Stop Your Dog's Aggressive Behavior

By Steve Kettle

Before you can stop your dog's aggressive behavior you must first recognize the cause. Once you understand why a dog shows aggression it will be easier to prevent, or at least minimize, the damages that could result. We first must realize that all dogs are instinctively aggressive. Before dogs were domesticated they needed that aggression to survive. They used aggression to hunt, protect their territory and a mate. Selective breeding through the years has minimized those traits, but never forget that mother nature has given dogs the ability to inflict a lot of pain and damage! We, as dog owners, must take steps to prevent aggression from rearing up at inopportune times. That means effective obedience training as well as a complete understanding of the & "whys" of dog aggression.

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This article will deal with aggression towards family members. The interaction between a dog and the immediate members of your family is certainly a natural concern. There are two main reasons why a dog will become aggressive towards the members of his own human family:-He is trying to defend something he perceives as his from a possible threat(you) or-He is uncomfortable with the type of handling or treatment he is receiving fro you or other members of the human family.He may snarl at you if you approach him while eating or give you a nasty stare when you try and take a toy away from him. This type of reaction is pretty common with dogs. This is where good obedience training comes in handy. Through such training you will become the dominate or "alpha" dog. Since dogs were originally pack animals it is there nature to want to be the leader of the pack. Your training will let him know his place, or social standing, is not above you or the members of your family. Now, this does not mean you have to whip or constantly scold your dog. Quite the contrary. A couple of 10 to 15 minute sessions of consistent obedience training will make it perfectly clear to your dog that he is NOT the boss!The time spent in these training sessions will increase the bond between you and your dog. He will enjoy the attention and, as long as your sessions are short and positive, he will appreciate the new type of handling and treatment involved.Obedience training is best when established with a young pup, but it can be accomplished with any aged dog. If you are not completely familiar with how to start an obedience training program head to the library for a good manual. There are also plenty available online under "dog aggression" or "obedience training" and probably just plain "dog training".A well behaved dog is a treasure to own. Don't let a misunderstanding of why your dog gets aggressive destroy the pride and joy of dog ownership.Steve Kettle is a freelance writer and publisher of a pet website. For a free newsletter on this and many other pet topics you can visit the website at http:http://www.pawspawspaws.comArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kettle

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