exactly how can I stop my dog’s aggression around other dogs?
Note: This is a guest publish from Ty Brown, owner of CommuniCanine, a Salt Lake City dog training business voted the very best training business in Utah. Ty is likewise the owner of dog habits Online, a dog training resource offering DVDs, Skype training as well as free videos as well as articles.
Over the years my dog training business has evolved rather a bit.
I started out as a sole proprietor doing whatever on my own as well as taking any type of training task that came down the pike.
As the years progressed, I added new fitness instructors as well as office staff, as well as we ended up being much more laser focused.
In our specify of Utah we are understood for being able to solve dog aggression. All types of dog aggression.
Whether the subject is dog aggressive, person aggressive, kid aggressive, food aggressive or handler aggressive, we’ve dealt with it successfully. fixing aggression has ended up being most likely 60 percent of our business, as well as it is due primarily to a number of key points I’m going to show you today.
Obedience, obedience, obedience
Any of my clients will tell you that I noise like a damaged record.
You ask me about a home training problem, as well as I ask you about the dog’s obedience. You want to repair destruction, as well as I want to discover out just exactly how well your dog heels on a leash. You want to solve door manners, hyperactivity or neurotic behaviors, then I want to understand if your dog has fantastic obedience or is it only so-so?
Obedience is so crucial since it has a calming effect. It is structured, as well as structure fights dog “evil” in all its forms. An obedient dog is likewise a respectful dog.
So when somebody is hiring us to solve her dog’s aggression issues, the very first thing we always begin with is obedience. It sets the foundation for fixing this as well as all other issues.
Now, I understand what a few of you available are saying. “My dog is obedient as well as he’s likewise aggressive.”
I’ve heard this before. most likely lots if not numerous times. only when did I hand it to the person as well as say, “You’re right.”
You see, any type of time somebody tells me her dog is extremely obedient, it normally only takes a few moments to highlight where the issue is.
“Does your dog stay when told?” Opýtam sa.
“Sure,” she’ll tell me.
“What about when somebody is ringing the doorbell?” Pýtam sa.
“Um … not so much.”
“Well does he come when called?”
“Oh yes, he understands ‘come.’”
“What about if one more dog were around?”
“I assumption not at that point.”
Folks, there is a difference between “obedience” as well as “applicable obedience.”
Nearly every dog I’ve ever satisfied has some obedience, however it’s the unusual dog that has applicable obedience. You know, the type of obedience where your dog will perform the command regardless of distractions – cats, other dogs, kids, bicycles as well as the rest.
If your dog doesn’t have that level of obedience then that is task one for solving your aggression problem.
What do I do when my dog is acting aggressively?!
Assuming we are progressing together with some solid obedience training, we’ve got to have a strategy in location of what to do when your dog starts acting like a turd as well as barking, lunging as well as growling at his “trigger.” (Trigger is the word we utilize of what starts the aggressive behavior.)
At our business we teach, with a few different means, a technique we phone call “The distance Method.”
Let me walk you with exactly how I frequently see a typical person dealing with his dog’s aggression.
Owner as well as dog are walking down the street when the dog is suddenly triggered. The dog starts barking as well as lunging as well as the owner starts dragging the dog away, ostensibly being “corrected.”
Look at it from the dog’s perspective, though.
The dog’s entire focus is on the “trigger.” As she’s being dragged away she is associating the discomfort of the drag on the trigger as well as therefore is wrapping the trigger into her correction.
“Man I truly hate dogs,” the dog’s interior monologue says. “Every time I see one my owner starts dragging me off.”
In fact, it’s quick work to worsen an aggression issue doing this.
Dogs are disobedient for only three reasons:
1- focus problems
2- communication problems
3- Dominance/relationship problems
Most aggression I see is focus related.
The dog is so focused on an outside trigger as well as has no hint exactly how to redirect that focus towards something constructive rather than destructive.
(Sound familiar? exactly how many of you understand somebody who has enabled an outside trigger of alcohol, gambling or other vice to take his focus away from constructive things? It’s simple to state “stupid dog” without realizing people frequently have the exact same issues in different formats.)
‘Aggression snowball’
What we look for is when the dog starts his “aggression snowball.” You know, the moment the dog starts huffing as well as puffing as well as beginning to wind up.
The second that snowball starts, we correct in the opposite way. This can be made with a leash as well as training collar. We’ve likewise established a technique utilizing an e-collar that is extremely unique to us called the “Step Back Recall.”
The concept is that we don’t want the aggression snowball to get any type of bigger. before it does, we correct the dog away by providing a number of firm tugs as well as releases (not drags) moving directly away from the trigger, therefore altering his focus, as well as enabling his brain to calm down for a second.
After doing that, we turn back around as well as re-approach the trigger, as well as enable the dog to choose again. If he makes a bad choice, we repeat. If he makes a great choice, we keep walking.
You see, dogs focus on what their two bit eyes are scanning right now. As we get their eyes to look away, as well as strengthen that with a correction, we get the dog to zero in on us.
If your dog is focused on you, he is a great boy. If he’s focused on his trigger, he may not be. It’s important to get that focus onto you.
These days we’ve even been experimenting effectively with utilizing a treat after the correction to get the dog to zero in as well as focus on the owner’s face. Ja viem, ja viem. anyone who’s checked out any type of of my stuff or seen any type of of my videos understands I’m not a treat trainer. I’ve found, though, that a well-timed treat after the correction can truly focus the dog in well.
Now, I understand at this point there are going to be lots of visitors that say, “Well this research study … or this book … or this trainer states you can’t correct dogs when they are being aggressive. It will only make it worse!”
To those that suggest this point, I never understand what to say.
What do you state when a research study tells you something that you understand from your own two eyes to be false? Neviem.
Needless to say, for those who are going to want to like the dog, treat the dog, or calmly reason with the dog into not being aggressive then I state “all the best.”
Our system has been working fantastic for many years as well as has assisted countless aggressive dogs.
Checks as well as balances
I mentioned earlier that structure is great as well as fights evil. That is extremely true, as well as if your dog is aggressive you want great deals of structure in a great deal of great ways. I phone call them “checks as well as balances,” bit things you do throughout the day that are reminding the dog about her connection with you as well as her function around the house.
You should be walking the dog, not her walking you.
This is an absolute. Make sure you train your dog to walk right next to your side.
You should have your dog do obedience tasks throughout the day.
Have her wait before you go out a door. have her lie down as well as stay for the 30 minutes while you eat dinner. have her sit calmly when somebody knocks on the door. In other words, provide her a job.
And, of course, since it’s true as well as since it’s a nod to Lindsay the dog runner … make sure your dog gets lots of exercise from focused walking or jogging.
I’m on the record stating that I want a dog to not be aggressive even if she hasn’t had exercise for weeks. I stand by that. However, it is so much easier to have a calm, non-aggressive dog if you are getting the wiggles out as well as getting your dog the mental as well as physical stimulation she needs.
In summary, fixing dog aggression is simple, however it’s not easy. simple since these are principles as well as ideas that most people can do. That’s not easy, though, since it needs a great bit of work. So get available as well as get to work!
Happy training.
Have you experienced any type of aggression problems with your own dog?