Dominantly Aggressive Dogs

There are four main causes and/or types of dog aggression: 1) Dominant Aggression, 2) Territorial Aggression, 3) Fear Aggression, and finally 4) Predatorial Aggression. This article will examine the facts, signs and characteristics of a dominantly aggressive dog.

First, one thing must be understood about the nature of dogs. Before dogs became domestic animals, they ran together in packs, similar to wolves today. These dog packs have an established rank order, with the leader at the head, and other dogs subsequently underneath the leading dominant figure. Though dogs don’t generally live in packs today, it is in their nature. Today, they look upon living in a family as their “pack.” If they cannot distinguish a leader, they try to assume the dominant position. To avoid this, you will want to establish yourself as the head of the household. Here are some things you can do to help nip your pup’s aggressive tendencies in the bud.

Some early signs of aggression in puppies are numerous. New dog owners have enough on their hands simply in teaching their new puppy to be housetrained; however, it is also the owner’s responsibility to pay attention to their puppy and distinguish the early signs of aggression if they are present. Some signs of these signs include the puppy growling or snapping when someone gets too close to their food or water bowl or maybe when a child picks up one of their toys. These are the beginning signs of possession, and it is smart to stop these behaviors as soon as they are noticed.

First, if your dog is showing signs of possession, the best way to deal with this is by simply taking things away so they can learn that you own the things in the house, and not them. You should not allow your dog to sleep on the bed or on the couch. The best spot is always given to the leader. By doing this, you are showing your pet that you are the leader, not them. Instead, put your dog in a crate or in a doggie bed in the laundry room. This way you can control their “bedtime.” Another important time is mealtime. The dog does not eat with the family, or from the table; if you allow this, your dog will accept your actions as giving him a state of equality, maybe even superiority compared to the rest of the family. What you will need to do is to put them in their crate or set a baby-gate up so they can’t get into the kitchen or dining room, and feed them their dinner after the family is finished.

Remember, dogs are happiest when they are not the pack leaders or the dominant figure. They like having their lives handed to them by their owner, and they want to be taken care of. They don’t want to be in charge, and they want to relax and live a dog’s life. It may be tough, but your dog will be grateful if you take the reigns!

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