How can I make my dog less aggressive to me and my parents and to visitors?

Question

My dog is 7 years old and is very agressive. He is a small dog and lives in our apartment. At the beginning he was nice with us and the rest of people. But as time passed he became more and more agressive. I can't even scream at me because he bagins barking and once he has even bitten me. What can I do? I have had him for 7 years and i love him very much?

Answer 1

What you need is someone who is an expert in dog physcology and training. This behavior isnt something to be tolerated in a dog, and once its been allowed its hard for a regular uneducated pet owner to get rid of.

He does it because he's not treated like a dog. Iam going to bet that he's the baby and allowed to do all sorts of things, like growl at you and your parents, eat special foods that he begs for, and
be on the furniture, and have toys that belong to him that you're not allowed to touch when he has.

These things make a dog aggressive. What he thinks by you guys always giving him things, and allowing him to growl at you, snip and bite, and to be on the the furniture at the same level as you, is that he's the dominate dog of the pack.

First off, get him off the furniture, never let him at the same level as you. He belongs on the floor, always lower than you. Get him a bed, on the floor. Take his toys and treats away, he doesnt need them at this point in his training.

Second he needs a place to go thats away from you. Either outside, or another room behind a gate or something. When he is aggressive towards you or family you need to remove him from your sight. Dogs of this size are nice because you can pick him up. Dogs have extra skin around their necks, and grabbing it is a sign of being top dog. Watch your hands, dont get bit. When he is aggressive, and i mean the FIRST SIGN of being aggressive, you need to march over, grab the scruff of his neck, tell him NO BAD DOG, and put him away from you. Either outside or in that other room behind a gate. A good swat or two on his flank while you're holding his scruff and saying no, is also exremely useful and needed. Dont beat him, just provide that physical shock.

This is how dogs in packs, or dogs playing together, communicate. The top dog will 'attack' the other dog, bite at the legs and butt, and grab the neck until that dog leaves the pack or play area. The dog that was attacked then has to ask for forgiveness and permission to join back in, by staying low to the ground and submissive, even rolling over on their back, when the 'top dog' is near it again.

You would see this behavior in your dog when after 10-15 minutes you return to the gate or outside, and the dog responds to seeing you with a level wagging tail, a tucked tail, and a low head, Or even rolling over on its side or back. Thats a sign that the dog admits you're in control and its not.

The goal of ALWAYS reacting the same way AS SOON as the dog is aggresive to you or your parents or visitors, is to teach it that you're the one who is the pack leader and decides who does what, NOT him.

If you're consistant about always grabbing his scruff, telling him no and swatting his flank, and putting him away from you, he will eventually realize that he's not the one leading, you are. And he's not the one who decides when to be agressive, YOU are. You should be doing this even if the dog is only growling. Or only stiff with its hair raised.

A good dog will not be aggressive at ANY TIME without first looking to you for your reaction to the situation, or if it does become aggressive be default it will imediately defer to your command to stop.

Aggression from dogs is NOT something you EVER leave unpunished. EVER. this dog behaves this way because you either feared its reaction, or ignored it, or tried to calm the animal.

Answer 2

Uh oh, those are not good signs. You are in a leap of trouble if she ever ends up biting somebody. IF she bites somebody that the cops get involved, you'll be tagged as owning an aggressive dog. That is like a scarlet letter and very difficult to get rid of. You can get fined and even jailed. You only can even void your home owners insurance! I'm serious, you need to train your dog ASAP. There is a valueable TV Show called "Me or the Dog" that you may find every helpful. See link below. You can watch video clips.

Answer 3

As a Master Dog Trainer I may be able to help you.

First off it is his little mouth that is causing the problem so you need to use a correction that he will associate with his mouth, more specifically his teeth.

Using two fingers rap him on his muzzle when he is trying to bite. Yell, NO at the same time you rap him on his nose. Say it in a deep voice like a growl. Be consistent and keep it up. Don't let him slide one time and start again.

Another thing is to think of the way his mama corrected him when he was a pup. She bites the puppies and slings them away. Grabs them by the head, leg, tail or where ever she can get a good hold and bites them. They may sound like there little lives are over but that is just puppy attitude. With a seven year old dog this is one of the best corrections and that is to bite him back on his muzzle. Even if you have to hold his mouth shut while you do this. Bite hard enough to make him cry but not hard enough to bring blood.

When he is being good talk to him like you would your friends or even baby talk in a high pitched voice but when he is being bad raise your voice and make it deep and throaty.

If you want any more help you can contact me. My address is in my bios.

Answer 4

Alot of dog aggression starts out when the dog is a puppy. Its important to be gentle with puppies until they are fully grown. Also has anyone in the apartment been aggressive towards the dog? When a dog looses his trust for his owner that often leads to aggression.

Answer 5

Has he been aggressive since he fully matured or is it only in the past few years or months? It could be a physical problem, like a chemical imbalance in his brain. That is not all that uncommon. Take him to a vet to get him checked just to rule it out. If not you need to speak to a credible trainer in your area.

Answer 6

An aggressive dog is a liability. Please, find an obedience trainer (NOT from pet smart or pet co, but a real trainer!). Be aggressive with the training, you need to be the 'top dog', not him! Also, is he neutered? This will help with his domineering attitude (beside reduce his risk of testicular cancer, prostate cancer and urinary issues.

If this is not correctable behavior, remember, he is a liability!!

Answer 7

Wow...you need to watch The Dog Whisperer on National Geographic channel. He also has some advice on his website: dogpsychologycenter.com. Good luck.

Answer 8

Please go to leerburg.com and listen to what Ed has to say about dominant dogs, whicj is what you have on your hands. If you listen to him and apply his methods there are good chances that you can save him. The way you make this sound right now, he is a liability.

Answer 9

you tap them on their shoulder and if they dont calm down then you try a diffrent approach tell them in a high tone of voice untill they stop