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Friday, 14 September 2012

How to manage dog aggression

By Jerry Welsh


Aggression is an instinctual behavior of dogs. Dogs actually need to be aggressive to survive against the threat of predators and against other dogs in the pack. Aggression is vital to the dogs' survival in the wild. An aggressive behavior may have been beneficial when dogs are still living in the wild but today's society frown at this unwanted behavior because of its potential dangerous consequences. It is therefore necessary to find ways to stop the dog's aggressive behavior.

Humans consider dogs as the most ideal pets. Most families share their home with these affectionate and loyal animals as they are considered to be members of the family. Dogs are wonderful companions but this cannot be said if the chosen pet is one that is difficult to manage because of an aggressive behavior. Dogs are well loved pets but due to aggression an owner may decide to put the dog to sleep especially if it has already caused serious injuries to the family members. This tragic situation though can be avoided as there are ways to alleviate this concern. The first step to stop the dog's aggressive behavior is to understand what causes the aggression. The dog may have hurt someone but punishment and inflicting physical harm on the dog would never solve the problem. Inflicting pain can worsen the dog's aggression.

It would be best to head to a veterinary facility if the friendly and well behaved pet has suddenly turned aggressive. There is a possibility that an underlying medical problem has caused the dog to develop an aggressive behavior. A dog in pain may snap and bite if touched. Another way of stopping dog aggression is to neuter or spay the pet as a dominant personality is often seen in intact dogs.

The dog's aggression can be caused by some circumstances in its environment. Dogs are food motivated and very territorial. It is not uncommon for dogs especially those that are not well socialized to exhibit an aggressive temperament if a threat to its territory is perceived. The situation can be prevented if the dog is not exposed to such conditions.

Dog aggression is one of the common reasons why many dogs are put to sleep every year. Although a difficult behavioral concern, aggression can be corrected. Obedience training and socialization will be extremely beneficial as it would increase the dog's tolerance. Dog owners will be overwhelmed with the task of managing the pet's aggression. The help of an animal behaviorist or a professional dog trainer would be necessary in creating a program that will modify the aggressive behavior of the pet.




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