posted by Tess on Jun 23
Undesirable and abnormal behavior in dogs is a result of inept training, lack of nutrition and inadequate exercise. Aggressive dog behavior is perhaps one such abnormal behavior that annoys dog owners the most.
Although in certain cases dog aggression may be a direct result of an underlying medical condition, your handling may be playing an important role in encouraging aggressive behavior in your dog. If you ignore or encourage aggression, the dog is most likely to presume that it as acceptable.
Behavior issues like separation anxiety, unnecessary barking and fear of the leash or a car ride are far removed from aggressive dog behavior that may include dog biting and refusal to submit to discipline. Some of these behaviors ultimately lead to further aggression as the dog starts to assume leadership of the pack. Dogs may have evolved to live peacefully with humans but they are unable to shed their genetic traits.
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posted by Tess on Jun 13
The first ten week period of a newborn puppy’s life is the best time to teach a puppy that biting is not acceptable. And training your puppy to avoid an incidence of dog biting is crucial.
This is especially because biting comes naturally to them and it is the easiest form of dog aggression that he can resort to in situations that induce fear, anxiety and aggression. And such training is best done before strong adult teeth take the place of small nibbling ones. Curbing aggressive dog behavior among adult dogs is far more difficult than training puppies.
While training puppies, always remember that physical punishment does not work. Punishment is tantamount to making the dog more resolute in his behavior and in such cases aggression is likely to become a permanent concern.
The approach that you take should clearly indicate to the puppy that you love him but hate the biting habit instead. At the same time you must assume leadership as the dog considers you as part of the pack. Unless he perceives you to be the leader he is likely to let go of aggressive dog behavior easily.
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posted by Tess on Jun 10
Dog biting makes up for almost half the claims made under homeowner’s insurance policies. Nearly two thirds of the cases relate to biting incidents that occur with an acquainted dog. At the same time, healthy and well trained dogs are not aggressive and they normally do not bite.
There is evidence of a genetic disposition of dog aggression in certain breeds. However, that is not the only cause of aggressive dog behavior. There are other factors that influence aggressive behavior in dogs and the best way to guard against such a situation is to start dog training when you purchase or accept a puppy.
Select a puppy that suits your family. Puppies that are too shy need large amounts of coaxing in various situations. Shy puppies will need more time in each activity. Before selecting a shy puppy, make sure that you are ready to spend some time with for him.
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posted by Tess on Jun 5
Over time dogs have learnt to live with humans. Most of the times, they are docile and lend themselves to petting. They also obey commands, if trained well. There are instances where dogs have served well as companions to senior citizens and handicapped individuals.
A well-trained dog can even run errands for you. At the same time, dogs can be unpredictable too. Although dog aggression is considered as one of the abnormal behaviors in domesticated dogs, an animal is after all an animal. Dogs evolved from wolves and retain some of their aggressive traits.
They are bound to respond to their genes and behave in accordance to them at times. However, the aggressive trait is manageable in most cases and if proper care is taken you can totally eliminate the possibility of aggression in your dog.
Aggressive dog behavior is mostly caused by the following factors:
* A medical condition.
* Genetic predisposition towards dominating the pack.
* A fear factor.
* Maternal fears for safety of the litter.
* Redirected aggression.
* Inter-male rivalry and territorial aggression.
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posted by Tess on Jun 2
Understanding dog behavior is important before arriving at any conclusions about the reasons behind certain types of behavior. Much as humans feel offended at certain things and resort to aggression, dogs too respond similarly. Just as certain foods do not suit humans, there are many foods that should not be fed to dogs.
If you continue to feed your dog with a diet that disturbs his system, he is liable to show his irritation in his behavior. Persistent feeding of unsuitable diet ultimately leads to aggressive dog behavior .
Dogs are not obligate carnivores and can be often seen hunting for roots and fruits. Dogs evolved from wolves. In the wild if you see wolves and dogs eating an herbivore prey that they have killed, you may notice they first go for the stomach area of the carcass. That is where they will find roots and leaves and berries. Many times you can also see dogs eating grass.
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posted by Tess on May 30
Playful dog biting by young puppies is a common phenomenon. But when the same situation occurs in adult dogs, it can result in serious consequences. Biting is a part of basic aggressive dog behavior. It arises from an inherent attribute of dogs to dominate a pack.
Wild dogs use biting as a tool to assert their dominance over other dogs within the pack. Even within a litter of puppies around the mother, it is common to see some pups trying to assert dominance and biting each other. Dogs tend to bite without provocation only when they start assuming the family as the pack and see a situation where they feel that can dominate and become the ‘alpha’ dog.
While any type of aggressive dog behavior is difficult to tolerate, dog biting assumes more significance in the light of the problems that are associated with it. In many cases, dog biting arises out of fear or when a dog finds him in an inescapable situation. If this behavior is not corrected in its early stages, dog aggression may assume unmanageable proportions.
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posted by Tess on May 7
You may train your dog to perfection but it is difficult to remove all basic traits of canine nature. Domestication and evolutionary changes have converted a basically aggressive species into lovable and sweet animals. A well trained dog will give you his unconditional love and affection. But an action like this is no guarantee that he will not have an aggressive encounter with you at least once in his lifetime. Dog biting statistics are a standing testimony to that.
Consider the options that a dog has when he is upset, annoyed or approached when in fear of a noise, stranger or situation. He can only growl, bark and ultimately bite. Howsoever you may train your dog unexpected situations are liable to arise, which may induce the dog to bite. If there is a need to re-train your dog that is showing signs of aggression, there is an equally compelling need for learning how to protect your family and you from dog biting.
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posted by Tess on May 1
Understanding the reasons behind dog aggression almost always help in using the right techniques to train or re-train your dog. Aggressive dog behavior is caused mainly by the dominating trait that most dogs have. This specifically pertains to the domination of territory or the pack.
In many cases dog aggression can also be triggered by inter-male rivalry or fear of a specific object or person. Under-socializing during the early training stage may drive some dogs to behave aggressively when someone approaches their home as they may fear a takeover. Aggression by bitches to protect their litter too is actually driven by fear for the safety of her offspring.
Dogs can be socially trained to hide or escape to cover up their fears. However, when they find themselves in a situation from which they cannot extricate themselves, they are liable to resort to aggression. For example, if you force your dog to interact with people or other dogs or a face a situation he is not ready for, it may result in aggressive behavior that may include dog biting.
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posted by Tess on Apr 29
Dog biting is something that is very likely if a dog is in an aggression mode. Aggressive dog behavior is clearly characterized by ominous or threatening behavior. It can lead to injury of other animals and even human beings, including family members.
There are various factors that influence aggression in dogs. Dog aggression can result from some underlying medical condition, inept handling, fear, anxiety or an inherent desire to dominate the pack. Dominance related aggression in dogs is actually the most common type of dog aggression in domesticated dogs. If dominance aggression surfaces, obedience training may be needed all over again.
It is difficult to identify dominance as the root cause of aggressive behavior since your dog may otherwise show signs of affection. However, it must be noted that given a chance he may assume leadership and try and dominate. This can result in an expression of displeasure even during normal actions like putting the collar on or petting him on his head.
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posted by Tess on Apr 10
Just as you teach appropriate behavior to your children, dogs also need to be trained to behave in an acceptable manner. The difference however is the age at which the training is most effective. While a one year old human baby can hardly be expected to learn more than toilet training, a year old dog is considered to be a teenager. That means dog training should start as soon as he opens up his eyes and starts to recognize the members of what he will later consider as his ‘pack’.
Most dogs and puppies are lovable creatures, adorable, affectionate and sweet. At the same time puppies love to play and bite each other all the time. If they spend enough time in the litter they learn to control themselves. The reaction of other dogs in the litter ensures that. It is experience that teaches them what is acceptable and what is not.
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