Having a dog as a pet feels great and only dog owners can understand this. There is no more loyal animal other than a dog. Dogs are simple to keep and easy to tame. If you have a dog pet, then you surely know how to deal with your pet.
Sometimes your calm and friendly dog starts showing aggression. Here is when your concern arises.
Why do dogs get aggressive?
Dogs can get aggressive due to many reasons. When your dog gets contentious, it starts growling, baring teeth, nipping or even biting. When the dog gets aggressive, it becomes still and rigid, which means he is now in “attack mode”.
Before calming your dog, you need to figure out why your dog is showing aggression in the first place. Your dog can act aggressively due to many reasons like seeing strangers or if they get disturbed while eating bones or playing with toys. Some dogs show fierce behavior around other animals or towards certain equipment.
A dog can’t be calmed until you know the reason behind its aggressive behavior. A dog can get arrogant and nasty if it feels someone is trying to possess its territory or trying to steal its toy, bone or other objects. Dogs also feel vicious due to sex urge or frustration. They may get scared and have a sense of possession toward their things and even their kind. They can get aggressive trying to protect another one of their kind.
If your dog has an averted gaze and starts growling and snapping, trembling, yawning or raising its fur and starting to wag its tail, then these are the signs that your dog may get aggressive.
Calming aggressive dog
Although you can’t predict when your dog is going to show aggression, knowing the reason can help in calming down your pet. When you address the actual reason, then you can control the dog. It may take some time to calm down your puppy, but with effort and help, you can make your dog peaceful. Learning more about the habits of pets is always so essential, as you can deal with your pets problems by understanding them only. That’s the reason we suggest to read more and get acquainted with pet owner’s guides to ease your relationship with your beloved pets.
See your veterinarian
Dogs are usually friendly and tame. When they start showing fierce behavior, mostly it has something to do with underlying medical conditions. It can be a psychological or physical injury that is making your dog fierce. If your dog is in pain or is scared or depressed, it can show harsh behavior. Seeing a veterinarian will help in finding out the problem, why is your dog showing different behavior?
Consult professional
If your dog is not having any medical issue and your vet has already confirmed it, then it is time to call a professional dog trainer. A professional dog trainer knows how to do it. Don’t try to fix your dog’s behavior on your own.
To find a professional dog trainer you can ask your veterinarian to refer you to someone with expertise. You can also find helpful information online to find professionals to do this task. Consulting a professional is always a better decision to make.
Trying to fix the problem on your own can increase the risks and your dog may get more brutal.
Apply positive reinforcement
Encouraging your dog to behave well and rewarding with treats helps a lot. If your dog gets aggressive near other animals then try to make him stand far away from them and reward him with a treat. Keep decreasing the distance slowly. Your dog will get positive reinforcement and will think that making peace means getting treats.
Avoid punishment
Punishing your dog for aggressive behavior triggers aggression. Don’t hit or yell at your dog for showing fierce behavior. If you will punish your dog, next time it may get aggressive without showing any warning signs.
Give medication
Sometimes your dog needs medication to get better. If your dog is facing anxiety or stress issues or is scared to try new things then medication can help in calming down. Most dogs need medication for a short period of time so you don’t need to worry that your dog is switched to medication and may never get back to a normal routine. Some respond to certain foods so it is advisable to look for the best dog food for picky eaters.
Deal with unavoidable situations
There are certain situations in which you can’t help out your dog. If your dog doesn’t like more people and you have a large family or if it gets aggressive near children and you have kids then it is better to find a new home for your dog where it can live comfortably.
Dogs are the most adorable pets but may show aggression due to certain reasons. By knowing the actual reason and helping out your dog can aid in controlling the aggressive behavior of your dog. Above are some tips to control issues.
