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How to Stop Aggression in Dogs: 10 Vet-Approved Tips and Tricks

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By Nicole Cosgrove

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Vet approved

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Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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For most dog owners, dogs are much more than just pets or companions; they’re part of your family. Much like when your child is having problems getting along with other kids at school, your dog’s aggressive behavior is concerning. Once aggressive behaviors begin, they can get out of hand quickly if you don’t nip them in the bud right away.

But how exactly do you stop your dog from displaying aggression? The first step is to identify why your dog is getting aggressive in the first place. There’s likely a very good reason; if you know why, you can use the 10 helpful methods we’ve listed after the types of aggression to stop it. If you follow these steps, you should be able to quickly halt aggressive behaviors in their tracks and get back to the great pup you love.

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How to Stop Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

The first step in dealing with aggression is identifying the early signs or precursors. It is also very important to learn to differentiate the types and causes of aggression that dogs exhibit. Feel free to learn more about this by jumping to the next section of this post.

Once you have identified the possible causes and the precursors, it’s time to find solutions. When your dog is being aggressive, there are several steps you can take to fix it before the problem gets out of hand.

1. Remain Calm

dog friendship
Image By: Lepale, Pixabay

One of the most important things you can do is remain calm. Also, remember that dogs feed on your energy. So, if you’re displaying aggressive behaviors, even if you don’t realize it, your dog will mimic you. Ensuring that you stay calm will keep your dog calm and will, at the least, ensure that you’re not exacerbating the problem.


2. Check Your Surroundings

Sheepdog
Image By: rhianjane, Pixabay

Often, dogs are aggressive for a good reason. Maybe there’s something nearby that your dog is aware of, but you aren’t. If you can’t pinpoint why your dog is being aggressive, look around and see if something is out of place. There could be a person or animal nearby that you haven’t noticed, but your dog’s heightened sense of smell might have alerted them to their presence.


3. Remove the Source of Your Dog’s Aggression

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If your dog becomes aggressive only around certain people or dogs, you might start by separating them. This is a temporary fix, of course, but it can be a great way to stop the aggression immediately so you can take other actions when time permits.


4. Prevention

ShiChi Dog Breed Info
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If you know some situations are difficult for your dog, it’s best to avoid them. For example, if your dog always gets scared when your friend brings their dog around, ask them not to bring the dog around. If your dog gets aggressive when playing games, look for other ways to entertain them.

Unfortunately, sometimes, situations aren’t as fixable as we like. If your dog is constantly aggressive toward your kids and you can’t seem to cure it, it may be time to consult a professional animal trainer or consider rehoming your dog to a household with no children. While it might be heartbreaking, it’s also in everyone’s best interest.


5. Check for Medical Conditions

vet checking boston terrier dog
Image Credit: Zakharova_Elena, Shutterstock

If your dog has suddenly started exhibiting aggressive tendencies when that’s not their usual temperament, something else might be happening. Your dog may have an underlying condition. It could be making them uncomfortable, causing pain, or worse. Some neurological disorders can also result in behavioral changes. While you can’t diagnose these yourself, your vet should be able to help.


6. Refrain From Punishing

Great Dane Growling
Image Credit: Jumpstory

Harsh punishments can create more aggression. Reacting to your dog’s aggression by screaming can cause your dog to be even more aggressive, making the problem worse. Most aggressive behaviors are warning signs.

If your dog growls at your child, it’s a warning that your dog isn’t comfortable with whatever the child is doing. But if you decide to punish your dog for the growling, they might skip the growling next time and react violently.


7. Positive Reinforcement

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Image Credit: Olena Yakobchuk, Shutterstock

If you shouldn’t punish your dog for aggressive behaviors, reward them for good behaviors! When your dog becomes aggressive, wait for them to relax by remaining completely calm.

Once your dog calms down a bit, redirect them and issue a simple command, such as “sit.” If the dog follows the command, heap positive praise on them. Positive reinforcement is the most effective way to let your dog know that being calm has advantages.


8. Proper Socialization

two german shepherd dogs running in a field
Image Credit: thraniwen, Pixabay

Many of these aggressive behaviors are due to poor socialization. Socialization is incredibly important for dogs. You should expose your dog to as many other pets and people as possible. This should begin at an early age and continue throughout life. Dogs that haven’t been properly socialized often react aggressively out of fear in social situations.

Of course, you can start socializing your dog at any time as long as they have completed their vaccination schedule. You can invite friends and other pets over to your house or bring your dog to different places where there are plenty of new people and pets for them to meet. Keep them on the leash and start slowly.

Begin with a single pet or person and introduce them carefully. Let your dog get used to the new person and slowly become acclimated. Then, you can start introducing more people and animals until your dog is comfortable meeting strangers.


9. Training

Women doing dog training in a brindle colored cane corso mastiff in the forest
Image Credit: BoJack, Shutterstock

Sometimes, the aggression caused by fear can be stopped with proper training. Good training will make your dog more confident in themselves and in your leadership, which can result in a much less fearful dog.

You can train your dog with basic obedience commands, or you can take them to obedience classes, where you’ll learn alongside other dogs and people. This can be a great way to socialize your dog while getting much-needed obedience training.


10. Get Professional Help

Dog training, brown Doberman sits in the park and looks at the owner
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Sometimes, the problem is simply beyond your ability to control. In these extreme cases, it’s time to call in a professional. You can hire a professional dog trainer or an animal behavior specialist. Either one can help you pinpoint the exact problem you’re experiencing. Then, together, you’ll be able to devise an action plan to finally end all of the aggressive behaviors once and for all.

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Early Signs of an Aggressive Dog

When your dog becomes aggressive, you must take steps to stop the behavior immediately. This requires spotting the behavior before it grows into something less manageable. The earlier you catch the warning signs, the easier it will be to curb aggressive tendencies.

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Luckily, several signs can clue you into your dog’s growing aggression before it gets out of hand. These early signs are called precursors.

  • Growling
  • Baring teeth
  • Snarling (Growling and baring teeth simultaneously)
  • Light biting without pressure
  • Nipping
  • Loud, guttural barks
  • Lunging at people or animals
  • Biting

When you see any of these behaviors, it’s time to take action. Though some may seem harmless, they can lead to more significant aggression problems if left unchecked.Divider 4

Different Types of Dog Aggression

Recognizing your dog’s aggression is the first step in stopping it. The next step is to understand it, which is a bit harder than the first step. Identifying aggression is easy, but identifying why your dog is aggressive is more challenging since you can’t just ask them!

As it turns out, dogs can become aggressive for several reasons. Your dog can display as many as 11 types of aggression depending on what’s causing them to act out. Each type of aggression has root causes that must be identified if the behavior is to be stopped.

Possessive

Possessive aggression is when your dog becomes aggressive to protect something they perceive as valuable, such as food, a chew toy, a ball, or anything else. This is also called resource guarding.

Protective

This is when a dog becomes aggressive to protect a member of their pack or family. It is most common in mothers who can be very protective of their young, though any dog can become aggressive when protecting their loved ones.

english bulldog mom with two week old puppy_willeecole photography_shutterstock
Image Credit: WilleeCole Photography, Shutterstock

Fear

If a dog is overwhelmed with fear, they may feel that aggression is the last resort. In this case, it’s not uncommon for dogs to growl, bite, or even attack.

Territorial

This is when a dog becomes aggressive to defend their space from an intruder.

dog and dog house under the sun
Image Credit: Polarpx, Shutterstock

Defensive

This is when a dog attacks as a defense mechanism without first trying to leave the situation. These dogs usually give other less obvious warning signs before biting.

Social

This is when dogs react aggressively toward other dogs, pets, or people in social situations. This is often simply because a dog hasn’t been socialized enough.

Dogs playing
Image Credit: 825545, Pixabay

Redirected

Redirected aggression occurs when a dog becomes aggressive toward someone who did not trigger their anger. For instance, when you stop a fight between two dogs and one redirects their anger toward you, or when two dogs are on opposite sides of a fence and can’t reach each other, one dog becomes aggressive toward another pet or person on their side.

Pain Response

Pain response aggression is simply an aggressive response to physical pain or injury.

Sex-Related

When two dogs of the same sex compete for the attention of the same mate, it can lead to aggression and even fighting. This is easily mitigated by spaying and neutering.

Frustration

When dogs are too restricted, they may act out in frustration. This is often the case for dogs restricted by a leash and unable to reach their target. This form of aggression is similar to redirected aggression but includes some form of physical restriction.

Puppy playing
Image Credit: jklugiewicz, Pixabay

Predatory

This is when a dog’s natural prey drive takes over. It can happen with wild animals, domesticated pets, or even children.

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Conclusion

If your dog starts becoming aggressive, it can be very scary as their owner. You’re suddenly unsure of how your dog will behave and what will happen to them in the future. But if you take the time to understand your dog’s feelings and learn what’s causing them to act aggressively, you can take steps to fix the issue and ensure your dog’s aggression falls by the wayside. Just follow the 10 methods we’ve outlined and you’re sure to have your dog behaving well in no time.

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