Dog Aggression Training

by Winston Choo

Aggression in a dog is something that no owner should allow to continue and as soon as the problem arises, needs to be dealt with through the right sort of corrective training. But in order for an owner to find the right sort of dog aggression training to help solve the problem they first need to understand a little about the types of aggression a dog may suffer from.

In this article, we look at the various kinds of aggressive behavior, which dogs of different ages, breeds and genders may well suffer from. Also, what one should also remember is that a dog may actually show more than one type of aggression towards others at any time.

1. Dominance - This kind of aggression will occur in a dog who thinks that they are in fact the alpha member (leader of the pack) and will use this as a way of asserting their dominance over the others in the pack (you and your family). Most commonly, you will find that male dogs and certain dog breeds are likely to suffer from this kind of aggressive behavior more. But in order for you to control the situation, you need to quickly and fairly establish that you and your family are the leaders in the group and they are at the bottom of the pack hierarchy.

2. Fear - A dog who suffers from this kind of aggression will generally find even the slightest noise can trigger an episode. In most cases such dogs will generally only growl, bark, bare their teeth or snap at the thing, which they are afraid or unsure of. However, should a owner choose to ignore the warning signs that their dog is suffering from this form of aggression it could lead to much more serious problems in the future. If left uncontrolled such dogs could end up causing injury to others as they may retaliate to the situation by biting what they feel is a threat to them.

3. Territorial/Over Protective - When a dog suffers from this kind of aggressive behavior if left and the owner chooses to ignore the problem they will become a danger to all those around them and not just to those they see as strangers or predators. This kind of problem will not be one that is a problem for the owner at home, but will also be one that will become a problem when the dog is away from it as well.

4. Possessive - This can make a real Jekyll and Hyde out of your dog, one minute they can loving and playful the next they are baring their teeth or snapping at you. This will normally occur when you approach something that they consider to be theirs. In many cases, a major trigger for this type of aggression is when you approach them when they are eating. If you want to stop this problem, you need to react as soon as you notice it occurring.

5. Punishment - This type of aggression normally occurs in a dog where they have been incorrectly punished or their owner is trying to exert their dominance of the animal. Although they may not respond aggressively, in the beginning to such treatment over any period of time, things will change and sooner or later, they are going to turn and become aggressive.

Above we looked at some of the kinds of aggressive behavior that a dog, no matter what age, breed or sex they are can have. However, in order for an owner to know what the right kind of dog aggression training they should be using to control the problem they first need to identify what type of aggressive behavior it is. The internet is a good place to find advice and information on all types of aggressive dog behavior.

About the Author:

For more excellent dog training resource please visit Dog Aggression Training as well as Dog Training Hand Commands Blog