| How To Prevent Dog Aggression Towards Strangers |
| Written by Christine Andrews | ||||||||
| Sunday, 11 January 2009 | ||||||||
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If you have a dog that growls or acts aggressively towards strangers, it's not too late to do something about it. But first, you should understand why your dog's acting this way.
If you have a dog that growls or acts aggressively towards strangers, it's not too late to do something about it. But first, you should understand why your dog's acting this way. Aggression in dogs is a natural part of who they are. It came in handy when their ancestors lived in the wild. Wild dogs needed aggression to hunt, and to defend themselves and their resources - their food, their mate, and their home or territory. While selective breeding over the last few centuries has definitely minimized this natural trait, all dogs are still capable of causing serious injury. Even though it's instinctive, as dog owners, there's a lot we can do to prevent aggression from rearing its ugly head. And if it does occur (for whatever reason), there are still steps that we can take to recognize and deal with it efficiently. Although aggression in dogs comes in different forms, aggression towards strangers is one that is quite common. This type of aggression is stems from nervousness. If he becomes nervous around strangers, his instinct is to protect himself (and you) from the percieved threat. Dogs that are nervous around strangers are pretty easy to spot. When someone unfamiliar approaches (a visitor, delivery person, or someone walking down the street) they will usually act one of two ways... Either they will sit completely still, staring hard at the new person, or they'll become agitated. They'll be fidgety, pace back and forth and bark or whine. Why does it happen? The main reason a dog doesn't like strange people is that he's never had the chance to get used to them. Remember, your dog depends 100% on you to broaden his horizons for him. The only way he will learn to relax is by experience. He needs to go on lots of outings - have many positive experiences to realize that the "unknown" isn't something he needs to be afraid of. This process is called socialization, and it's one of the most important parts of owning a dog. It should be started when he's a puppy - as soon as he's had his vaccinations - and continue throughout his life. This lets your dog become accustomed to the world around him. Giving him more and more new experiences is vital to raising a dog that's relaxed and stable in new situations. This means exposing him to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals. You can't just bring an adult dog into a crowd of new people and expect him to stay calm and relaxed. Saying "It's okay, Trixie. Settle down" doesn't work. Your dog needs to learn that it's okay on his own. Socializing your dog helps him learn this. You want to expose him to all sorts of people -- small children, teens and old people, kids on skateboards, delivery people in uniforms -- anything that's different from what he's use to seeing at home. By starting as a puppy, these new experiences become "common place" to your dog. He learns that new people are friendly and fun which makes him more relaxed and at ease when he encounters strangers in the future. One of the easiest ways to start socializing your puppy is by signing up for a puppy class. These are sometimes called puppy kindergarten or puppy preschool. It is a series of classes specifically for puppies. Most are held at a vet clinic or another controlled indoor environment. The typical puppy class has about a dozen puppies and owners. They are run by a qualified dog trainer who is usually joined by one or two assistants. By having more than one instructor, you and your puppy will have more one-on-one time with one of the trainers. During class, you will learn about your puppy's developmental stages and even some basic obedience commands. Learning about your puppy and how he will develop is important. It's also fun to start some basic commands like "come". But the most important part of puppy classes is the chance to meet and play with other dogs. During each class session, there are usually several short "play breaks" where the puppies are allowed to run around off-leash and play. This gives them the chance to learn how to interact around other dogs. They also get a chance to play with the dog owners, which helps them begin to learn that "strangers" aren't bad. Yes, puppy classes are the perfect way to start socializing your new dog. But the job doesn't stop there. You'll want to continue taking him to new places so he can experience meeting new people in an unfamiliar environment. Just don't overwhelm him... start off slow, and you'll watch your new puppy blossom into a friendly and confident dog who is always happy to meet someone new! About the Author: Raising a friendly, well-behaved dog doesn't have to be hard. Get your free 6-Day Dog Training and Behavior course at www.TheSmartDogOwner.com. You'll get 6 days of valuable tips and techniques to help you overcome some of the most common dog behavior problems. You'll also discover the most complete guide available on owning, raising, and training your dog - a "must-read" for any dog-owner.. Views: 418
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