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Addressing Aggression In Dogs

Dogs have been close companions to humans for hundreds of years, thousands in some places. For many, the old saying, "a dog is man's best friend" (which should be updated to "a man or woman's) is more than a cliche, but a heartfelt feeling. Dogs can indeed be a comfort, a friend, a protector, a playmate to children, a guardian of house and property and many other things.

Sometimes, however, the canine-human relationship is not completely harmonious. Unfortunately, dogs can inspire irritation and even fear in people. What does a dog owner do when faced with an aggressive or downright vicious animal that he or she cannot seem to control?

There are many kinds of aggression in dogs. Some dogs are only aggressive towards other dogs. Some have a problem with children. Others are unpredictable, fine with some people but growling or snapping at others. The first thing to do is to pinpoint what the problem is, specifically.

The first step to take is to have a veterinarian you trust examine your dog, to make sure there is not a physical problem that is the cause of disruptive behavior. You should also try to control your dog's environment as much as possible, avoiding whatever tends to provoke problematic behavior.

In other words, do not tempt fate. If your dog tends to fight with other dogs, until you can get a handle on the situation, you really need to isolate your dog from other dogs. The same, of course, is true for dogs who are aggressive towards people. If necessary, use a muzzle. Be sure to warn people not to approach a potentially dangerous dog. You do not want to deal with lawsuits, or other repercussions of your dog attacking someone, whether human or another animal.

Most cases of aggression in dogs can be successfully dealt with. In rare cases, as when you have a young child at home, or if the dog is, for whatever reason, unresponsive to any kind of corrections, dog and owner must part ways. Fortunately, these situations are not the norm. The first thing you should make sure of is that your dog gets sufficient exercise. Aggressive dogs often have too much energy because they are idle.

A note about exercise --playing with your dog is great, but make sure you don't play too roughly and unknowingly encourage aggression. For many dogs, it's fine to play rough, but if your dog has an issue with aggression, you should not be playing in ways that foster this.

Sometimes the problem is isolation. Dogs are social animals who do not like to be left alone for long periods. Tying a dog to a stake in the ground all day is not going to make him/her happy, and in some cases it may cause behavior problems. If you are away from your dog for long periods, try to make an arrangement so the dog isn't alone all the time. At the very least, make sure the animal has some room to move around.

What I have given here are preliminary steps and not enough to solve a serious problem. If you have an aggressive dog, you are going to have to do something or hire someone to help. A qualified dog trainer or obedience school can usually help, but these solutions can be costly. If you have the patience, you can probably learn to correct your dog's problems yourself.

The issue of an aggressive dog is serious and cannot be overlooked. Fortunately, most dogs can be cured of aggression and almost any other behavioral problem. Some dogs, just like some humans, need extra help in getting past whatever problems they may have acquired.

Article Source: http://www.inpop.net

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