How to Control Dog Aggression to Strangers?

Dog Aggression. Dog Behavior Correction and Socialization

Dog owners often face the same problem: a dog is aggressive to passers-by. Dogs attack in various ways, on long and short distance, unexpectedly or after a warning by growling. But one thing that is common - a dog is absolutely out of control. Walking such a dog is a real torture. It is impossible to leave it off leash, and a dog is walked muzzled only and in desolated places. It goes without saying that there is no pleasure of walking an aggressive dog as well as no use as a guard dog, as in most situations you cannot rely on your dog, because it will be chasing something or someone.

What are the reasons of aggressive dog behavior?

1) High level of dog dominance.
Dominance is not to be considered as black and white. The level of dominance may differ in wide ranges, from total ignorance of a dog owner to panic fear of him. Your relationship with a dog may vary in this space from one level to another. Many dog owners do not admit that their dog is not a scared puppy any more, it has grown and "sits on their head with its legs dangling". Usually, it is difficult for an inexperienced dog owner to evaluate his relationships with a dog in the right way until he sees dog aggression.
If a dog attacks a stranger and does not react owner's commands, it means that the stranger is a much stronger irritant than the owner. And it is the sign of dominant dog behavior.
2) Insufficient level of basic dog obedience
Absence of straight reaction to basic dog commands "come", "sit", "no" etc may be also the reason of absence of control over a dog. Dog obedience training in various conditions (including presence of strange people) puts a dog at its place in the hierarchy of relationship and trains to a calm reaction to strangers.
3) Insufficient dog socialization
If your dog is not used to presence of strangers, do not wait for its calm reaction to them. When you raise a puppy turn your attention to its socialization: walk with a puppy in public places, train dog obedience and play with your pet close to lively streets. It trains a dog to react calm to people, vehicles, dogs etc.
If you have an adult dog you need much more time, patience and skills to achieve the results. But it is certainly important thing to do.
Very often dog aggression problem is caused by several reasons from the listed above.

So, what we have to do to control dog aggression to strangers?

1) Take a class of intensive dog obedience training with suppression of dog dominance.
A basic dog obedience training class is completed with special exercises to suppress dog dominance. We will tell more about dog dominance in our next articles.
Include exercises in presence of strange people to the training of dog obedience. Gradually shorten the distance to strange people in the training course.
2) Socialize your dog
Treat it as a kind of dog training. Schedule a training plan to include complications: at first dog walking, game or training of basic skills of dog obedience on a long distance from a lively street, then shorten the distance gradually until you feel your dog is calm in the most lively street. It is obligatory to visit public places: markets, squares etc. Your dog is to be muzzled. At our store you will find a rich collection fo dog muzzles for all dog breeds, sizes and purposes: wire dog muzzles and leather muzzles for dogs.

These simple rules mean long, patient, careful work the result of which depends not only on the trainer's persistence but also on constant analysis of individual dog reactions. But you will see the result if you are ready to devote your time and skills to dog training.
Nobody but you can make a dog obey you.
Before start of dog behavior correction according to our recommendations evaluate how these means are efficient for your dog and in its case. If a dog has weak nerves, unsure behavior its training with use of suppression of dominance will make it even weaker. But if you have a strong, aggressive to strangers and dominant dog, than harsh suppression and control will work well.
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