How to Prevent Aggressive Behavior With Other Dogs

Dog to dog aggression can be stopped and prevented.

If your dog has recently developed a tendency to display aggressive behaviors toward other dogs (a behavior problem known as ''inter-dog aggression''), it is very important to act quickly before the problem exacerbates. Without intervention, aggressive behaviors tend to get worse and become habit, rather than getting better over time. It is important to recognize the problem and work on getting rid of it as soon as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Leash
• Head collar
• Muzzle
• Treats

Instructions

1. Teach your dog a reliable command that will allow you to divert his attention. One that works very well is the ''look at me'' command. Teach this command by holding a treat high near your face and releasing the treat every time the dog makes eye contact. Do this in a place free of distractions, such as a quiet yard or in the house.

2. Make the exercise more challenging as you progress. Ask the dog to ''look'' for progressively longer times and in more distracting places. Do not move to a more challenging place until your dog reliably makes eye contact.

3. Let your dog wear the head collar and snap the leash on. If you dog lunges and attempts to bite other dogs, it's a good idea to let him wear a muzzle as well.

4. Look for an area where there are other dogs, but find a distance where your dog does not yet react. Practice the ''look at me'' command and praise accordingly. Slowly practice getting closer and closer to the other dogs.

5. Watch for signs of progress. A good indicator is when your dog looks at you every time another dog is around. This means your dog has actually learned to associate the presence of other dogs with something positive (classical conditioning).

Tips & Warnings

• Have your dog seen by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes of aggression.

• A consultation with a professional dog behaviorist is always recommended.

• Make sure your dog gets accustomed to wearing the head collar and muzzle before going out.

• If you own a puppy, enroll him in a puppy class to allow socialization and teach acceptable behaviors.

• Fade out the treats as the dog improves, and replace with praise and pats.

• The use of coercive training methods is likely to make aggression problems worse.

• Never comfort your dog when he is showing aggressive behaviors.

References

• Dog Obedience Training: Controlling Dog To Dog Aggression