When dealing with dog to dog aggression, it is very important to listen to our dogs. There are many of different reasons why our dog(s) may act aggressively towards another. Below we will list some of the reasons.
- Your dog may be afraid.
- Your Dog may be stressed out because another dog is entering his/her space.
- Your dog may feel the need to be dominant.
- Your dog may be protective over you.
- Your dog may be very curious.
- Your dog may be overly excited.
A lot of the times, we may perceive our dogs being or acting aggressively when in fact, they are simply over stimulated, have too much energy, or they are simply interested in what is going on. Because of this, it is essential that we understand what it is that our dogs are feeling and what our dogs are trying to say.
Now that we have discussed some of the reasons why our dogs may act aggressively around other dogs, we will not discuss some of the tips that you can use in order to reduce the occurrences of this.
1. Be Calm And Decisive.
The first thing that you are going to want to be sure to do is be calm and decisive. Dogs are actually very sensitive and aware of what their human is feeling. Because your dog can pick up on different emotions and reflect your own emotions, it is important to always remain calm around your dog. A very common mistake that happens with owners that are walking their dogs is that they tense up on the leash and get fearful of what their dog are going to do. Because of this, the dog picks up on the energy you are putting out and becomes aggressive as a result to protect his or herself and the owner.
2. Ignore, Ignore, Ignore.
Another very solid tip to do when you are walking your dog outside is to ignore other dogs. By ignoring other dogs and moving along, you are going to be able to let your dog know that other dogs are not a threat to his or herself nor their owner. Do not let your dog sit there and stare at other dogs because it will trigger aggressive behavior in you dog. By not letting your dog get into this state of mind, you are going to help avoid aggressive behavior towards other dogs while out walking.
Don’t let your dog’s aggression issue keep you from going for walks or out in public with him or her. Seek the help of a behavior specialist to solve the problem.
Is your dog showing aggression around other dogs? We can help. If you are in Nashville, TN, Chattanooga, TN, Clarksville, TN or Huntsville, AL visit us at Canine Behavior Specialists and give us a call.
Please remember we can help you with dog training or problem solving no matter where you are located. In fact we have clients all over the U.S. simply visit www.TrainMyDogOnline.com for more information and the give us a call.
Until next time,
P.S. Do you need some advice from a Canine Behavior Specialist? If so CLICK HERE now!
About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists in Nashville, TN. Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network.
Thank you for sending me emails to alert me about new messages on your blog. As a trainer I feel it is so important to hear, listen and read other trainers points of interests and training tips. I have worked with dogs that have an aggression problem. It is probably the most difficult problem to deal with in any dog and yes I believe that about 85% of dogs that have an aggression problem have it because of fear. They got it through some traumatic experience, like abuse or being attacked by another animal. I formerly trained dogs in Tennessee and Georgia. At present I am training dogs in Chicago, Il.. It is good that you have this blog to assist pet owners with the caring and training of their dogs. It is important also for dog owners to know their dogs well and be able to recognize the different signals that their dog sends to them such as excitement, anxiety, fear etc. Thank you and I look forward to your next article. Steve
Thanks for the comments Steve. I hope things are going well for you in Chicago!
I was wondering we have a 13 weeks old boxer male we are getting a a female in 4 weeks she will be 7 weeks and him17 weeks will this be a good point to do this as we fill he needs a playmate with his energy or should we wait we want the best for him and his new friend
Mike, in my opinion it is a bad idea. I have seen a bunch of my clients do that and then realize it was a mistake. Get one dog trained first and then maybe get dog #2 later. I always tell people to never get dog #2 because you don’t have the time or energy for the first dog.
Where I live, there are tons of aggressive dogs around every turn. Every time I go to the pet store, Piper (my dog) and I get lunged at by an aggressive dog at least once. As an owner of a former aggressive dog, it has made a world of a difference for my stress level to have fixed this before I take her out into public. Now, when those dogs jump out at us from around the corner, using tips like the ones in this article, Piper doesn’t bat an eye and keeps walking, as do I.
Thanks for the comment Hannah and be careful with those aggressive dogs on your walks.