Q&A for How to Stop Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

Never hit or punish your aggressive dog. Doing so will cause your dog to become over excited, or if his aggression is due to anxiety it will make him more fearful. As a result, his aggression may become worse.

If a dog is threatening to attack, avoid looking them in the eye. Avoid sudden movements, and if you can do so without upsetting the dog, turn sideways on so you present less of a threat. Never challenge the dog as this may be the final straw that causes them to attack.

Common causes of sudden aggression include pain or fear. If your dog is normally sweet-tempered and is suddenly aggressive, then be alert for things like an ear infection, toothache, or even arthritis. A vet check is recommended.

Being "cured" of aggression is the wrong word, although many dogs can be helped. The key to this is understanding the reason for their aggression and working on correcting it. This requires input from a qualified animal behaviorist.

Many dogs are aggressive because they are fearful and have learned that growling keeps scary things at a distance. It's best to work with a behaviorist to identify what it is the dog is reactive around and then put a strategy in place to rebuild their confidence.

If a dog has a behavioral problem, it needs structure and leadership. Show dominance right away by exhibiting strong body language, as that's the first thing the dog sees. You want to intimidate a dog with behavioral issues, not scare or break them. You can intimidate them through body language, eye contact, voice changes, and the way you approach the dog. You can also learn how to read the dog so that you know how to control them before they reach the point of aggression.

Exercise him first to diffuse excess energy before playing ball. Teach him to "Give." Let him have the ball; you aren't playing fetch at this stage, so he just has the ball in his mouth. Show him a high value training treat and tell him to "Give," exchanging the ball for the treat. If he refuses, then turn your back and end the game. If he drops the ball, immediately give him the treat and lots of praise, pick up the ball and give it straight back to him, saying "Take." You are teaching him that he gains a tasty reward and gets the ball back when he gives it up on command. Aim to get him regularly surrendering the ball before you play fetch with it.

First, decide if he is fearful of the leash or just over-excited. If the former, leave leashes around the home and in his bed, so he gets used to them. Praise him when he snuggles up next to a leash. If he is over-excited, he's linking the excitement of a walk to the leash. Put the leash on and don't take him for a walk, but leave it on (make sure he doesn't get tangled or hurt himself). Put the leash on in different locations, not just by the front door. Snuggle on the sofa and put the leash on and reward him. If he growls, tell him "No" in a firm voice, have him sit, then reward the sit, and try again.

There's not always an explanation. It's the same with humans: we like some people, and dislike others.

It may help, but you should also complete dog training to reduce his aggressive tendencies.

No. Pit bulls are as aggressive as any other normal dog you would meet. Some pit bulls aren't raised well by their owners or feel threatened by certain dogs or people.

Take a treat with you, speak reassuringly to your dog and warn the vet in advance. The vet has animal handling abilities that you can only dream of, so let it be, the vet can deal with it.

Before playing with the dog, apply some bitter apple spray. Dogs don't like it, and prefer not to taste it.

When you come into the house, leave the dog in a room away from you until she has calmed down. If she does jump up, cross your arms and turn your back on the dog until she calms down. Hyperness can also be reduced by taking your dog for regular walks.

Keep your dog indoors and see a dog training specialist. Never let your dog outside the house without a leash.

To start, always observe their interactions to avoid any fighting or injuries. Start by introducing them slowly with both dogs on a leash. Let them smell and get to know each other for awhile. After doing that once or twice, try taking the puppy off the leash and letting her approach the older dog. (Keep the older dog on a leash so you can control him if he gets aggressive with the puppy.) If the dog doesn't show any signs of being aggressive, you can try letting him off the leash as well.

Try feeding him when you eat,but don't give him human food. If that doesn't work, try sitting him at the table with you. He might just feel left out.

Try taking them on short walks, separately. Then, take them on a longer walk with a friend; you should walk the larger and/or more aggressive dog. If that fails, consult a vet. Also, depending on the breed, aggression is common and sometimes unchangeable.

Training classes, positive reinforcement during training, spaying/neutering the dog, getting a muzzle for the dog, and making sure the dog has plenty of exercise can help the situation. However, if the dog is capable of seriously injuring someone then it should be euthanized immediately.

Training classes and visiting professional dog behaviorists can help. Spaying/nuetering your dog can also help. Training with positive reinforcement and making sure the dog gets a lot of exercise will allow the dog to get rid of energy and be happier when behaving correctly. However, if the dog’s out-of-control behavior becomes aggressive, then the dog should be euthanized immediately before anyone gets hurt.

Put him in another room or direct him to his crate or bed. If he is very difficult when someone is leaving, put him on a leash and have him sit as they go.

Try getting a muzzle, but make sure the dog is comfortable (emotionally and physically) in it. Then, with the muzzle on, expose it to a child using positive reinforcement (treats and praise) when she behaves calmly.

Get her to associate you taking the bone away with tasty treats. Whenever you'd like to take it, drop an irresistibly tasty treat nearby. When your dog goes for it, pick up their bone very quickly and hide it on a counter/somewhere they can't reach. Keep doing this every day for a few weeks. Your dog should associate treats with giving up their bone and should become less possessive of it.

Certainly not. Some dogs may be hostile or shy, even if they don't look like it. My dog, for example, is extremely hostile, but you can't tell just from looking at him. Stop at a safe distance from the person whose dogs you want to pet and ask them politely if you can pet their dogs. If they refuse, assume they have a very good reason and be polite about it. Running up to random dogs and trying to pet them, even small ones, can result in getting bitten or causing a fearful dog to run away. It's incredibly important to be polite when asking to pet someone's animal.

With ‘pack leader’ methods, many don’t understand how it emotionally ‘trains’ the dog to fear you. ‘Pack leader’ training is based on intimidation and if a dog is scared, why would they enjoy being in the ‘pack leaders’ presence? He is scared of them and would have displayed calming signals before growling. Growling does not mean aggression, it means fear. In other words, the dog is saying,”I’m scared, back off.” He does not warm up to them but rather gives up, it does not mean he no longer fears them. He asked them to back away, they didn’t. If you don’t respect his feelings, why do you expect him to control them?