My dog is aggressive!

This isn’t good! You probably rarely take your dog around people or other dogs, and you are probably super nervous when you do! But your dog is super nervous, also. You both are balls of anxiety every time you go around other people or dogs and you are both making each other even more nervous! You don’t want to live like this. Your dog doesn’t want to live like this. But it can change. If we do the right things, we can start easing both of your anxieties and help you build trust in each other. I promise.

How to stop aggression in dogs

It’s not magic. A different leash won’t make it better. A collar or harness won’t fix it without training. A singular change in your home routine won’t be enough. And there’s no exact timeline for these things. Sometimes, it takes a lot of time. There are a lot of variables that go into how to begin and maintain your dog’s (and your) rehabilitation. How old the dog is, how long they’ve been acting aggressive, genetic predispositions, and your ability to implement structures all affect the timeline through which this process finds success. It’s a spectrum, and the further down the spectrum to aggression you and your dog have gone, the further back we have to come. But even if your dog is eight or nine years old, and even if we won’t successfully alleviate all of their aggression because of the time it would take to travel back down that spectrum, they still deserve to spend the rest of their lives less anxious and more confident than they’ve been. They shouldn’t have to be on alert and stressed most of their lives. That’s why I’ve devoted my time and energy to learning how to help dogs like this over the last several years. At first it was to help rehabilitate my two rescue mutts keen on hurting each other and other dogs, and then it was to help with hundreds of others I’ve gotten to work with as a trainer. I can help you and your dog also! But it will take some changes from you. And some patience.

My two rescue mutts, Manny and Reginald.

Aggressive dog rehabilitation: play

A lot of aggression is genetic. I’d say most of it is genetic. Aggression is important to survival of the species and with some breeds, we’ve exaggerated those genetics to fight, guard, or chase. When it is genetic, the only long term solutions include telling your dog where it is appropriate. If it’s part of who they are, you simply can’t tell them to be who they are without creating a lot of stress. Just telling them “no” will create short term success, but problems will always return if they haven’t found where it is acceptable to engage this part of who they are. To put it another way, if you are going to tell them not to be aggressive in once place, you have to tell them where they can (pretend), and that needs to be in play. You must create a good play interaction to have lasting success. Learn more about play here:

https://www.thetrustedcompanion.com/thetrustedcompanionblog/play-why-its-important-and-how-to-do-it

Aggressive dog rehabilitation: advocation

Right now your dog doesn’t think you’re going to look out for their safety. They feel like their safety is their own responsibility. And every time they lunge, bark, or bite to handle the situation, it reinforces the aggressive behavior and also the anxious state of mind that produced the behavior. So then the next time, when confronted with a similar situation, the anxiety will be greater, the need to protect themselves will be stronger, and the aggressive behavior will be more serious as we go down this cycle of self-reinforcing aggression. We have to interrupt the cycle. We have to change the relationship. We have to teach your dog that when they are with you, they are safe, because you are the leader. And this happens through a few things, one of which is advocation.

If we are going to tell your dog not to be aggressive, we also have to tell them they don’t have to be. If a dog or kid or anything is making them feel uncomfortable by entering their space, advocate for them. Step in and mitigate the threat (even if it’s only a threat in their eyes) and let them see you do it. This will do wonders for their trust in you.

Aggressive dog rehabilitation: training

Unfortunately, most of the time these household changes aren’t enough. You also need to train. We have to tell your dog that inappropriate aggression is bad (so long as we are playing with them and they have a proper outlet). We also need to change your relationship. We will use commands to ask your dog to do something they don’t normally do when they are scared to show them that trusting you works out for them as well as some differential reinforcement measures along the way (giving a dog better behaviors than the aggressive behavior). You have to teach your dog that listening to you works for them, as well as recondition their emotions associated with a certain stimulus from negative to positive.

Aggressive dog rehabilitation: mimicry

Dogs are experts at our nonverbal communication and can definitely learn through observation. If it is safe (your dog is held or tied back), you should approach the dog or person your dog feels the need to aggress towards and show them you like them. Shake hands, pet the dog, hug if it’s acceptable. If these things aren’t possible, wave and speak excitedly to the person across the street. Let your dog know you like them.

We can help your dog

I know other trainers tell you your dog is just aggressive as who they are or that your problem can’t be rehabilitated and you just have to manage it. It is possible for some dogs, that we cannot rehabilitate it all of the way. Most of the time, though, we can, but the important steps are up to you, the owner. I have successfully rehabilitated aggression in hundreds of dogs. But even in those dogs who are so habituated to feeling and acting in aggressive from years of practice, we can at minimum improve their quality of life, give you more confidence to take them out, and let them spend the rest of their years more comfortable and confident than the last. But it will take some commitment and some patience on your end. Training is relationship-based. But if you’re willing, I’d love to help.