A small percentage of dogs are renowned for being “aggressive” when it comes to interacting with others. This can include human beings and/or other pets depending on who comes in front of them.
However, this isn’t acceptable and it’s important to take action as a dog owner. You have to start implementing changes in a dog’s life as soon as possible to stem the aggression before it spirals out of control.
How can you go about doing this the right way?
It starts by understanding what works and what doesn’t. Here are some of the best ways to start teaching your aggressive dog to socialise.
1) Go for Slow Walks
The best way to socialise an aggressive dog is to take them outdoors.
This means you want them to be around other people and/or other pets. This is how they are going to start to normalise the idea and stop becoming aggressive as soon as someone is around them.
Remember, this is going to take a bit of time, so it’s important to keep the route short and go for slow walks. Over time, you can start to build up towards trying new routes and/or going for long walks at a faster pace. It’s all about mixing things up as much as possible once they get the hang of it.
2) Practice Proper Leash Control
Let’s assume you are going for a walk with your dog.
This is normal and it’s something the average dog owner is going to do all the time. However, you have to practice proper leash control with an aggressive dog.
This means you want to keep them close to you at all times and take the opportunity to slowly walk from one area to another. It’s also important to keep the same route while doing this, so there’s some familiarity in where they are or where they’re going.
3) Staggered Exposure to the Same Triggers
One of the best ways to regulate aggression in a dog is to control their exposure to triggers. For example, let’s assume your dog gets triggered by the idea of someone being around them while eating.
If that is the case, it’s important to start feeding them with someone in the same room.
This will take a bit of time but eventually, they’re going to get used to your presence. It’s all about alleviating their fears about having you near them as that is often the number one reason for aggression in dogs.
Final Thoughts
Having an aggressive dog in your life doesn’t have to become a never-ending problem.
Instead, it’s a wonderful way to become closer to your dog, understand their tendencies, and start working on corrective behavioural training. This isn’t going to happen overnight but it starts with the right mindset on your part.
With a good bag of the best dog treats UK has to offer, it’s easier than ever before to start managing a dog’s behaviour. You are going to start to notice changes over the short and long-term making it an ideal behavioural change for the dog’s quality of life.