Just like human beings, certain dogs can be aggressive by nature. This aggressive behavior could lead to severe conflicts between the dogs and their masters. Such behavior is instinctive among many animals, but can be controlled. It is, in fact, necessary to control it for the well-being of your dog. Dog-to-dog aggression is quite normal, and a dog that is aggressive to other dogs is more frequent within breeds than between them.
But where is the line between playful antics and aggression? Let us take a look at a few things that determine that.
Growling
Growling is the most common sign of aggression, which needs immediate attention. You can take steps by trying to get your pet together with other dogs in your neighborhood, including ones of its own breed. Some pets reveal territorial aggression, which often results in chasing cars or people passing by. This could create problems, not only for you, but also for your immediate neighbors. This type of territorial aggression may require certain additional measures, such as citronella or electronic collars. Even aggression training can prove helpful. Since these issues can make both you and your dog unhappy, you’ll need to find some effective ways to control them.
Fear
Another kind of problem is fear aggression. This can be caused by the fear of a particular person, another animal, or even a particular situation. Your dog may simply not understand how to handle such a situation and instinctively become aggressive.
Pain
Even pain can be responsible for aggression in dogs. A dog under any physical pain is likely to be short-tempered and will charge at anyone who annoys it or even gets close to it. Under such situations, the best thing you can do is to leave him alone and give him time to recover from his injuries.
Negative Impacts
Your dog may become irritable or even angry, which can also have negative impacts. Your already irritated dog will hardly show any patience and may turn aggressive when approached. At such times, you should give him some time to rest and should be left alone until he calms down. You should also avoid bringing another pet into your house, as it may not be able to control its anger and could attack. Specialty training collars may prove helpful in situations like these.
Intentionally
Some trainers intentionally teach dog aggression, which is a big mistake. Most of these trainers are inexperienced and are not sure of the correct way to train aggressive dogs. Similarly, it would be foolish of the pet owners to expect the dogs to be tender and gentle after having given them vigorous training. It is very important to understand that it is difficult for dogs to unlearn what they have learned in the past. Like humans, habits die hard in dogs, too! Ridding them of aggressive behavior may be very difficult. So it is best to avoid training them to behave aggressively.
Dog leash training is one of the most important things a responsible owner can do for puppies. It will keep them safe outdoors, and a leash can also allow you to retain control during other training methods.