My dog ​​is aggressive: Find out why & what you can do

Is your dog exhibiting aggressive behavior? Does it show its teeth, growl or even bite other animals or people? This is something that should concern you, especially if it involves the risk of injury.

After all, the dog's behavior is your responsibility and most of the time an aggressive dog acts that way because it has not been properly approached. Whether his aggression is due to traumatic experiences or wrong training moves, the good news is that there are many easy things you can do to stop it.

Why is the dog aggressive?

A dog can be aggressive for many reasons, including:

• He has not received adequate socialization.
• It hurts or has some intense discomfort.
• Feels insecure (e.g. because he is tied up and can't break free).
• She has suffered traumatic experiences of abuse.
• He lives isolated and without contact with people and other animals.
• He has been trained in the wrong way (eg his owner indirectly praised his aggressive behavior by petting him to calm him down).

So it becomes clear that no dog is born aggressive, not even breeds that most people think of as aggressive, like pit bulls or rottweilers. The dog is aggressive because it is afraid or angry.

So it is very important to identify the cause of this behavior and correct it. How; We'll see that right next.

What should I do if my dog ​​is aggressive?

Dealing with dog aggression involves two stages.

In the first, you should avoid situations that cause him stress and anger . If, for example, he behaves aggressively towards other dogs, then you should not bring him into contact with them. If you feel insecure during the walk, then you may be able to put a muzzle on the dog, which of course will be a temporary solution to protect everyone.

In the second stage, the dog should be trained to obey basic commands and choose alternative behaviors instead of aggression . You can certainly try to teach him some commands yourself, such as "sit", "stay" and "go", but most of the time you will need to seek help from a professional trainer. The trainer will use positive reinforcement techniques to show the dog how it should behave, what its limits are and how it can constructively handle its stress and insecurity.

Of course, even after training, it is very important that the dog feels that he has a confident person next to him, who does not lose his temper and inspires him with confidence. Therefore, it is essential that you also practice so that you do not show nervousness to your dog and exude confidence when you are with him.

Showing - always with love and patience - your dog that you have the upper hand will calm him down, improve your relationship and ultimately make your life together happier!