Just like humans, every dog has their own personality. While this is why they make amazing companions, sometimes some dogs have more aggression than others. Having a dog that often gets aggressive can lead to danger for yourself, family, other pets, etc. Luckily, with the help of a little training, most dogs can successfully learn to manage their aggression. Here’s some information about dog aggression and how to identify and fix the issue! 

Identifying Your Dog’s Aggression

Once again, like humans, dogs don’t just flip a switch and start biting someone or something. Aggression in dogs usually escalates through multiple levels before getting to that point. As the owner, learning to identify the early warning signs of aggression is key to addressing and correcting the behavioral issue sooner. Common signs of building aggression include:

• Pacing back and forth

• Holding eye contact

• Snarling teeth

• Barking or Growling

• Light biting that won’t break the skin

These behaviors are what to look out for because if your dog is acting in any of these ways, it’s likely that they are going to start getting more aggressive and severely biting.

Common Causes of Dog Aggression

Aggression doesn’t usually happen without a reason. Since dogs are pack animals, they naturally can be territorial and possessive. When becoming aggressive, your dog might think they’re protecting your home, family, other pets etc. If your dog begins showing aggression at inappropriate times it can be extremely dangerous to the people and pets around them.

Another common cause of aggression in dogs is the need for them to assert their dominance. If they are around other dogs, pets, or people and want to show their dominance they may begin to act aggressively in an attempt to set their status.

Training Dogs with Aggression

When it comes to training your aggressive dog, it’s important to teach them that you are the one in charge, not them. It’s definitely helpful to hire a professional dog trainer as that would probably be the fastest and safest way to correct your dog’s behavioral problems. Dog trainers have specific tricks and techniques to use! They’ll use positive reinforcement to fix negative behaviors without punishing the dog.

Contact Leader of the Pack Dog Training

After a training session with Leader of the Pack your dog will know how to manage their aggression and use their protective instincts in more appropriate ways! You won’t have to continue to worry about their aggression getting out of hand and you’ll have a loving pup all the time. Contact us today to schedule either an in-home private session or a group training session at our location in Quincy. Give us a call if you have any questions at 617-296-1711!