Is Your Dog Aggressive?

Dogs have been close companions to humans for hundreds of years, thousands in some places. For many, the old saying, "a dog is man's best friend" (which should be updated to "a man or woman's) is more than a cliche, but a heartfelt feeling. Dogs can indeed be a comfort, a friend, a protector, a playmate to children, a guardian of house and property and many other things.

There are times, alas, when dogs do not seem like our best friends. At times, they can be downright scary. There isn't much you can do about other people's dogs (except avoid them if they are likely to snap at you!), but what do you do if your own dog is the one causing problems?

There are many kinds of aggression in dogs. Some dogs are only aggressive towards other dogs. Some have a problem with children. Others are unpredictable, fine with some people but growling or snapping at others. The first thing to do is to pinpoint what the problem is, specifically.

There are certain basic factors to consider. You should first take the dog to a veterinarian you trust, to rule out any physical causes for the aggressive behavior. Assuming that the dog has no medical problems, or that any such problems are being dealt with, you should first of all keep the animal as much as possible away from provocative situations.

If your dog poses a real threat to people or other animals, do not take any chances. Use a muzzle if necessary. You do not want to have to deal with the legal or social consequences of having your dog bite someone.

There are rare cases when the only choice is to give up the dog. This may be, for example, when you have a young child in your household or in those unfortunate cases when you have a truly vicious dog who is beyond help. But in most cases, behavioral problems, including aggression, can be corrected. One of the first remedies you can try is exercise. If a dog has too much unused energy, it can become aggressive.

While playing with your dog is a great thing to do, some owners unwittingly foster aggression by playing roughly, as in getting into tug-of-wars with a sock or toy. This is fine for some dogs, but if your dog is already showing signs of aggression, you don't want to increase this. Do play and exercise your dog, but don't encourage him/her to bite or growl if this is already an issue.

Is your dog left alone for long periods? This can cause problems in some cases, as dogs are sociable animals. Make sure your dog has room to run (not tied to a stake or tree for example). Preferably, if you have to be parted from your dog for long periods, try to arrange it so someone else is around for part of the time.

These are fairly basic suggestions and will often not be enough to solve the problem. The fact is, if you have an aggressive dog, or one with other serious behavioral problems, you are going to have to take some action. This means either hiring a professional dog trainer or taking some time to learn how to train your dog yourself. The first solution can be expensive, the second requires a commitment in time, as well as patience.

An aggressive dog is a situation you cannot ignore, hoping it will improve on its own. The fact is, most dogs are trainable and with some attention will turn out to be great companions. However, some dogs need more guidance and training than others when it comes to social behavior.

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