What You Can Do About Dog Aggression

It can be extremely upsetting when your dog suddenly starts showing signs of aggression. Whether this aggression is directed at other dogs, other people or even yourself, it is important to deal with it as quickly as possible. Dogs are extremely powerful creatures who are capable of causing a lot of harm. The last thing you want is for an attack to get out of control, winding up causing serious injury or even death.

Curing dog aggression starts by first identifying the underlying cause. There are typically two reasons that dogs lash out: they have too much energy or they lack a clear pack leader. Let's take a closer look at both of these scenarios.

Too Much Energy

Dogs -- some breeds in particular -- require a lot of exercise to burn off their excess energy. When they are cooped up all day with little more than a short walk and a few minutes of play time, this energy begins to build. Eventually, it reaches a tipping point where it spills over and manifests itself as aggression.

The best way to deal with this is by finding ways to give your dog more exercise and stimulation. Try playing with them more often, taking them on longer walks or even taking them to dog parks where they can run around and burn off steam. You may even want to look into signing them up for dog agility training since this can keep both their bodies and minds working, reducing boredom while burning energy at the same time.

Lack Of A Clear Pack Leader

Dogs are pack animals. Their instinct is to rely on a pack leader to guide and protect them. If you have not established yourself as pack leader, they will try to fill the role. Oftentimes this means lashing out aggressively at people or dogs who seem as if they pose a threat.

Overcoming this problem begins by clearly establishing yourself as the leader of the pack. There are a number of different ways to do this, and it is not an overnight process. However, once your dog gets the message that they no longer have to defend the pack, their aggression may naturally fall away.

Finally, an aggressive dog is not something that should be taken lightly. Make an appointment with an animal behaviorist or qualified trainer today to start addressing the problem before it is too late.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?What-You-Can-Do-About-Dog-Aggression&id=9116138