Aggressive behaviour in dogs can be a big problem and a major source of conflict between pets and their owners. Aggressive dog behaviour is a natural instinct in your pet, but it needs to be controlled, for your safety and the safety of your canine companion.

Dog to dog aggression is not unique to any certain breed. As a matter of fact, a dog aggressive to other dogs is more frequent within breeds than between them. So is your dog aggressive? Let’s look at some of the signs of an aggressive dog, and some ideas in training aggressive dogs.

Dog growling is a very common sign of aggression and should be dealt with immediately. You can start by socialising your puppy with various other dogs. Don’t forget to socialise your pet with others of its own breed. Dog territorial aggression, such as chasing after cars or people, and excessive barking can also be a huge problem, especially if you have close neighbours. Territorial aggression may require extra preventive measures, such as citronella or electronic collars. Dog aggression training may also be needed. Dog aggression problems can make both you and your pet unhappy; therefore, proper training for aggressive dogs is a necessity.

Dog fear aggression can stem from fear of a specific person, place, or other animal or from the general situation your pet is in. He may be afraid or unsure of how to interact with other animals.

Dog aggression may arouse from pain. A dog that is in pain will have a shorter fuse, and is more likely to snap at another animal or person. It is best to just give an injured dog his space, as this aggression comes from a natural instinct to protect himself.

Irritation or anger can also lead to dog behaviour aggression. An irritable dog will have little patience with aggravating factors, and may be quick to let you know. Allow him some quiet time to get some rest, and his irritability should fade. A dog may also misplace his anger onto another dog or his owner, not knowing how to handle this anger appropriately. Use of a specialty collar may be needed to teach him to control this anger or to lead him to his own area until he calms down.

Aggressive dog training is also a mistake many trainers make that they are unsure how to correct. Many owners will train certain typically aggressive breeds to fight or become vicious guard dogs, yet they expect the animal to be calm and docile around them or their family.

A dog will learn what you teach him, and cannot turn his trained behaviour off and on. If you train a dog to be aggressive, he will be aggressive. You can blame only yourself for choosing this type of training. Correcting aggressive behaviour in dogs in this case may be difficult if not impossible. Consult a professional trainer for help with this problem.