Monday, January 28, 2008

Need Help With Training For Aggressive Dogs? Sign Up For Your Free Dog Training Course Right Now

If you haven't signed up for your SitStayFetch 6 Day eCourse yet, go ahead and sign up now. It's absolutely free and and it really is a helpful course.

This course covers selected training methods and behavior fixing methods that are used in the SitStayFetch program and it is yours FREE with absolutely no obligation whatsoever.

You will learn some great and helpful ways to correct dog behavior problems (using real-life case studies) like:

  • Stopping aggression towards strangers & other dogs
  • How to prevent your dog from destructive attention seeking behaviors
  • How to get your dog to respond to 'off-leash' commands
  • What to do to overcome separation anxiety
  • Overcoming general disobedience

This really is a great little course, and you will be sure to learn something new to help you with your dog. So sign-up now (on the right) and check it out!

Trying to figure out how to treat aggressive dog behavior all on your own is not easy. Click here to get some help with one of the best programs on training for aggressive dogs available today.

Friday, January 18, 2008

How To Treat Aggressive Dog Behavior Over Food

Dogs love to eat, and most are not real crazy about sharing their food with anyone. While this is pretty normal behavior, you need to take steps to make sure that it does not develop into a serious problem.

With pack animals like dogs, the only guy that gets to eat without being disturbed is the alpha dog. When a dog bristles and guards his food against other dogs, he is simply asserting his superior position in the pack.

And while it perfectly acceptable for an alpha dog to guard his food from other dogs, it is completely unacceptable for him to guard it from his humans, who occupy higher positions in his "pack" than he does.

When a dog starts aggressively guarding their food from their humans, it means that there is some confusion going on about alpha status. Instead of recognizing their humans as those in charge that are responsible for feeding him in the first place, the dog is viewing them as a threat to their food that must to be guarded against.

The simplest way to keep food-guarding from becoming an issue is to remind your dog that he is not the alpha dog of the household pack.

In dog or wolf packs, the alpha not only eats first, they are the only one that is allowed to eat without being disturbed. So don't allow your dog to eat alone in silence. Make sure to disturb him while he is eating.

Feed your dog in the kitchen while you are preparing a meal, or during any time that is high-traffic and noisy. While he is eating, approach his food dish and drop a little treat into it from time to time.

You do not want to harass him the entire time he's trying to eat, but you do want to bother him him a few times during each feeding. That should be enough to help him learn that he is not entitled to the alpha dog privilege of eating in majestic solitude.

Of course, this is more of a preventative measure. If a dog's food-guarding has progressed to the point where it is actually dangerous for anyone to disturb him while he is eating, then you would need to adopt different tactic.

If your dog snarls, snaps or bites when anyone attempts to approach their food, they are displaying signs of serious food-guarding aggression, and some method of dog training for aggressive behavior is needed.

Trying to figure out how to treat aggressive dog behavior all on your own is not easy. Click here to get some help with one of the best programs on training for aggressive dogs available today.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Socialization Is Crucial Part of Training For Aggressive Dogs

I cannot tell you how incredibly sick and tired I am of people failing to accept responsibility for the aggressive behavior of their dogs. There are no bad dogs--only bad owners!

99% of the time, aggressive dog behavior is the direct result of their owner's ignorance, irresponsibility and/or cruelty. The circumstances under which I "adopted" my sweet little girl Lila is a perfect example of this.

There was a boy in my neighborhood that walked his dog about the same time I walked mine. When ever he saw us (or anyone else for that matter), he would jerk his poor dog off of the sidewalk and drag her to the other side of the street.

One day I asked him why he did that. He said that his dog "hates other dogs and always barks at them, so I have to keep her away."

I asked him why that was--had his dog been attacked by another dog in the neighborhood, or at a dog park?

He replied "Oh no! I never let her near any other dogs around here and she has never been to a dog park."

I asked how old his dog was, and how long he had had her. He told me she was 4 years old, and that he had him since he was a puppy.

I had to fight the urge to follow this boy home, throttle his parents, and kidnap his dog!

This poor dog had spent her entire life without any healthy contact and proper socialization with other dogs! No wonder she barked at other dogs--she was scared to death of them and had no idea how to react to them other than with fear and aggression!

I attempted to gently explain this to the boy, but he just shook his head and insisted that "she's just a bad dog."

I couldn't sleep that night, and the next day I went over to his house to speak with his mother, with whom I had a passing acquaintance.

While I sat in their living room and attempted to explain the harm that they were doing to this poor dog by failing to socialize it, I happened to glance out the window into the back yard.

In a metal cage far too small for a 60 lb dog, was this poor Labrador. The cage was in the corner of the yard with no shade. It was August, in Texas, so it was around 100 degrees outside--in the shade!

I was flabbergasted. Following my gaze, this woman became very defensive and said dogs were animals, not humans, and they belonged outside in cages.

That was the last straw. I pulled out my cell phone and informed her that she could either watch me leave with their dog immediately and for good, or watch me contacting the authorities and reporting her for animal cruelty.

She laughed and told me to "take the useless mutt--good riddance!" Her son left the room and quickly returned with a leash. He told me "you'll be sorry lady--she's a really bad dog."

And thus Lila the Labrador became a member of my family.

It wasn't the easiest transition in the world, and it was rough for a few weeks. Lila was absolutely terrified of my other dogs and her constant barking drove us nuts. But we were patient and worked hard to help her overcome her fear and learn how to interact with other dogs.

Today, Lila is an incredibly happy, friendly well-adjusted dog who loves to play with her pack of brothers and sisters, as well as every dog she comes in contact with at her favorite place, the dog park.

So if you are trying to figure out how to help an aggressive dog, ask yourself whether or not you have properly socialized your dog. Remember, training for aggressive dogs starts with the dog's owner, not the dog.

Do you want a happy, well-adjusted dog? Then you need to learn more about how to treat aggressive dog behavior. Click here for the best, most effective methods of training for aggressive dog behavior.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

It Is Never To Early To Start Thinking About Training For Agressive Dogs

Did you wake Christmas morning to find the best, most amazing Christmas present in the whole world waiting for you under the tree?

If you did, then congratulations on the new addition to your family!

There really is nothing more exciting than finding a new puppy waiting for you, is there? The feeling you get holding that sweet little wriggling ball of joy is jut indescribable!

Of course, there is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes along with a new puppy. It's your job to take of him (or her), and make sure that you do everything you can to raise him to be happy, healthy and well-adjusted.

Here is a checklist of some of the things that you need to do for your new puppy:
  1. Take him to the vet on a regular basis for his check-ups and vaccinations.
  2. Feed him a healthy diet consisting of food and treats approved by your vet for his age and breed.
  3. "Puppy-proof" your house so that he can't get into anything that could harm him.
  4. Get him a selection of chew-toys...otherwise your shoes will suffer a painful death.
  5. Take him to dog parks to get him socialized.
  6. Train him with LOTS of patience and praise, but NEVER EVER with punishment.
  7. Educate yourself about how to treat aggressive dog behavior.

That last item on the list is extremely important, but is unfortunately one that one that many owners fail to do. I know it seems incomprehensible to you that your sweet little puppy could ever become aggressive, but it is a very real possibility.

So do a little research on how to help an aggressive dog. Familiarize yourself with the warning signs of aggression so that you will be able to recognize them early on and provide any training for aggressive dogs that may be necessary.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By educating yourself now, you will be in a much better position to help your dog with any behavior problems they may have in the future.

Your new puppy is a huge responsibility, but he is definately worth every second that you put into raising him. He will be your best friend and provide you with a never-ending supply of unconditional love and devotion.

So be patient, be loving, and be a good parent to your new little angel!

Learn what the early warning signs of aggression are right now. Click here for some excellent and very helpful information on training for aggressive dogs.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Training For Aggressive Dogs Starts With You

If you are struggling to figure out how to help an aggressive dog, don’t forget to take a hard look at your own behavior. You might actually be perpetuating your dog’s aggression without even realizing it. Many dog owners are guilty of unknowingly encouraging their dog to behave aggressively, and end up creating a huge problem. That is why successful training for aggressive dogs begins by studying the behavior of the dog’s owner first.

First of all, your dog must understand that you are the leader of their pack and that you are in charge, period. You can’t ever allow him to ignore your commands. Dogs sincerely want to please their owners, and if they understand that obeying you is the way to please you, they will obey. But as soon as they think that obeying your commands is optional, they will opt to ignore you and do as they please.

Dog training for aggressive dogs only works when dogs respect the fact that their owners are in charge. No matter how cute they look with their little snouts poking out from under the bed they’re hiding under after you’ve announced it is bath time, you can’t laugh or smile. That kind of reaction is counterproductive because it makes your dog think that disobeying you is not only acceptable, but can be a great way to endear themselves to you

So if you are trying to figure out how to treat aggressive dog behavior, take a good look in the mirror before you do anything else. Are you firm with your dog? How do you react when your dog disobeys your command? Are you in charge, or does your dog have you wrapped around their little paw? You need to make sure that your behavior is conducive to good behavior from your dog, because there is no training for aggressive dogs in the world that can help your dog if your behavior is encouraging the aggression.

Do you need help learning how to treat aggressive dog behavior? Click here to learn about one of the most effective methods of training for aggressive dogs.

Friday, December 14, 2007

You Should Educate Yourself About Training For Aggressive Dogs

I hate the fact that it took something as horrible as the attack on my nephew to make me realize that I didn’t know everything there was to know about raising a dog properly. There were so many warning signs that I ignored, and I will never be able to forgive myself for that.

Providing your dog with love, attention and positive reinforcement is crucial, but so is educating yourself about training for aggressive dogs. Please take the time to learn how to recognize the early warning signs of aggression and work with your dog to overcome their aggression before something tragic happens that could have been prevented.

It's up to you to change your dog’s aggressive behavior. Click here to discover the best methods of training for aggressive dogs.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Training For Aggressive Dogs Can Help Them Overcome Their Fears

What surprised me the most about Monty’s attack on my nephew was that he always seemed to be afraid of him. My nephew was seven at the time, and like many seven year-old boys, he was pretty rowdy. Whenever he came to visit, Monty usually tucked his tail between his legs and either hopped up in my lap or hid in the bedroom.

On this particular occasion, Monty was sitting in my lap when my nephew trotted over. Monty started growling at him, and I told him to hush. When my nephew bent down to pet him, Monty snarled, leapt off of my lap and attacked him.

Of course, now that I am familiar with training for aggressive dogs, I know that fear is one of the instincts that are often responsible for aggressive behavior. It’s very possible that Monty was indeed afraid of my nephew, and felt trapped as he sat in my lap with my nephew looming in front of him. Instead of telling Monty to hush when he started growling, I should have calmed him and reassured him that he was safe, and that my nephew was nothing to be afraid of.

Help your dog to overcome their fear before it turns into aggression. Click here to discover the best methods of training for aggressive dogs.