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Discover Why Your Dog Is Aggressive

Aggressive dogs can be an issue for all concerned. They can be especially frightening for small children and adults alike. Even though some breeds are more aggressive than other breeds there is usually an underlying reason that a dog is aggressive. If you figure out why your dog is acting out you can tailor your training efforts to curb his aggression. You will be a more contented pet owner if you can trust your dog to be calm in most situations.

Sometimes aggressive behavior is because your dog wants to establish dominance. Dogs are pack animals and there is always a hierarchy to the pack. The alpha dog is the leader and the other dogs follow. Appropriate training will establish you as the alpha dog or the leader. Never allow your dog to think of himself as the alpha dog or you will constantlyencounter difficulties. Even so your dog may still want to establish his dominance over other dogs or animals and this may be the cause of his dominance aggression.

Dogs can also act aggressively because they are protecting their territory. Your dog thinks certain things are “his” including you, your home and your family. While this can be seen as a good thing in certain circumstances it can create problems with visitors or neighbors if it gets out of control. If you dog is excessively aggressive in protecting his territory his behavior may need to be contained.

Often a dog will lash out from fear. Something scares your dog and rather than back off he lashes out and attacks. The dog will start growling, pull his ears back and tuck his tail between his legs. Many times this type of aggression is mistaken for direct aggression. Fear aggression is mostly caused by a situation that has scared the dog. He is lashing out because he is scared and does not know how to handle that fright.

A dog’s aggressive behavior can be misdirected. Something happens that causes the dog anxiety yet he is not able to take his aggression out on what really caused the aggression so he takes it out on something else. This may be a reason why your dog may be fighting with other dogs for no apparent reason. He is releasing his anxiety and aggression that was caused by something else.

Sometimes aggression is caused by a biological or medical reason. For example, we all understand that a mother dog may become aggressive when she is protecting her litter. Less understood though is that sometimes aggression can be caused by a medical reason. That is why it is important to take your dog to the vet for a complete examination to rule out any medical problems.

Getting your female dog spayed and your male dog neutered can curb aggressive tendencies. This also contributes greatly to the good health of your dog. If you are not in the business of breeding dogs it is just the responsible thing to do and it will make your aggression training easier.

If you know the causes of why your dog is acting aggressively you can fit your training efforts to fit your dog and you will find success comes easier. There is most often a reason for excessive aggression in dogs.