As a dog owner, it's heartbreaking to see dog attacks in the news. The dog is often the secondary victim in these situations. I don't judge the decision to have an aggressive animal put down. It's an unfortunate but necessary action when the dog has become a danger to others.
But these incidents need never happen. After an attack, we blame the owners for the dog's behavior. The owners are often bewildered having no idea how they could have encouraged the behavior.
As owners, our actions influence our dog's behavior. Like children, they are highly responsive to what they see us do. In this regard, we are inadvertently reinforcing adverse behavior. Sometimes these are simple mistakes that we easily overlook. We may not mind when our dog jumps up to greet us and we reinforce this behavior by petting him. But like children, dogs must also interact with the world around him. Training your dog to behave in a certain manner is beneficial in many ways.
People who see a wandering dog without an owner are less likely to report the dog for pickup when they see it is well behaved. This indicates the dog is not a stray and has an worried owner somewhere. They will be more likely to check for a collar for contact information. A dog that will not forage in garbage even when hungry is less likely to get shot or ran off. Again, the probability is likely others will contact you to recover your pet.
Stress can increase aggressive behavior in your dog. Stress is increased in many different situations that may cause your dog to become defensive or confused. Examples include stressful veterinary visits, being left unattended for long periods and exaggerated greetings and departures.
Neutral reinforcement and decreasing negative stimuli during veterinary visits can greatly reduce your dog's stress. If there is no reason to assume anything painful will be done during the visit it should not be presented to the dog it a big deal. The less your dog is stimulated by a trip to the vet the better. It should be a simple outing and nothing more. Also, stress or fear can make it difficult for the doctor to evaluate your dog. Fear-free policies are now being implemented in many vet clinics.
Leaving your dog unattended for long periods can lead to barrier frustration, territorial behavior and reactive aggressive behavior. Leaving the dog in the back yard without frequent attention and stimuli increases the likelihood they will develop these unwanted behaviors. Barking or growling at people and pets passing by and pacing the fence line are indications your dog is developing potentially aggressive behaviors.
Nervous habits such as biting our nails or fidgeting are self rewarding behaviors. Barking and chewing are also a self rewarding behavior in dogs and can lead to aggressive behavior. The more he is allowed to bark the more he will continue. Trainers disagree in regards to chewing behavior. Some say it's okay if only for a chew toy, while others claim this to be positive reinforcement for chewing on everything. But if the dog is kept active with regular interaction it will be less nervous and exhibit fewer nervous behaviors.
Avoid hand wrestling with your dog. This teaches the dog it is okay to mouth people's hands. Dogs have many ways to show affection other than their mouths. They use their mouths for nearly everything including aggressive behaviors. If never allowed to develop a habit of mouthing a person's hands they will be less likely to bite. Biting during playtime should also be discouraged especially among breeds known for aggressive behaviors. When stressed or threatened, a dog that is not accustomed to mouthing people will only bite as a last resort. Appropriate mouthing play can include wrestling with a toy, fetch toys or tugging play.
As briefly mentioned earlier, your dog requires proper training in social skills. He should greet and communicate well with other dogs and not struggle on his leash or lunge at others. From an early age, your dog should be made comfortable with other dogs and begin leash walking. Keep in mind, your small dog should never be off a leash when taken where larger dogs may be. Same applies for dogs of all sizes but small dogs require close attention should they encounter an aggressive dog. Again, avoid overly exciting your dog around other canines. Greetings should be casual and friendly.
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