Retraining an aggressive dog
If your pet becomes the instigator of fights, the attacks will continue. Hot temper does not go away on its own. Moreover, in the absence of punishment, negative character traits worsen. The animal will attack until it receives a fairly strong rebuff. In some cases, even this does not discourage fights. It is important to identify the cause and correct it.
Tense back and stiff body position
If a dog is truly upset, he may show tension throughout his body and stiffness in his movements. If you see this behavior combined with ears pinned back to the head and eyes wide open, you need to wonder why your pet is feeling so stressed or even threatened. Try to do everything so that the animal can relax, otherwise it may even bite. Small dogs are more likely than larger dogs to feel threatened and may exhibit this behavior.
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The main causes of aggression in dogs
Rivalry
Many dogs become nervous due to competition for food or toys. There are some pets who are ready to tear apart everyone else for the sake of a ball. In everyday life, a “rebel” usually behaves relatively calmly and does not bully anyone. Conflicts begin when controversial issues arise.
Security
Some animals have heightened protective instincts. The situation is aggravated by a leash that connects the pet with the owner. The bodyguard attacks not because of a quarrelsome nature, but because of vain suspicions.
Insufficient education
In fact, there are a number of reasons hidden here: banal omissions, permissiveness, problems with socialization, lack of authority... If you once allowed your pet to growl at another dog, it will happen again. Not only aggressive, but also cowardly animals can attack others.
The most dangerous problem is the low status of the owner. If a dog feels like he’s in charge, he will involuntarily guard you and disobey you. This is the responsibility of a leader.
Negative experiences in the past
If your pet was once injured by another animal, he will remember it. Because of fear, the pet will either hide, or defend itself and attack. Manifestations of aggression towards certain groups of dogs are possible: by size, breed, color, etc.
How to understand aggression?
Aggression and self-defense are two closely related survival skills . Not a single living creature can grow up, much less give birth to offspring, without being able to show its teeth and fight back. Dogs have coexisted closely with people for more than 10 thousand years, and it so happened that four-legged animals have to defend themselves from their owners, this happens rarely, but still.
It is worth understanding that most types of aggression are not associated with a bad attitude of the owner, but with low self-esteem or uncertainty of the pet . In a global sense, aggression in dogs can be divided into several types. Behavior correction directly depends on the reasons that unbalance the dog.
Recommendations for correcting the behavior of an aggressive dog
Due to the variety of reasons, it is difficult to give specific recommendations. In each case, it is necessary to separately analyze what is happening and select a correction program. It is important to remember one thing - it is not the dog that is to blame, but the owner. Aggression does not appear overnight. Somewhere they overlooked, somewhere they misunderstood, somewhere they made mistakes... The responsibility lies entirely with us.
The only thing that can be recommended is strengthening discipline. Try to distract your pet in the presence of irritants by any means. Turn your attention to yourself. Gradually reduce the distance. To practice your pet’s skills, you will have to provoke and create problematic situations.
Don't constantly avoid other dogs. At some point you will still have to encounter other animals. In addition, socialization will suffer. Ideally, the pet should not easily tolerate the presence of others, but become calmer and more reserved. In advanced cases, it is better to contact a professional dog handler. He will determine the cause and teach you to understand your dog.
Constant yawns
Contrary to popular belief, yawning does not mean that your dog is bored with you. It's actually a sign of stress, frustration, or nervous tension, say pet communication experts. It is important to pay attention to such a signal and immediately remove the animal from a situation that it cannot cope with. This will help the animal calm down and feel happier again.
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How to separate two dogs
It’s good if there is the owner of the second dog or someone who cares nearby. Then the task becomes much simpler. There are several ways to separate dogs.
1. Throw clothes over the animals. The surprise effect will work: in most cases, pets unclench their jaw.
2. Pour cold water over it. The method is not very convenient, but sometimes it helps to cool the dust.
3. Press on your Adam's apple to temporarily stop breathing. Keep in mind that you can also be bitten.
4. Gently but sharply pull your pet's hind legs. This must be done simultaneously. Losing your balance will cause you to loosen your grip. Be careful: you may accidentally cause even more damage.
5. Small dogs can be turned over abruptly onto their back. To do this, you need to cross your arms and grab the pet by the hind legs, then lift it and lower it with its belly up. This position is not suitable for resistance, so the pets will be forced to let go of each other.
Under no circumstances should you feel sorry for or praise the animal immediately after the incident. Approval will lead to more aggression. It is not recommended for beginners to use a noose or apply pressure to the nose.
Lack of eye contact
If a person refuses to maintain eye contact with you and turns his back, you instantly know that he is angry. The same thing happens with dogs. A happy dog, who is completely comfortable, is willing to look his owner in the eye and seeks his attention; an animal that is experiencing discomfort will avoid such interaction and will begin to turn away from the owner and try to leave the room. How to deal with such a situation? Provide a calm and quiet environment so that your dog can relax around you.
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How to separate dogs alone
It is very difficult to deal with mating dogs on your own, so try to prevent a fight. If an unfriendly animal approaches you, drive it away. Use the means at hand: throw stones and sticks. Usually, after long-range attacks, dogs get scared and run away.
It is not recommended to use a stun gun or pepper spray. You may hurt the victim of the attack. It makes sense to release a weak discharge only at a distance to scare away. You don't need to shock him too much, that's not necessary.
It is better to take a small pet in your arms. This disorients the aggressor. Please note that you may be bitten. It is advisable to take your dog for a walk wearing a muzzle. In the event of a skirmish, you will only have to pull back one animal. It's much easier.
Methods for correcting behavior in dogs
The first thing the owner must do is change the walking route. As already mentioned, in new territory the dog behaves calmer. Be sure to keep your pet on a leash and muzzle. When meeting closely with other animals and people, try to sit the dog down as a command and reward calm behavior with a treat. There is no point in scolding or shouting at an animal; commands should be given in a confident, calm tone. In case of disobedience, you need to indicate who is in charge here by sharply pulling back the leash.
It happens that a dog has chosen a house as its territory and, naturally, reacts aggressively to everyone who crosses the threshold. In this case, the animal is not allowed to meet guests, but is locked in another room. Only after some time can the dog be taken out to visitors on a leash and praised for its calm behavior. It is advisable that guests do not show interest in the pet.
After the fight
After a fight, it is highly recommended to consult a veterinarian. Dog fangs leave deep wounds with pockets. Since there is a whole breeding ground for bacteria on the animal’s teeth, inflammation usually begins and the cavities fill with pus. It is not always possible to treat serious wounds on your own.
Now you know where to start re-educating your pet and how to break up a fight. Be sure to pay enough attention to the dog, be a wise and strict mentor and do not lose your composure in any situation. As a last resort, contact a specialist.
Licking when there is no food
If a dog constantly licks its nose, but there is no food nearby, it may be due to mental stress or dissatisfaction. For example, this is how animals begin to behave if they are hugged by children or strangers. Dogs don't like this type of touching. Stop restricting the animal's movements and do not allow strangers to touch the dog if it makes him nervous.
Case from practice
Ruby: miniature poodle, female, 2 years old
Circumstances: Not neutered. Never knitted. The heat ended 8 weeks ago.
The essence of the problem: Ruby has always had a gentle disposition, but suddenly she became jealous of her bedding and toys. Often he allows himself to bark or snap at his owners. Milk has been oozing from the mammary glands recently.
Explanation: Ruby has developed false pregnancy. Irritability is caused by increased levels of prolactin in the blood. This hormone stimulates milk production during pregnancy and determines the protective behavior of the female towards her offspring.
Recommendations:
- Owners need to walk their dog more.
- Ruby should be put on a reduced protein diet. Give her more fiber, such as bran or vegetables.
- For false pregnancy, drug treatment is recommended, so you should urgently consult a veterinarian. It is especially important to prevent mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands).
- There is a high probability that Ruby will develop a false pregnancy after her next heat. If the owners do not intend to use Ruby for breeding, then it is better to neuter her when the disease passes. It is better to do this 3 months after the end of estrus.
- Can tranquilizers be used to prevent aggression?
- Tranquilizers allow you to avoid the manifestation of only certain types of aggression, for example, those caused by epilepsy. In other cases, they are not suitable, since they dull both abnormal and normal behavior, and against this background, aggression becomes more noticeable.
- Last night we were watching TV when suddenly Judy, a 2-year-old female golden retriever, growled savagely and out of the blue attacked our Jack Russell. But they are friends - you can’t spill them with water. Judy's gaze seemed glazed over, but she quickly came to her senses and calmed down. But we are very worried. What is the reason for such an outburst of rage?
- You need to take Judy to the vet as soon as possible. One possible reason is that Judy suffers from epilepsy. This disease is controlled with anticonvulsants, but an electroencephalogram is needed to confirm the diagnosis. It's even more dangerous if Judy has rage syndrome. In this case, the veterinarian should urgently examine her and decide whether her condition can be cured.
The causes of this syndrome are not clear, but may be either congenital or associated with extreme expressions of dominance. Unreasonable aggression in a dog is extremely dangerous, especially if there are children in the family. Sometimes contacting a dog behavior specialist helps, but often the owner has no choice but to euthanize the animal.
Behavioral changes often occur in old age. A cheerful and easy-going dog may deteriorate in old age. She barks if you accidentally touch her or wake her up, and it’s better for kids not to pester such a touchy-feely creature. Try to be gentle with an elderly dog - the years take their toll, and her health is far from what it used to be.
