Dogs become aggressive to other dogs for a variety of reasons. There are dogs that could become afraid or edgy when other dogs are nearby. In other instances a dog is trying to become the dominant dog. There are times when a dog feels he’s defending his territory and becomes aggressive. If the dog is not taught proper socialization techniques as a puppy, the owner has essentially groomed the dog to be aggressive towards other dogs. Other dogs could be demonstrating their desire to defend their owner and turn hostile as a result, and they could become sexually aggressive too.
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One of the easiest ways to stop dog aggression is by making sure, when the dog is still a puppy, it’s socialized with other animals. Introducing your puppy to stable and obedient dogs for playtime is crucial to preventing aggressive behavior. This technique allows your puppy to observe appropriate behavior from a dog that is well trained. Socialization teaches the dog that other animals are not a threat to him and there is no need to defend his master, his territory, or himself.
An alternative method employed to stop dog aggression after a dog begins to display aggressive tendencies is to deal with the incident every time it occurs. A dog should not be permitted to exhibit an aggressive tone without correction from the owner. Although it is not a long term fix for the challenge, a muzzle or head collar may be used during the dog’s training period.
Stringent training is another effective way to stop dog aggression. The dog will be unable to concentrate on the distractions of the other animal because his focus will be solely on listening to and pleasing the owner. The dog must be taught to concentrate on the master in order to keep his focus on him, and so that the master can issue additional commands to the dog, like “sit” or “down,” when another dog is present. The dog’s owner needs to make sure he keeps his own anxious behavior or feelings under control because, as minor as they might be, a dog can pick up nervous cues from its owner. Dogs are guided by the actions of their owner, which means that if you want to stop dog aggressions, you will have to control any undesirable actions on your part. Once your dog has been trained to stay focused on you, you can work on training him to look to you for a treat, which serves as a distraction when there are other dogs around. A treat can be tossed on the ground and the dog is told to look for it, which will distract the dog from other dogs around him, and stop any dog aggression before it gets started.