A Dog Owners Guide to Avoiding Aggresssive Canine Behavior

How to Avoid Aggressive Behavior in Your Pooch

Sometimes even the most even-tempered dogs show can show signs of aggression in particular situations. Because Man’s Best Friend can also be Man’s Greatest Liability (especially when it comes to homeowners insurance) it is important for dog owners to know how to prevent aggression in their pooch.  Please keep in mind that the information provided below is merely a suggestion and for professional advice on dog training you should hire a professional. (Also, some dogs are, for varying reasons, intensely aggressive. If you are dealing with an animal who exhibits intense aggression you should contact a trainer or veterinarian for advice about your specific situation).

Socialization Throughout a Dog’s Life
For a long time it has been known that the way a dog is socialized can greatly affect how they will act as they get older. Socialization begins when a puppy is born and he meets his/her littermates for the first time. Puppies should be free to socialize during this time, however, it is also often recommended that puppies are not harshly disciplined during this period as they are still fearful of the world around them. 

Once a dog reaches 14 weeks, socialization is critical. Dogs who have not been socialized with other dogs and humans by 14 weeks may suffer major behavioral issues in their adult life. During adolescence- which typically lasts until 14-15 months- dogs achieve sexual maturity and typically become more protective. It is important to introduce your dog to others dogs, people and children on your home property during this period in order to further socialize and make the dog comfortable with strangers.

Causes of Aggression
There are many different causes of aggression which can vary from hereditary and breed factors, interbreeding, hormone levels, lack of socialization, bad experiences with abuse or attack from another animal, and excessive or lack of punishment.

Dog owners should keep an eye out for early signs of aggression as they often escalate and turn into more serious acts of aggression.

In order to prevent canine aggression, it is important to understand that dogs are pack-animals, meaning, they have a status that determines their role in their pack. This status is called ‘pack order’ and it determines which dogs in a pack will be of a dominate (alpha) status and which dogs will be submissive (omega) status. Dogs see their human housemates as part of their pack and therefore include them in their pack order. A dominant dog, for example, may see the humans (espeically children) in the household as being submissive to that animal- increasing it’s probability of being aggressive.

Prevention
In order to prevent aggression in your animal, you must demonstrate the understanding that you, as the owner, are the alpha member of your dog’s “pack”.  You want to be stern with your dog when correcting behavioral issues to communicate the fact that you are the boss. (Of course, however, avoiding physical abuse).

For puppies, it is strongly recommended by dog breeders that you reprimand bad behavior while also rewarding good behavior with treats. In older dogs, some breeders recommend using a more mild form of discipline but continuing the praise and treats for good behavior.

For more information about dog training, you should contact a local dog trainer and see what they recommend for treating aggressive behavior. For more information on avoiding dog-related lawsuits, visit our page on avoiding dog bites.