| Aggression |
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Aggression is one way dogs communicate in order to resolve conflict, gain control over important resources or to increase the distance
between themselves and someone else. Aggression is not a temperament it is a trait. This means a dog's entire personality is not aggressive;
he or she just acts aggressively under certain circumstances. Similar to humans-we are not always upset, just around certain people and
situations. The term 'dominance' is used as the reason for many unwanted dog behaviors, especially aggression. By using that as the excuse
you are not really allowing yourself to understand the reasons your dog is displaying this behavior, which means you cannot help him learn
how to display other behavior instead.
There are numerous reasons why a dog may act aggressively. While it may be helpful to know when and why your dog started acting this way,
it is much more important to know what trigger’s your dogs aggression and how your dog is getting reinforced for that behavior. Another dog,
an adult male, a child, a food bowl, or a bone may elicit or evoke your dog’s aggression. He may do this because it makes the other dog or
human go away or it may protect his food or spot on the couch.
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POSSIBLE CAUSES OF AGGRESSION |
Lack of socialization
 Your dog wasn't socialized enough to other dogs, animals, children or strangers when he was a puppy
Your dog never learned how to read human or dog language so he misinterprets the language and does not know how to communicate the language himself
Owner's incorrect use of punishment towards their dog
The owners will punish their dog for growling, which is a symptom-not a problem
The owner will punish the dog in a way that he associates other dogs and humans with punishment, instead of associating his behavior with punishment
Owners failure to understand the dog's language
Dogs may have been giving calming signals, showing signs of stress or displaying displacement activity and the owner did not take appropriate action
Learned aggression
The dog learns that a certain behavior works for him
The dog is put in a situation that encourages aggression
The dog learns from another dog to use aggression
What Training Can Do
By working with dogs who display aggression, we can help them learn how to properly read both human and canine language. That way they will not read non-threatening signals as a threat, and they will learn how to convey calming signals in place of aggressive behavior. I will teach you how to positively work with your dog using protocols to set him up for success. You will learn how to read and understand dog communication so you can tell when your dog is stressed, scared or aroused by a stimulus. You can then take the necessary action to help your dog make the right decision in that situation. We will also go over how to manage your dog and the environment to prevent any aggressive activity. The more practice your dog has at aggression, the more it becomes a way of life for him. Take it out of his system and show him other, more proper ways to behave. You and your dog will form a closer relationship and he will learn to trust that you will protect him. He will no longer feel that he has to handle situations on his own. When he is unsure of something, instead of taking matter into his own hands, he will look to you for guidance. Aggression is not always curable, but it is controllable. You will learn what steps to take with your dog so you can both enjoy life more freely, together.
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| Private In-Home Dog Training to Help Your Dog Succeed |
