Dog Training Brainstorm Session- Aggressive Rottweiler

Dog Training Brainstorm- How To Solve Aggression Issues

As dog trainers we often like to get together to talk and remind each other how smart we are. I had the privilege recently to get together with Glenn Sherrill of Train Play Live and some of his clients to talk about dog training issues.

Glen has been running a successful dog training company in North Carolina but we often find it helpful to talk about dog training issues just to see if there are other perspectives that may be helpful.

In this first call we are talking with the owners of a Rottweiler. The dog is quite dominant and displays that personality through growling and other dominance related behaviors. The dog has also upset the balance with the other dogs in the family and it has led to fights and other problems.

Listen below to this short call and see if there are training key points that you can take from the call that can help you with your own dog.

Dog Training- Listen To The Call

Press play below to listen in:

Dog Training- Keys To Solving The Problem

When dealing with any aggression issue there are key points that must be considered that apply here:

  • We must correct the aggression but we want to do it in a way that doesn’t escalate the aggression. Correcting the dog while getting him to move, instead of challenging the owner, can be helpful. The movement will change his frame of mind and allow him to accept and learn from the correction.
  • Obedience is key. I preach this to all of my clients regardless of the dog training problem they are experiencing. If you have great obedience training that means that you have a dog who is calmer, more respectful, and sees you in a leadership role.
  • Remember with dog aggression that you can’t just treat the symptoms. I often compare aggression to a disease where you have a root cause that allows symptoms to manifest themselves. The symptoms are the growling, the fighting, and the other dominant behavior. The root cause, though, is a lack of a proper relationship, a lack of structure, a lack of understanding of what should be the rules. From those ‘lacks’ we see aggression develop.
  • Give this dog ‘checks and balances’. That means that he should be ‘working’ throughout the day. He should be waiting at doors, staying off furniture, sitting before eating, heeling properly on leash, coming when called every time, etc. These are frequent and constant reminders of the expectations he has.
Filed Under: Behavior Problems, Podcasts Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Food Aggression That Has Become Even Worse

Food Aggression In Dogs- What To Do When It Gets Worse

Hi Ty, I’m concerned for my son and his dog. The problem is, she is growling at people for no apparent reason. She used to only growl when someone would come near her food or a space on the floor, but now she is growling at unpredictable times and for no apparent reason. Her symptoms are she starts by cowering and smacking her lips and then growls. What does this mean and how do we stop it?

Watch the video below and then read the following transcript for ideas on how to solve this type of aggression problem with your dog.

Also, for dog aggression solutions check out our line of DVDs.

Food Aggression- View On YouTube

Food Aggression In Dogs- My Thoughts

Here are my thoughts on your question:

  • Aggression tends to act this way. Aggression left unchecked tends to get worse. The reason being is that the dog realizes that aggression solves problems. In your dog’s case, she started using aggression to protect her food. As she realized with time that this solution worked she decided to start using it in other areas as well. Hindsight is always 20/20 but for those of you who are dealing with small aggression issues it’s important to note that your dog’s aggression will not improve, and will likely get worse, unless you are actively working to solve it.
  • To your question, what does this mean? Without seeing it I’m not too familiar with your description of ‘smacking lips’. I have seen, however, many dogs kind of open and close their mouth out of anxiety and nervousness. My guess is that your dog is feeling fearful in these scenarios where she growls. Dogs, when they feel threatened have three responses available to them: Fight, Flight, and Avoidance. Your dog is choosing the ‘fight’ response by growling at things that make her afraid.
  • To stop it I see two different and important steps that need to be taken:
  1. You’ve got to establish the right relationship with the dog. Dogs don’t frequently growl at those who they respect. I highly doubt that the dog is very respectful of family members. Respect is best earned through solid obedience. Teach the dog to walk on a leash properly with no pulling. Teach the dog to stay when told even with distractions. Train the dog to come when called even in the face of distractions. This type of obedience will help you gain that level of respect you need.
  2. Correct the aggression when it happens. Start having the dog wear a leash and training collar around the house. When she growls around her food, etc. correct her into a new part of the house, give a simple command like sit (this is to change the dog’s frame of mind) and then praise her for sitting.

Best of luck and happy training.

Filed Under: Behavior Problems Tagged With: , ,

How To Fix Food Aggression

Plenty of dogs have what is called ‘resource guarding’. In many cases this leads to guarding food, toys, or other items. In this video I’m going to show you certain steps that I take when fixing food aggression.

 

 

Filed Under: Behavior Problems Tagged With: ,