Handling K9 Aggression

Aggressive dogs are not always acting aggressive, so it can seem harder to correct these behaviors, but there are steps to repairing your dog’s confidence. Dogs who exhibit aggression, whether it’s dog vs. dog, dog vs. people, or resource aggression, it is almost always due to a lack of confidence within the animal or lack of confidence in their relationship to their owner. Establishing yourself as the pack leader with your dog is job one. Building confidence in your dog is the key to a well socialized K9. Also, it is important to understand that you need to develop a relationship with your dog through consistent routines, positive reinforcement, and an exercise program.

If you lack constructive communication skills with your dog, the problem will get worse. When I say constructive communication, I mean helpful obedience commands (sit, stay, and come). These are tools for your dog to help anchor them in the moment, while navigating novel experiences so that they don’t feel the need to adlib their behaviors. As the dog owner, you may be unintentionally encouraging a behavior by your response to it. When you notice signs of possessive behavior when others are in close proximity to you or their food, it is important to take note so that you can relay this information to your trainer and they can help you understand how to not unintentionally encourage your dog.

The foundation of my training philosophy is building confidence and establishing three key areas, boundaries, exercise, and nutrition… the three-legged stool.

» Boundary establishment is the first area where I start my conversation with dog parents. If a dog does not know their reach in your home, they will assume that the whole kingdom is theirs.

» Intentional exercise is the next area that is lacking in most dog’s lives. Learning to properly walk on a leash can be pivotal in guiding your dog onto more desirable behaviors on a daily basis.

» Proper nutrition is often overlooked as a root cause of behavior problems, but food is an important resource and an avenue of helping your dog choose behaviors that create harmony.

Aggression in dogs can take on different outward signs. A puppy or young dog may exhibit antisocial behavior, or food aggressions that can be easily addressed. In older dogs, this may take more work and time. You must acknowledge the reality of the life experiences that your dog may have gone through, and previous, often unknown trauma, into the training program. Expectations must be tempered depending on the age and background of the dog. In either case with young or old dogs, moving the needle of unwanted behavior is achievable.

You need to earn your dog’s trust, loyalty, and respect before your dog will look to you as their leader. You can do this by giving the dog rules, clear boundaries, and expectations. Once your dog sees you as their leader, the unwanted behavior will subside.