Trained Dogs Rock
Tackling a Behavioral/Aggression Issue in Your Puppy or Dog
The problem of bad behaviors in dogs is very far-reaching. If you own a dog, there has no doubt been a time in the life of your dog when you wished it had not done a certain activity. Worst yet, some dogs are also notoriously aggressive towards other dogs or even people.
In any case, if your dog’s behavior is providing you with cause for anxiety, you should be prepared to intercede and find a solution to prevent the bad behavior from becoming a long term issue. Depending on the issue, it could easily escalate into a major legal problem.
Understanding Where Bad Aggressive Behavior in Dogs Comes From
Many times the bad behavior in dogs is caused by anxiety or fear. Aggression is commonly a shield dogs put in place when they feel frightened. Some dogs start out showing aggression as puppies as any experienced puppy raiser will know, while others start out calm but turn aggressive later on. Doggy people call those dogs who are aggressive out of fear of the situation or person “fear biters.”
Unfortunately, in my opinion with some (fortunately very few), it is totally a genetic issue. I have been witness to eight week old puppies who were raised in a proper environment that could not be handled.
Training Tips
Constructing a successful line of communication with your dog is the initial step required to fix the behavior issues with your pet. This is the basis for all obedience training in dogs. Training = Communication.
Problematic aggressive behavior in dogs is something that should be promptly addressed. All of us love our pets, but when dogs act out of aggression, it is important that correct behavior is instilled before the problem behavior becomes critical. You need to take a moment and figure out why it’s occurring.
Is there or was there sufficient socialization during the puppy’s formative stages, or was there abuse involved, which would certainly make anyone (dog, puppy, or human) want to protect themselves. Some people by their very nature subconsciously encourage their puppies to show aggression. If your puppy has any genetic tendency for this type of bad behavior, some personalities are just right to light the fuse for a future aggressive blow up from their dog.
Hopefully, it is just an issue of not getting the right dog obedience training. (This can be fixed. There are plenty of articles on this site showing you how to find the best trainers.) Otherwise, there a deeper issue going on such as poor handling, not getting enough exercise throughout the day, an allergic reaction to some food, or even physiological issues.
Seeking professional help is critical in aggression, when it becomes important to assess your pet’s temperament. It may also be necessary to start maintaining records of your dog’s behavior in order to determine the true root cause.
In any case, it is up to you to find the cause and fix it now, before it’s too late.
