Although I no longer accept clients with highly aggressive dogs, I want to offer some basic guidance to help you to prevent aggression problems or deal with an existing aggression problem.
The first and most important piece of advice I have to offer is this: If your dog is showing signs of aggression, seek the help of a dog trainer that specializes in aggression cases. No excuses. Don’t tell me he’s just “nipping”, that “he only did it once”, that “he didn’t bite him, he just hit him with his teeth” (yes, people actually say that). Don’t assume that all dogs are aggressive when they have food or a bone or when you give them a bear hug or wake them up. All aggressive behavior must be taken seriously and addressed immediately.
I know, I know, he’s great with your kids, sleeps in bed with you every night and loves tummy rubs. But, if he growls at people in hats or snaps at your handyman or bit you when you tried to take his food away from him, you need to get professional help right away. Don’t wait until something tragic happens.
Even the most aggressive dogs I’ve encountered behave aggressively far less than 1% of the time, so don’t be fooled into thinking your dog’s aggressive behavior is just a fluke because he’s so sweet most of the time. It’s like those serial killers you see on the news… all his neighbors say what a nice, quiet guy he was. “He just kind of kept to himself”… except when he didn’t.
Get training for your dog BEFORE aggressive behavior starts. All dogs can benefit from training, and some of the basics that you and your dog will learn in a good, solid training program can prevent aggressive behavior from developing.
Do not encourage your dog to be aggressive. People tend to reinforce their dog’s aggressive behaviors, intentionally or unintentionally. Some people praise their dog’s inappropriately aggressive behavior, thinking it will make him a good guard dog, others try to soothe the dog when he’s barking or growling by petting him and telling him “it’s okay”. Your dog perceives this attempt at soothing him as praise, and it will reinforce his aggressive behavior.
Avoid leaving your dog tied out or fenced in your yard for extended periods of time, especially if he has a view of people passing by your yard. This can build frustration that can lead to aggression. If your dog runs back and forth along the fence and/or barks when people or other dogs are passing, it’s a sign that frustration is building. You should address these issues through training before they have a chance to escalate.
Remember, that, even with training, dogs that have a tendency toward aggressive behavior need to be handled carefully. Training is crucial, but I believe that proper management of an aggressive dog is equally important.
Sometimes, highly aggressive dogs are LESS of a threat than dogs whose aggressive behavior is less frequent or less severe. Counter-intuitive, but true. Why? Because people whose dogs are highly aggressive often keep them securely confined, muzzle them when they walk them and don’t allow them to get into situations where they have contact with people or animals that might be put at risk.
People with dogs that show only occasional aggression tend to be in denial about their dog’s aggression. They think, “Oh, he’ll be fine”… but often, they’re wrong.
Deciding to keep an aggressive dog is a huge responsibility that is not to be taken lightly. Please follow the management rules below to lessen the chances that your dog will be in a position to show aggression to people or other animals.
1. Keep your dog on a leash. Anytime your aggressive dog is outside of your house or yard he must be on leash. No exceptions.
2. Obedience train your dog. Use your obedience commands to keep your dog’s focus on you when he’s out in the world around people and in other circumstances that might prompt aggression.
3. Use a muzzle. If your trainer recommends it, use a muzzle when you’re worried that your dog might become aggressive (on his walks, at the vet, when there are strangers in your house, etc.). A muzzle should be used only when the dog is directly supervised… leaving it on him when he’s alone is not safe.
4. Confine your dog when you have company. Have a secure place in your home or yard to confine your dog when there are guests in your home. A crate, kennel or dog run works best. Confining the dog behind a puppy gate or behind a closed door does not provide secure enough confinement, since unsuspecting people can easily put a hand over the gate or open the closed door.
5. Make sure your home and yard are secure. Having a secure home and yard is important for all dogs, as it will prevent your dog from running away or being hit by a car. For aggressive dogs, keeping them from escaping is of primary importance, since one of the responsibilities an owner takes on when choosing to keep an aggressive dog is to keep that dog on your property or under your direct control at all times.
Your fence should be sufficiently high to keep your dog in. Check your local zoning ordinances to see what fence height is allowed, and put up the highest fence you can. For medium to large dogs, fence height should be at least 6 feet.
If your dog tends to climb, chain link is not a good choice… you’ll do better with a solid wood fence or a block wall. If your dog tends to dig, paver stones can be placed along the base of the fence or you can have concrete poured along the base of the fence.
If at all possible, your yard should be double-gated at all entry points so the outside gate can be closed before the inside gate is opened. This will help to prevent your dog from bolting out the gate as it’s opening.
All gates and doors on your property that lead outside should be fitted with hardware that makes them self-closing. This will prevent your dog from escaping through a door or gate that was accidentally left open.
Gates should be locked so nobody but family members can open them.
Having invisible fencing installed is a good second line of defense. Getting too close to the underground wire will cause your dog to get a correction from the collar that comes with the system. You can have invisible fencing professionally installed or buy a do-it-yourself kit.
Finally, a note about dog aggression. As with all aggression, aggression toward other dogs must be taken seriously. Training and management of your dog-aggressive dog should be begun as soon as possible to help you to resolve these issues.
Many people worry when their dog is showing aggression toward other dogs, thinking that it will lead to aggression toward people. Although some dogs are aggressive toward both people and dogs, dog-aggression and aggression toward people do not necessarily go hand-in-hand, so don’t panic… just have your dog evaluated by a professional as soon as possible.
Seeing your dog display aggressive behavior can be very upsetting and confusing. Preventive measures, immediate training when your dog shows signs of aggression and proper management of your dog will help you to protect your dog and those around him from harm.
Visit Rebecca’s free housebreaking website, The Housebreaking Bible, to learn how to get your puppy or adult dog on the right track RIGHT NOW!