Dealing With An Aggressive Dog - The Do's And Dont's

By Carl Covason

All dogs have the possibility of being aggressive. Some people believe that certain breeds of dogs are naturally aggressive but the truth is that the dogs that get a bad rap for being aggressive are the ones that people tend to train to be aggressive.

For example, take the pit bull. In the long and short of it, pit bulls are not overly aggressive by themselves. The reason people believe they are is because people like to train pit bulls to be aggressive.

While it is true that a dog of a certain breed is not guaranteed to be mean, all dogs have a personality of their own. If you find yourself with an aggressive dog then you need to take precautions for your safety and the safety of any children you have.

So what do you do if you get a dog that is a bit on the aggressive side?

Well it actually depends on how aggressive they are and what they get aggressive about.

One form of aggression is when your dog crouches down with their belly close to the ground like they are ready to spring in for the attack while growling and barking. If your dog does this it is best to completely ignore him. Make no eye contact because if you do it will be taken as a challenge and could easily turn into a game of who has the power.

Never lash out or spank your dog if he is doing this or it will turn into a game where he tries to dog you and lunge at you for his turn. Once it becomes a game you will have a very difficult time of breaking your dog's aggressive habit.

If your dog gets aggressive when he is eating the best way to deal with it is to stay around him every time he is eating. Do not touch an aggressive dog when he is eating. Start out by staying in the same room and gradually work your way closer every meal.

Always use your best judgment when doing this and pay very close attention to the signs your dog is giving you. If he is getting agitated then do not get any closer to him.

If you have a very aggressive dog then you need to use caution around him and get him trained either by training him yourself or by going to a local dog trainer. - 29895

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