How to Stop Aggressive Dogs

Please note that this is a general guide and with some cases, you may need to make some slight changes to the tips outlined below.

In general, there are usually many indicators that a dog is becoming aggressive. Usually, it is not a switch that suddenly clicks but begins with some smaller behaviors that the dog is not corrected on. When this occurs, the behaviors become more common and the dog begins to learn new behaviors.

Although many people think of aggression as starting from puppyhood, this is not always the case and a dog that was fine for most of his life, may become aggressive in his senior years. This is often caused by uncertainty in his role in the “pack” and when he begins to feel more pain and less mobility, he begins to accommodate for these shortcomings by being more aggressive.

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Even a dog that is very well trained may begin to show signs of aggression so remind yourself that lifelong socialization is key.

When trying to stop aggressive dogs, the first thing you will want to do is reaffirm the rules in your house. If you allow your dog up on furniture or in your bed, it is time to curb the behavior. Allowing a dog on your bed shows him that he is on the same level as you in the pack and can send the wrong message to your dog.

Immediately stop this practice and place your dog in the kennel at night before you go to bed. This keeps him from having the run of the house and reminds him that he has a place in the pack.

Next, when trying to stop aggressive dogs, you need to also re-establish the hierarchy by not allowing your dog to free feed and to only give him food after you and your family have finished eating. Also, make sure that he isn’t able to find his own food because you want him to rely on you for the necessities of life.

Once you have laid out the rules, you will need to carefully correct your dog when he is being aggressive, although it is important to never charge in since he can end up redirecting the aggressive behavior.

First, correct your dog with a firm, “No,” and redirect him from what he is doing. If he is barking, clap your hands to break the action and then give the firm “No” let him know that you are displeased with verbal indications and never strike him for being aggressive. This will actually lead to more aggression problems and not less.

Once he has stopped the action, get him to do something positive, such as sit. Reward him for good behavior and correct him for bad behavior.

When trying to stop aggressive dogs, it is important that you give clear rules to others in your house. Don’t let them mistreat or bug the dog in any way and give him the space that he needs to feel secure. In addition, never wrestle with your dog or play any games where there is a winner.

With territorial aggression, never give him the opportunity to claim a space as his, so keep him with the family and not isolated. Keep up with socialization and make sure that you safely expose him to visitors both inside the home and outside. When you go for a walk, take different routes so he doesn’t get possessive over his street.

It takes a long time to correct aggression but if you are patient, have clear rules for both the dog and everyone working with the dog, and are consistent, you can curb some of the aggressive behaviors that you are seeing.

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