully, or if you choose to train the dog yourself you should consider using a training guide specifically suited for aggressive dog training. You want to put your worries to rest. Normal training classes won't be right for an aggressive dog. You want a school that knows how to handle aggressive dogs.

There are some basic facts about aggressive dogs that people should know:

90% of dog bites happen to those who are familiar with the dog

Most biting dogs can be called family pets

60% to 70% of bites happen to children or to elderly people

40% of bites to children cause damage to facial tissue (lips, cheek etc.)

1/2 of the claims created on homeowners insurance come from bites claims

Aggressiveness in dogs is caused by a number of different things that all can be tracked to poor breeding or poor socializing

Dogs don't get to be monsters in one day. Most dogs display some kind of warning signs. Maybe it was timid when it was younger or maybe it became a bully after growling at different people who came to close to its toys and food. You can't blame the owner for missing these early alerts. It's hard enough to teach a puppy to pee outside. Still, that pet owner must take some responsibility for the dog's aggressive nature.

There's a variety of aggressions dog's can display. These include:

Dominant Aggression

Territorial Aggression

Fear Aggression

A dog is showing dominant aggression when it does things like snap at people fingers if they get too close to a toy or a food bowl. The dog may grow up to be one that is aggressive to people in the family as well as strangers. The dog may try to gain control of the entire home.

Keep in mind that dogs are pack animals. This has been bred into them since time began. They demand a pack order. They will develop a pack by which they can live. They learn to think of their owner as the pack leader. This is why they take commands better from the man of the house.

To get control of the dog, it's a good idea to switch him to the bottom of the pack. Control every aspect of his life and you can succeed in this mission. Feed him only after the owner eats. Never let him sleep on the owner's bed. If motivation is used in training, it must have corrections for failure to learn. Only allow the dog to play with toys the owner provides. The dog can't play with the toys until the owner hands them over.

Dogs that are territorial often believe the yard, house, or car belongs to them. This form of aggression can be considered one of dominance. Some dogs seem to think they need to let people know who owns what. Usually, a territorial dog is simply going to guard the estate from strangers.

When someone owns a guard dog, they want it to be territorial. A dog that barks and even bites is a good thing. Still, these people don't want the dog to actually attack anyone. No one wants to lock their dog in the basement when guests come for dinner.

Once again it is necessary to show the owner is the pack leader to contend with this type of dog. The pack leader is the one that tells other dogs what part of the territory belongs to them. The owner can't allow the dog to think of the back yard as his own back yard. The dog should simply wait for the owner to be present and ready to give attention.

Fear based aggression is what happens when the dog wants to avoid all people and strange places. The dog understands that showing its teeth to a stranger will mean the stranger will back away and not bother them. The dog may manifest fear by trying to bite people it doesn't recognize the minute the stranger turns his back on the dog. Dogs that bite in this situation often bite the rear. This presents less threat than an attack from the front. This is why it is said a dog that bites from fear is a dog with troubled nerves that has learned a response.

Fear biters are dogs that are born shy. This is why they act like they do. They are the result of some poor breeding. Some people believe they were abused at an early age. It's the bad temperament they were born with that causes the trouble.

Once you realize you have an aggressive dog, you can work with it by creating situations where training will help build a feeling of confidence and security for the dog. It might be a good idea to try to meet a friend when you take the dog for walk. Reward the dog with a treat if he behaves nicely.

If the dog is shy, it's good to try and socialize him. Be careful when you get your dog around older dogs. It's a good idea to protect your dog from dogs that may not treat him well. Again, having the dog meet your friends might be helpful.

A dog that is socialized and that has gone through some basic training will create a lot less of a problem. The owner needs to pursue education on the training of aggressive dogs, so he can find the right kind of help. Any owner can learn to help his dog become a friendlier, more loving pet. It takes patience and practice. If the owner is dedicated to make life good for the dog, he can't lose.

If you are having trouble with properly implementing a plan for aggressive dog training or are facing any of the problems mentioned throughout this article, I suggest you consider using a dog training guide to help you train your dog. A wide range of dog training books exist, many of which are not worth the paper they are written on. If you want a quality dog training book I recommend you check out "Secrets to Dog Training" or "Dog Training Secrets". Thousands of dog owners worldwide have used these books to get great results.

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