Keeping Your Dog Safe At The Park

Today you will find dog parks in almost every area of the country. Dogs need exercise and socialization which helps them feel good both physically and mentally. Plus it gives dog owners a chance to meet other people too, so there are many benefits for everyone involved when you take them to the park.

What people are concerned about is whether or not dog parks are safe. That is a difficult question to answer because it really depends a lot on the owners. Dog owners need to be responsible and know their dogs disposition and how they get along with others. Dog parks are for the most part very safe, but you still need to keep an eye on your pooch in case an irresponsible owner is not paying attention to their overly aggressive dog.

Many dog parks are designed to separate the big ones from the little ones. Since big dogs by their sheer size can easily hurt a smaller dog, you won't have to worry about that at the park. If you have a big dog it is important to keep an eye on which dogs are friendly and which ones have shown a tendency to be more aggressive. For the most part, people who bring their pooch to the park have a well-behaved pet. But of course there is always that one who is out of control. Keep an eye on him and you should be fine.

If you have a dog that likes to run and chase balls make sure you look around the park for any potholes or areas where your pet can get injured. Mostly these parks are big grassy areas, but take a walk around the entire park to see if there are any potential trouble spots.

Dog parks are a lot of fun for both your pet and you because it is such a joy to watch them off the leash romping around. It's even better afterwards because they have so much fun that it tires them out. After the park comes a nice long nap, with a smile on their face of course.

You want to keep your dog happy and that is why you take him to the park. At first he may be a little bit shy and not want to socialize with the others, but after awhile your dog will adjust. A dog park can be safe, but always remember that accidents can happen. It is no different than taking a child to a park. Just keep an eye them at all times.

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Do You Think That Your Puppy's Growl Is Cute?

Quite often I hear people comment that their puppy growled at a stranger and they thought it was so cute. Actually, it isn't cute at all and in the future it will become dangerous as the puppy gets older. The problem is that your puppy should be friendly because it's a baby it shouldn't be growling at people.

This is something that I see quite often especially with single young ladies that buy a dog for a feeling of protection when they go for a walk. They get that German Shepherd or Rottweiler puppy at eight weeks of age and don't bother doing any obedience training nor do they do the things that are needed to socialize it properly during the socialization period before 20 weeks of age.

Then somewhere around six months of age they realize the dog is doing some inappropriate growling and barking at not only strangers but maybe even some friends who come to visit the house. The really bad stuff starts somewhere between 12 and 24 months of age when the dog owner realizes they have a fearful aggressive dog.

In this article I am going to concentrate on how to keep this from happening not on what to do when you end up with an aggressive dog. So how do we keep this from happening?

Let's start at the beginning. When you bring that new pup home it's time to start the socialization process. You have until week 20 to accomplish that goal so don't waste any time.

At 16 weeks of age it is time for obedience training and your pup is ready to learn. At this age their little minds are like sponges and ready to absorb anything you can teach them.

Quite often new dog owners and think that obedience training is only for show dogs or maybe only big dogs. WRONG! All dogs big or small need obedience training because that is what establishes the dog / master relationship. An untrained dog is like a loose cannon you never know what it will do.

In conclusion if you want a dog that you can enjoy and not have to worry about poor behavior or aggression start early with socialization and training. With as little as 15 minutes a day you can have a dog that you can enjoy for many years in the future.

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Dealing With a Food Aggressive Dog

Dogs just naturally guard their food due to thousands of years of running in packs, and when food was found, the biggest, most aggressive dog always got to eat first, then down through the pecking order to the smallest dog, who ate last or not at all. When dogs become aggressive around their food, it's because they are relying on their instincts, and they think you are a threat to their food. There are a lot of other reasons that dogs become aggressive, let's go over those now and discuss ways in which you can teach your dog to not be aggressive around food, for the sake of your family and peace of mind.

Isolation From Humans And Lack Of Socialization.

To prevent dog aggression,one of the best things you can do is socialize with him from the time he's really small. Dogs are very social creatures, and your objective is to be a substitute for the pack that they are naturally programmed to be a part of. So in order to not end up with an aggressive dog, always be positive and allow your dog to play with as many different humans as possible in a friendly non-aggressive atmosphere. It is also important to completely avoid excessive physical punishment as this can create an aggressive dog.

Train Your Dog Well, And Avoid Taunting.

It's important that you start right at the beginning training your dog well, and always in a positive manner. Waiting until later, can cause confusion in the dog, which will show as aggression. By teaching him obedience, what's allowed, and what's not allowed, he will understand that you are the alpha dog of the pack, and never become aggressive towards you. Never allow children to tease your dog through a fence, as this could definitely cause problems.

Training Your Dog How To Act Around Food.

There are many dogs that are never aggressive in any way, except around food, because that is one of the most basic instincts that they're hardwired with, and difficult for them to overcome. It is also possible that a dog would be aggressive with other people around its food, but not the master, because he has accepted the master as the alpha of the pack. Sometimes a dog will only be aggressive towards another dog around the food with growling, showing the teeth, and maybe even lunging in a threatening way towards the other dog. When it comes to two dogs acting aggressively, many times it's just better if you feed them in different locations and insist that each dog stay near their bowl until they are both done, then they can continue to socialize in the normal manner.

The most serious case of food aggression is with young children who don't understand why the dog has suddenly become aggressive, and this is something that needs to be handled immediately in order to safeguard your children from being bitten. You, the alpha dog, must step in and correct the aggression immediately while it's happening, by removing the food the minute there's any sign aggressive behavior. Keep the food out of reach until he has cooled down, then try again, do not allow the log to exhibit any aggressive behavior without taking away his food. Most dogs will quickly figure out that you are in control the food and if he's hungry he has to act accordingly in order to eat.

While there are many different reasons dogs could act aggressively, food aggression is probably one of the worst, but still, easy to change if one takes the time and energy to do it. Having a well-trained dog is important for his health as well as your peace of mind.

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Why Does My Dog Want To Attack Other Dogs?

This is a very common question that a lot of dog owners ask when their dogs start showing aggression as they reach maturity. One thing that is important is to spay or neuter your pets at a young age. Not only does this help keep them from developing aggression as they mature but it also does wonders for protecting your dog from different types of cancer as they age.

Let's talk about some of the reasons your dog wants to attack other dogs.

1. Lack of socialization

This is a very common reason for aggression. All puppies need to be socialized with other dogs during the period of socialization that is from birth to 20 weeks of age. If you want your pet to be around other dogs when it gets older then you better get them socialized early.

If you don't socialize your puppy before 20 weeks of age you are going to end up with a dog aggressive dog when it gets somewhere between 12 and 24 months old.

2. No Training

The second cause of a dog aggressive dog could be a lack of training. Yes, you read that right. If you don't obedience train your dog you are going to end up with a dog that doesn't know what is right and what is wrong. Training your dog will teach it where it is in the pack and of course you are at the top. If the dog has respect for you then it will not act like a crazy dog whenever other dogs are around.

3. Feeling a need to protect

The third reason is that your dog may be feeling that it needs to protect you from other dogs. Why does it act that way? Well part of it goes back to the lack of training. If you don't train your dog it feels that it must be the alpha and because of that it needs to take care of the lower members of the pack, you.

Aggression may also develop because as a pup it growled at a strange dog and you thought it was cute so over a period of time it simply grew and got worse. Your dog just assumed that it was supposed to act that way.

So now the big question, how do we fix it? Start by locating a great trainer or a behavior specialist that has a bunch of experience working with this type of problem. I will say that not every dog can be cured but with diligence and determination I think it will work to make your dog better.

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Stop Dogs From Being Rough With Children

If you've ever seen your dog getting a little rough with your child then you know how scary it can be. You may have felt scared and angry, or even yelled at your dog to stop, or punished him for his behavior. Most of the time he doesn't have any idea he was doing something wrong.

Most dogs are very playful animals. They're social animals and they learn to play and interact with the other dogs and people in their pack. To a dog, a child looks more like another dog than you do, and they are closer in size to other dogs. It's little wonder that your pet wants to play with a child. However, when dogs play with kids they can often get rough. They can go too far by accident, or treat a child as though he's really another canine playmate.

Of course, there are lots of reasons why this kind of behavior isn't good. Your child can be scared or could be injured. Or, even if your child isn't scared or injured, another child might be, such as a neighbor's child, or a child at a dog park.

If your dog runs into a dog park and starts playing with a child like he's another dog, that child's parents will be upset, but your dog may not have any idea what he did wrong. Instead of letting your pet play with children in this way, you have to be able to stop this behavior right away.

Correcting Behaviors

You'll need to correct your dog's behaviors. It's not enough to tell your dog not to play roughly with children. Your dog won't be able to understand this kind of command. You will only confuse your dog and that will make him more dangerous than a dog that plays roughly.

Don't try to set "conditions" for your dog's behavior. Instead, you need to stop certain behaviors completely. You need to eliminate all of your pet's rough behavior. These rough behaviors include jumping, mouthing (when a dog wraps his mouth around your hand or arm), and chewing.

These are all behaviors that dogs do with each other, but they are not acceptable when dogs do them with children or with other humans. The best way to stop your dog from engaging in these behaviors is to immediately stop playing with your dog whenever he shows one of these behaviors. You shouldn't punish your dog when he does these things, as that will confuse your dog, but you should immediately stop playing with him.

You need to draw a clear line in the sand about each one of these rough behaviors and why your dog should be calmer. If you do this then it will be much easier to keep control of y our dog's behavior.

Coping With Children

You also need to tell your children to stop playing roughly with your dog. This isn't always easy, especially if your kids like to wrestle or rough house with your dog. However, it's very important for you to set consistent boundaries for your dog. Your children shouldn't encourage your dog to play roughly when you are trying to teach your dog not to be rough.

You should also practice keeping a calm and assertive stance toward your dog when your children are near. This kind of attitude will help eliminate chances for your dog to get worked up and overly playful.

When you and your dog are in open spaces, such as dog parks or in your yard, keep a close eye on your dog. Teach your dog a command for them to immediately relax. You can use a command such as "sit" or "stay" or even "come," but the command needs to be completely understood so when you use it your dog responds. This can stop possible problems before they get started.

Remember that when your dog plays roughly with children he's not trying to hurt them. Your dog is just having fun. Your dog is just trying to let your kids know how much fun he's having. The problem is that most kids have a different idea about what's fun than your rowdy puppy.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if there's any real aggression when your dog is playing roughly, that makes things completely different. In that case you have to treat the situation more seriously. You should never allow an aggressive dog near children. If your dog is aggressive, and not just rambunctious and rowdy, then you should seek help from an expert before things get out of control. Rough play is normal with many dogs and puppies. Aggression is not normal and you will need the help of a professional.

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Tips for Handling Dog Aggression

No one wants to have an aggressive dog in their home. You can't allow an aggressive dog to take over your house, especially when you know you should be the leader of your pack. As soon as you see signs of any aggressive behavior in your dog, use the following tips to stop it.

1. Assume the Alpha Position. Most of the time if your dog is exhibiting aggressive behavior he is trying to assume control of the household, making a challenge toward your alpha position. Even if your dog isn't trying to challenge you, life will be easier if you have a clear pack order.

Take charge, make your commands clear, train your dog with care, and show your dog that you are the one in charge at all times. Even if this doesn't stop the aggressive behavior it will make it easier to manage.

2. Separate Problem Dogs. If you have more than one dog that is causing problems or if your dog has issues with guarding food, get rid of the issue. If you have two dogs that fight over food, for example, feed them in separate rooms. If you have two dogs that can't walk together, walk them separately.

Don't be too concerned. This kind of solution isn't usually permanent. But they do work in the short-term and prevent more serious problems.

3. Obedience Training. Obedience training is a good way to teach your dog how to follow specific commands and to respect your authority.

4. Keep Your Dog Busy. In some cases a dog will become aggressive if they don't have anything to keep them busy. If they are bored, have too much energy, lack focus, or anxious, they can become aggressive.

This is an easy problem to fix. When your dog is behaving well you should pay attention to him, give him plenty of exercise, and provide him with toys to keep him busy when you are away.

5. See Your Vet. In some cases aggression can be caused by a health problem. If your dog is sick or lacking in proper nutrition you should take him to the vet. These issues can cause your dog to behave aggressively.

6. Your Dog Needs Plenty of Exercise and A Good Diet. Good training won't help your dog unless he is also getting plenty of exercise and eats a good diet. A cheap dog food may not cause aggression but a lack of nutrients can make your dog's behavior worse.

7. Avoid Triggers. If you know something triggers aggression in your dog, avoid the trigger. If your dog doesn't like children or has problems with leashed dogs, or acts up when a truck drives by, avoid those negative stimuli.

8. Reduce the Fears in Your Dog's Life. Fear can be a cause of aggression. To reduce the fear in your dog's life, don't use negative punishment to change his behavior. Correct behaviors instead of punishing them.

If your dog has any phobias, don't reinforce them by giving him extra attention or care when he is upset by them. This will only emphasize to him that there is something to fear.

9. Work with a Good Dog Trainer. If you aren't making good progress with your dog's aggression, hire a professional. There are many good dog trainers who are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to handling dogs with behavior problems, including aggression. Contact a good trainer before your dog does something to hurt someone. Don't wait until it's too late.

Unlike many dog behavior problems, aggression is serious and it can't wait. It needs to be handled right away. Aggression can lead to worse problems such as biting or attacking. It typically makes the entire family uncomfortable. If your dog is suffering from problems with aggression, take care of it right away.

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