Redirecting dog aggression to wanted behaviour

Unwanted dog behaviour will only escalate if we don't redirect their attention to some cue or wanted behaviour...

First thing is first get your dog a muzzle. Even though you might think it's cruel is it not worse to have your dogs bite each other, you or someone else's dog? This is not permanent it's just until you are able to defuse the situation and to help you in those times that you did not anticipate your dogs to start fighting.

It's important to find out what is triggering your dog. As soon as you are able to lable your dog with say resource gaurding or what ever other trigger it might be you can work on the solution.

You might need some professional hands on help for this though.

It's important to keep your emotions out of the situation, dogs do not need your guilt and sadness to be added to the situation. This can cause stress and can cause your dogs to fight. Never after a fight make a fuss of your dogs. Take the dog that started the fight away from the other dog and leave that dog alone for a few seconds. Without making to much a deal out of it ensure that your dogs are not seriously injured. If not only attend to them later.

When your dogs starts to fight do not yell in a mousy voice this will only cheer them on! Rather yell in a husky voice and sound angry and harsh. Never hit or boot your dogs, this can encourage the fight and seriously hurt your dog.

Turn open the hose pipe, bang pots and pans or open an umbrella over them.

Dogs who want to bight to seriously injure will do so, if your dogs only have a few light scratch wounds it says to you that they are not wanting to be mean but something is triggering the fight. Dogs always have a reason for showing signs of aggression. Dogs do not juts bite because they just felt like it.

If your dog growls at you or another dog this is a warning sign, do not tell your dog to not growl. This is the only sign you have that your dog may be leaning towards biting next. If you diffuse the growling he will just suddenly bite without warning.

Some dogs have a higher threshold then other dogs or a higher bite inhibition. Your job is to get your dog to focus on something different.

When she growls ask her to sit and maybe give paw or what ever you would like to teach her. So you are redirecting the unwanted behaviour to something constructive.

Never let your dog demand attention from you by being forward. Some dogs will nudge you with the nose to rub them, turn your body and ignore them. When she is calm and resting ask her to come to you and then give her attention.

Do not think that this behaviour will work it self out, it rarely does, you need to step in and be active. If you need any further advice please fill out my contact me form.

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