Territorial Aggression In Dogs And How To

Stop It, Fast!

Territorial aggression in dogs is something that needs to be taken seriously by dog owners.

 Fortunately, more often than not it is, but

there are some owners who believe that it is normal for dogs to protect the family home from strangers in an aggressive manner.

 

They see nothing wrong with their dogs lunging menacingly at the front fence with teeth bared at people walking by, snapping at the postman, or growling at strangers invited into the home…”they are just being ‘good watch dogs’ and would never hurt a friend or someone known to the family.”

 

Then there are others who are aware of the fact that their dog’s aggressive behavior is wrong and are concerned by it, but are reluctant to do anything because they feel safe in their home knowing they have a dog that will deal with intruders.

They lock the dog up or hold it by the collar to protect tradesmen and other ‘strangers’ invited onto their properties, but this is seen as a small price to pay.

As long as the dog behaves around family members or friends, their aggressive behavior towards strangers in the home is allowed to continue.

Only barking is acceptable behavior when strangers approach or enter your property, nothing else.

It is reasuring to know that your dog will bark at intruders, but, if the behavior they display towards someone they don’t know is aggressive, even mildly so, it’s only a matter of time before they will bite a friend, or even you.

 

While it is possible to address the problem of territorial aggression in your dog by yourself you do need to know how to go about doing so the correct way.

Like any unwanted dog behavior, early intervention can make aggressive behavior much easier to resolve and the tips I’ve given below should help you if your dog isn’t too highly aggressive.

However, if you don’t see improvement fairly quickly, or if your dog has already nipped someone, it’s best to call in a professional dog handler.

Tip No.1 – Seek Understanding First Instead of viewing your dog as a terror

who has a lust for growling at people or snapping at them, seek to understand why it’s behaving the way it is. This type of aggression usually boils down to your dog believing that it is dominant and in control of you, your family and ‘it’s’ territory, which can be the backyard, the house, various objects, the car, or all of these things/places.

Often dogs will only show their dominance and defend their turf against strangers, but as I’ve already mentioned, they can turn on family members and other people they know.

Remember that dogs are pack animals and that it is instinctual for them to battle for domination. Give your dog plenty of reason to believe it can dominate you, and it will.

A dominant dog has to be strong and show other dogs (and human pack members), signs that they are the alpha dog and head of the pack.

There are many different ways for a dog to show its dominance, and they are not always aggressive, but understanding pack leadership is the first step towards helping to change your dog’s behavior, without viewing him in a completely negative light.

Tip No.2 – Assert Your Authority Get the upper hand and show your dog

that its time for him to step down. Do this by using your voice in a calm and assertive way when talking to him or correcting him, and consistently display confident body language when around your dog.

He will soon get the message that you have stepped up and taken over the role of pack leader.

If you can manage to do this well, the changes you will see in your dog’s behavior will be quite amazing.

Tip No.3 – Obedience Training Must Be A Top Priority

 Territorial aggression always seems to be

more frequently displayed in dogs with a lack of obedience training. If you have skipped over giving your dog proper training it would be a smart move to start now.

 

If he is highly aggressive or dominant it might be wise to take him to obedience school or classes for several weeks to let the professionals help out, and regularly practice at home what you and your dog learn in class.

However, a dog that is only showing the occasional sign of aggression or dominance can very easily be trained at home.

It could take a few weeks for your dog to learn the basic commands, depending on its age, its learning ability and how much time you commit to practice.

If you’ve never trained a dog before you might run into some difficulties at first, but it will get easier with time.

To get the best results always give instructions clearly and confidently, and praise your dog for good behavior and obeying commands.

Try clicker training for an easy and effective way to train your dog quickly!

Tip No.4 – Get A Health Check-Up An underlying health problem could also

be the reason why your dog is showing signs of aggression. A dog with an illness that is making it feel unwell, or an injury that is causing it pain, can feel very vulnerable, irritable and defensive.

Animals don’t always show how bad they feel, and signs of serious pain or illness often go unnoticed.

So, even if you don’t believe there is anything wrong with your dog health wise, take it to the vet for a complete physical examination anyway.

Early Warning Signs Of Territorial Aggression In A Dog

 Be aware of the fact that biting is not

always the first indication of a problem. In the early stages some dogs may just occasionally bare their teeth or growl at someone they don’t know. It’s when a dog realizes that this is an effective way to make people back away that the real problems begin.

Also, some dogs will just bark, but if they start wagging their tails as well when strangers approach it’s not a good sign, and could result in someone being seriously hurt! This is because many people mistakenly think that a dog barking at them, but wagging its tail, is only bluffing and will try to make friends with it, only to be bitten on the hand, or worse.

Some people will also ignore these dogs for the same reason, turn to walk away and get bitten on the back of the leg.

This type of behavior is a sign that a dog is very unsure of itself, and very unstable. It wants to be friends, but the urge to protect its territory is often very strong, and should be taken very seriously.

In Conclusion While you might not think your dog is

capable of hurting anyone, until it’s aggressive behavior has been brought totally under control, and stopped for good, you are going to have to assume that it could possibly bite someone.

Keep children away from your dog at all times while it is going through training for aggression.

Even when you are convinced that your dog no longer has issues and has been well behaved for several months, stay close by and keep a very watchful eye on any child that approaches your dog, or vice versa.

Territorial aggression in dogs can be treated very successfully and stopped quickly if you put the tips I have shared with you into action, but remember, if you fail to see any results after a couple of weeks do seek expert help, and if your dog has already bitten someone or attempted to, find a reputable dog behavior specialist to help you as soon as possible.

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