Some dogs grow up showing aggression. In all likelihood, being in a less than ideal home environment growing up led to them thinking that kind of behavior is acceptable.
If you’ve adopted an aggressive dog yourself, you probably know a lot about the challenges of bringing them around other people and pets. It can sometimes seem like socializing is just not an activity they will be able to engage in.
The good news is that there are things you can do to address your pet’s aggression. Try out the tips below and see if they can help your pet socialize better.
Get to Know Your Dog
Before you can correct the aggressive displays of behavior exhibited your pet, you first have to understand why they are popping up in the first place. As discussed last week’s article, dogs show aggression for a variety of reasons. It’s your job as a pet owner to identify those triggers and do something about them.
You should also learn how much socializing your pet can endure. See how long they can be around other pets without getting aggressive or how close they will allow unfamiliar people and animals to approach before barking. Learning all those things will come in handy once you start the training for socializing.
Teach Your Dog How to Calm Down Instead of Show Aggression
A dog must be able to stay calm in order to socialize properly. You can start training your aggressive pet to do that while at home.
The Animal Humane Society recommends temporarily putting your dog on a leash while inside.
If your pet starts to jump up or bark, ignore him/her. Continue ignoring him/her until he/she starts to calm down. Once your pet has settled down, praise him/her or even offer a treat.
Continue reinforcing calm behavior even when you’re out taking your dog for a walk. Sooner or later, your pet will understand that aggression is only going to be ignored.
Adjust Your Habits
While in the middle of training for socialization, you could unwittingly be sending mixed messages to your pet. Even though you’re teaching him/her to always remain calm, you may be undercutting that by barking along or perhaps placing him/her in situations where becoming aggressive is an understandable occurrence.
Remember that your dog is taking cues from you. Make sure to adjust how you behave around your dog at home and whenever the two of you go outside so that you’re consistent with your message.
Even aggressive dogs can learn how to be better around other animals and pets with love and proper training. Follow the tips in this article and show the world that your formerly aggressive pet is now ready to have fun with others!
Socializing an aggressive dog can be hard work. Still, we believe that it is a task well worth taking on. If you need help socializing your dog, we at TAILored Pet Services are more than happy to lend our assistance. Contact us by calling 425-923-7791 or filling out contact form on website.
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