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Aggressive Dogs – Can They Be Re-Trained?
1215 Views | 2 Comments | | Dogs, Pet Care, Pet Safety
 

By Amy Nutt

Having an aggressive dog is not only a problem to the dog owner, but also to other people. You will never know when your dog may attack or injure someone. In fact, dog aggression can result in injuries and even deaths of innocent people, and there are many laws and by-laws that are imposed to punish dog owners whose dogs are guilty of physical assault.

Find the cause of aggression before re-training

If you have an aggressive dog, you should know that it is possible to curb its aggression with the right training. With proper training, aggressive dogs will learn not to be hostile towards strangers, or your friends and relatives. However, if you really wish to understand the basics of re-training aggressive dogs, you have to know why dogs become aggressive.

There are numerous reasons why a dog can become aggressive. The main reason may be that it is territorial and feels that its territory is being invaded. Sometimes, it feels threatened with certain changes in the environment, and it will become defensive and react with aggression. This type of aggression usually comes about because of lack of security and confidence, and simple dog obedience training is not sufficient to curb the aggressive behavior of the dog.

Such aggression requires special dog training. The usual symptoms of dog aggression are barking and lunging at people. These symptoms have to be controlled before they become a serious problem that causes bodily harm on other people.

Ask your dog vet to suggest an aggressive dog trainer

Since a dog vet often meets with trainers and dog owners, he or she is the best person to approach when you are looking for the perfect aggressive dog trainer. A qualified trainer will have the necessary experience to control the aggressive behavior of any dog. However, remember that aggressive dog training costs more than normal dog training, and it is usually done with a special skill set. So, set aside sufficient money to pay for this kind of training.

Though you have to pay quite a large sum of money for aggressive dog training, you can be assured that you will get the results that you desire. It is not advisable that you enroll your aggressive dog for normal dog training classes because the trainers will not take any risk to train it with other dogs in the school.

Some training schools may harm your dog

Instead, your dog has to be sent to a special dog obedience training school where qualified trainers have the necessary skills and knowledge to handle aggressive dogs. You can use the yellow pages to find the best training school for your dog. One thing you have to consider when choosing the right trainer for your dog is the training method employed by the training school. You should avoid training schools that use obsolete training methods that can cause harm to your dog.

It is always better to choose a more experienced dog training school. This is because such a school will have the necessary experience and knowledge to train aggressive dogs effectively. As such, it will produce better results with the re-training of dogs.

With the right aggressive dog training techniques, it is possible to train your dog to control its aggression. Once your dog stops its aggressive behavior, you will find that it is indeed a loving companion, and you can spend valuable time with it. Without the aggressive behavior, you need not worry about the safety of your family or that the dog will bite other dogs or people.

Use websites for dog training tips

If there are no aggressive dog training schools or trainers in your vicinity, you can also search the internet to learn some tips on how to curb your dog’s aggression. There are some sites on the internet that provide these tips. However, whether or not such tips are effective depends on how you understand and implement them on your dog.

About the Author: Provides in-home dog training for all dog breeds and ages. Dog training in Abbotsford BC and other cities across Canada. Offers a written lifetime guarantee.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=237749&ca=Pets

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Comments
By matthews3662 @ Saturday, August 09, 2008 2:04 AM
I have had one dog that I could not reverse aggression. She was I believe poorly bred and she had severe HD.
But, an 89 lb shepherd is not easy to control of the bad trait.
So, I didn't take her out much. We both truely loved each other but I felt bad I couldn't trust her. When, people came over she went outside.
I miss her but she was a real hassle. I tried to help her, but sometimes it is the breeder.

By Dee Marfe @ Tuesday, October 28, 2008 6:16 PM
I have read Amy's article and I agree that you need specialized training for dogs that behave aggressively. However, although dogs behave aggressively, they do not start out that way. It has been my experience that dogs become aggressive because their owners make them that way or they feed into the insecurity and fears of the dog which then heightens their instincts. Every dog in my opinion can be rehabilitated with the appropriate training. Look at the Michael Vick dogs for example. Most all have been rehabed and a few continue to work on it. Also, I was disturbed by the picture that was chosen for this article, a Pit Bull. One way Pit Bulls get this reputation is due to pictures showing them behaving aggressively. Pit Bulls like any other dog can behave aggressively with the right training. It just so happens that deranged people out there are using Pit Bulls because they have strong jaws and can do a lot of damage and it's the in thing to talk about Pit Bulls because the community wants to know that you are doing something about them because of all the hype going on. I've also seen other dog breeds behave agressively as well, if not more - we just don't hear about it because people have the assocation that aggressive dogs are always Pits. I think the picture does a disservice to all Pit Bulls and their respectful and loving owners.

I would urge anyone having difficulty with any dog behaving aggressively to contact either Best Friends Animal Sanuctury at Bestfriends.com or Ceasar Milan at Ceasarmilian.com. You can find their respective phone numbers on their websites. Please do not bring your dog to a shelter if it is behaving aggressively, most will surely put them down. There is hope out there...

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