Stopping Canine Aggression

Canine aggression is a major problem as it affects everyone in the community the canine comes into contact with from the next door neighbor to the post man. As the owner of the canine you are responsible for any physical damage that occurs. Medical bills from a minor canine attack can be considerable especially if the attack victim was a child. Stopping canine aggression must become a major family priority to secure your family from personal financial liability.

Check for Medical Problems

Stopping canine aggression is possible. It will require you direct involvement in determining the causes of the dog’s aggression. Canine aggression can by symptomatic of a medical problem making a veterinary visit necessary to insure that a painful medical condition is not the cause of the canine aggression toward people.

After ruling out a medical condition as a reason for the canine aggression, start to systematically eliminate possible causes for the dog’s aggression. The elimination of a medical illness does not fully eliminate the possibility of a physical condition affecting the dog’s attitudes and the resulting canine aggression. Male intact dogs may display excessive canine aggression due to high levels of testosterone. These dogs are likely to be very territorial and protective of the yard and family. In the case, stopping the canine aggression might be as simple as having the dog neutered.

Consider Professional Services

Never allow yourself to dismiss the seriousness of canine aggression. If it has been determined that the problem is not physical and other basic solutions have failed it is advisable to consider the services of a dog trainer or animal behaviorist. A professional dog trainer can save time in finding a solution to the canine aggression and in training the family how to appropriately respond to the dog’s aggression.

Physical Punishment Only Exacerbates Problem

Canine aggression is a difficult complex problem to solve. Often our first tendency to curtail canine aggression is to physically punish the dog. This usually has the direct opposite affect causing the dog’s canine aggression to increase in severity. Canine aggression escalation often leads to severe biting attacks causing victim medical intervention and having to put the dog down or to sleep.

Avoid Aggressive Games

With many dog breeds an aggressive attitude is a natural attribute required for the dog to survive in the wild. Playing highly active dog games such as tug-of-war, wrestling activates the dog’s basic survival tendencies toward canine aggression. These games should be avoided. There are many good appropriate games that can be played between your dog and your children that promote good responsible dog behaviors.

Avoid Emotional Triggers

Eliminate as well as is possible, the triggers that set off the canine aggression. If the dog is aggressive toward the post man make sure the dog is not present during the times of the day when the post man services your home. If the dog becomes aggressive every time you are at the dogpark avoiding activities at the dogpark is advisable at least until the dog has been taught how to properly respond to other dogs.