Why Is My Dog Reactive or Aggressive Towards Other Dogs?
Dogs that spend time interacting with people and other dogs are known to be happy, healthy canines. If you take your dog to the park for some much-needed socialization, you want him or her to play nicely with the other pets. But it doesn’t always work that way. Some dogs are aggressive or reactive towards other dogs. In addition to being embarrassing and stressful, this type of behavior can also result in injuries.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage your dog’s reactions towards other dogs. This article will suggest ways you can fix aggressive dog behaviors.
Why Are Dogs Aggressive/Reactive Towards Other Dogs?
There are a few reasons why your dog may be aggressive/reactive towards another dog. These include the following.
Abuse and Neglect Including Abuse from Another Dog: Dogs that have experienced trauma in their lifetime, whether it be from a past owner, a human being, or another dog, may feel like they are being threatened when a dog approaches them. They may react with aggressive behavior.
Insufficient Socialization: If a dog doesn’t play with other dogs often, they may not know how to play properly. They may think they are being playful when they are being aggressive. Or the lack of socialization may cause them to misunderstand another dog’s advances.
Unaltered: If your dog has not been spayed or neutered, they may display aggressive/reactive behavior. It can also lead to health complications.
Fear/Anxiety: If your dog has an anxious personality, they may get scared by other dogs and act out to protect themselves.
A Desire to Protect Their Owner or Territory: Some dogs may think another dog approaching them infringes on their territory or attack their owner when they just want to play.
Painful Medical Condition: When a dog is in pain, they tend to act out.
Tips to Stop Aggressive Dog Behavior
Here are some suggestions to help you stop or mitigate aggressive dog behavior.
Treating Medical Conditions That Cause Vulnerability
If your dog’s behavior is caused by a medical condition such as a physical injury or illness or a mental issue like anxiety, you may want to take them to a vet. A vet can provide treatments for physical conditions, and there are also medications that can be prescribed for dog anxiety.
Encourage Exercise
Just like exercise can reduce stress in humans, it can also improve the mood of your canine. It will make them less anxious, so that they feel comfortable playing with other dogs. It will also make them less depressed, reduce destructive tendencies, and help them maintain a healthy weight.
There are several things you can do to give your dog the physical activity he needs including playing fetch, hiking, doing obedience course work, having her run up and down stairs, and much more. Putting our pup on the treadmill with supervision can help them burn energy and stay fit physically and mentally.
Understand How Your Can Sense Your Fears and Anxieties Around Other Dogs
Dogs may become aggressive because they feel they need to protect their owner when other dogs are around. The owner must become aware of when their dog gets into aggressive mode and use commands to prevent incidents before they happen. It is good idea to keep healthy small treats for such occasions like when you go on a walk.
Have Your Dog Wear a Muzzle
If you think your dog is aggressive enough that he may harm another dog or a person, you may need to put a comfortable muzzle on him during playtime. It’s best to have professional supervision. Especially, the first time you put a muzzle on your dog to ensure you put it on correctly and that your dog is comfortable.
Consult a Professional Trainer to Implement Behavior Modification
You may want to call a trainer in to reduce a dog’s reactive behavior towards others. The trainer will assess the dog’s reactive patterns and teach them commands to control their responses in social situations.
How K9U Chicago’s Daycare for Aggressive Dogs Can Help
If you are having difficulty getting your dog to play nicely with others, K9U Chicago can help. In addition to providing training classes, we also offer a Group Social Rehab for dogs.
The trainers in our Group Social Rehab understand how to engage with each dog and what it takes to provide them with mental and physical fulfillment. They will evaluate your dog and put them in a monitored group according to their individual needs. If the dog does not fit into any group, they will get one-on-one time with the trainer via the Individual Activity service.
Reactive or aggressive dog behavior towards other dogs or humans can be difficult to deal with. Fortunately, there are ways to teach your dog how to socialize and play nicely. What training methods do you use to ensure your dog is always behaves well?
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