You Must Stop Dog Aggression

January 3, 2010 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Stop Dog From Barking

There is nothing scarier than having your treasured pet turn aggressive.  Initially you may detect this aggressive behaviour towards other dogs, and you may even think it funny at first, but if it continues it can become more grave until you are frantic to stop dog aggression in your beloved pet.

There can be lots of reasons why this is occurring and you need to understand what they are.  Has your dog been well socialized?  If your dog lives in the backyard or house and never sees another dog (except perhaps another dog you own) it is likely he will become aggressive when he does come face to face with another dog.  So how do you stop dog aggression like this?

Step One

Make sure your puppy socializes with other people and dogs as you first step.  There are puppy socializing classes held in most large vet clinics and you should take your puppy.  Take a 3 month course with your local dog obedience group once your puppy is 3 months old.  Your dog will not only be taught some basic skills, but will also be better socialized with other people and dogs, while listening to your  commands.

If you want to stop dog aggression, you can’t just start, then stop this activity.  I was obedience training my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and was also using the clicker training method with the young dog Cooper.  As he got better with the clicker training I ceased going to dog obedience and only trained him at home.  Twelve months later if he even saw another dog at the Vet he would bark madly (not really  aggressively, but nevertheless it was a real annoyance), so I took him back to dog obedience for a short time to socialise him again.  I repeated this every 6-10 months.

What Causes Dog Aggression and What is the Solution?

If a dog is not de-sexed you may have to stop dog aggression.  With male hormones running riot, dogs are much more aggressive.  Your dog is more likely to be aggressive when he is protecting you or your property or his territory.

You should de-sex your dog (unless you want to show him or breed from him) once he begins to be aggressive towards other dogs.  Likewise, if your dog is being protective, you want him to be this way, but you also want him to obey you and you need to be able to stop dog aggression if necessary.

The solution is to have a well trained dog.  Act like the alpha being, the controller, the leader; once your dog accepts this, he will follow and obey you.  Even a soft growl is a form of aggression and must be stopped at once.  The command ‘No’ has very little effect in aggressive situations.  However a growl with your teeth bared could get a good response and stop dog aggression, if it is done in the early days of him exhibiting aggressive tendencies.  However, you should not have eye contact with a dog if it is acting very aggressively and therefore should not try growling yourself.

How to Stop Dog Aggression

Try using a special lead or muzzle, or indeed any other restrainers on the market.  These products stop the dog from opening its mouth wide enough to bite and will not hurt your dog.  Early training can use these products to stop dog aggression and once you have confidence with your dog on a lead then you can remove them.

Another way to stop dog aggression (especially if your dog is being trained using food rewards) is to distract him with food.  Get his attention by letting him see and smell the food while you give him a command.  The moment you get his attention, give him his food reward.  Then immediately give another command and drop the food on the ground so he will be  engaged with rummaging around for it.  He will go to pick it up and begin to concentrate even more on you.  Repeat this process a few times until he has his mind completely on you and the reward. To understand better there is a book covering how to stop dog aggression to help you.

I really do believe that if you have shown strong leadership qualities from the start and absolutely do not allow even the slightest hint of aggression, in most dogs, the aggression tendencies will recede.  But you could have great trouble with the breeds of dogs that are ‘hard wired’ to be aggressive e.g. Rottweilers, Dobermans and Pit Bull Terriers.  Don’t put off getting a professional trainer to help you if you cannot manage yourself.

Problem Barking and What You Must Know to End It

November 29, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training


What if I told you that you may be causing problem barking in your dog?  Many dog owners don’t realize how their actions affect their dogs’ behavior.   Find out if you’re inadvertently causing nuisance barking, and if you are, how to stop a barking dog. Are You Causing Barking Problems Without Realizing It?Do you give your dog attention every time he barks?  When he barks, you let him out.   Then he barks at the door, so you let him in.   He barks when he wants you to pet him.   He barks when he wants you to feed him.   This is a very easy trap to fall into.   The problem is that you’ve never trained your dog not to bark.   He doesn’t realize there’s a problem, because this is how dogs communicate in the pack.   Consistency is the key in companion dog training.   If you ignore him sometimes when he barks, and yell at him to stop at other times, he doesn’t understand.   It’s up to you to teach him the rules of the house. You Must Be The Alpha DogMany people have the idea that they can treat their dogs as equals.   This is a mistaken notion, and only leads to dog behavior problems.   Dogs are pack animals, and within the pack, there is a well-established hierarchy.   The leader of the pack is known as the alpha dog.   Dogs instinctively know not to cross the alpha dog.   In order to have a happy, well-behaved dog, he (and you) must accept that you’re in charge.   There’s no getting around this basic rule. In the pack, dogs bark to let the leader know there’s a problem.   It’s the leader’s job to deal with the situation.   You need to teach your dog that he barks to let you know there is something you need to check out, and then he should be quiet.   It’s your job as the leader to take care of the problem while he sits quietly and defers to your judgment. Some people have the idea that a dog who barks at everything is a good watchdog.   This is not true.   Nuisance barking is just that–a nuisance.   You don’t know if he’s barking at an intruder or at a tree in the yard, so his value as a watchdog is zero.   End Excessive Barking By Determining Why Your Dog Is BarkingA dog usually barks for two reasons:  to get attention, or to protect its territory.   Give your dog plenty of love and attention when he’s not barking.   If he does bark to get your attention, make a point of turning away from him and withdrawing it.   Take your dog with you on errands.   Most dogs love to ride in cars, and they enjoy the change of scenery.   Lots of exercise is essential too, to use up energy otherwise expended on loud barking. If your pet is barking at people passing by the house, try closing the curtains so he can’t see out.   Confine him to his crate or to a room in the back of your house when you’re gone.   When you’re there, teach your dog that once he’s alerted you to a threat, his job is done, and he’s to be quiet now. To get help with barking problems, you may want to consult a dog trainer.   This can be expensive, but a good alternative is a dog training course that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.   Now that you have this information, don’t wait any longer to end excessive barking.

Dog Chewing Problems — Three Things You Must Know to Stop Dogs From Chewing

November 29, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Stop Dog From Barking


Are you frustrated with dog chewing problems?  Why do canines engage in destructive dog behavior like this?  How can you stop destructive chewing?  Learn easy ways to stop dogs from chewing by reading this article. Why Does My Dog Chew On Everything?The main reason puppies chew on things is that they’re cutting teeth.   If you’ve ever been around a human baby who’s teething, you know how chewing on a teething ring helps soothe those sore gums.   It’s like this for puppies too.   They’re in the process of losing baby teeth while adult teeth are coming in.   Sore gums are the result, and chewing helps soothe the pain. An older dog may chew for many reasons.   One of the most common is that it helps to relieve stress and anxiety.   When a dog chews, endorphins are released.   These are chemicals that soothe and calm your dog.   You dog doesn’t know about endorphins, but he does know that chewing on things makes him feel better. Chewing also helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean and strong.   Remember, if your dog is chewing, he’s not digging holes or barking, so there is an upside to this. So chewing isn’t all bad.   But chewing becomes destructive chewing when your dog chews on things other than his toys.   How do you stop dogs from chewing on your toys?How Do I Train My Dog Not To Chew?You may be surprised to learn that your dog doesn’t know the difference between your stuff and his.   Even if he has lots of toys to chew on, he’ll still chew on a chair leg because he thinks everything in the house is a toy.   It’s up to you to teach him two things; that everything is not a toy, and that he’s not allowed to chew on things that belong to you. Start by teaching him which toys are his.   Play with your dog, using one of his toys.   He’ll associate the toy with having fun, both with you, and by playing with the toy.   Another way to teach your dog that his toys are wonderful is to get a toy you can stuff with peanut butter or another treat.   He gets an instant food reward when he licks it out while playing with it. If your dog picks up something that belongs to you, use the “drop-it” command, or clap your hands and make a noise to startle him into dropping it.   As soon as he does, immediately give him one of his toys.   When he starts playing with it, reward him.   This is how you teach him that it’s good for him to chew on his own toys, but not good when he chews on yours. You’ll still have to dog-proof your home and put anything you really don’t want destroyed away until you know you can trust him.   Or else confine him to one room in your home where he can’t destroy anything when you have to leave the house. Shouldn’t I Punish Him For Destructive Dog Behavior?No.   If you don’t catch your dog in the act, he won’t have a clue why you’re mad at him.   If you do, you’ll teach him to wait until you’re gone to start destructive chewing.   Dogs operate on rewards.   If you reward your dog with attention (good or bad) for doing something, he’ll continue to do it, even if it’s something you don’t want him to do.   It’s best to ignore bad dog behavior as much as possible, while praising and rewarding him being a good dog.   A dog won’t continue doing something if he doesn’t get a reward for doing it. Training your dog is an ongoing process that never really ends.   In conclusion, you’ll find that an investment in a good dog training course will repay itself many times over in building a great relationship with your dog, while avoiding dog chewing problems.

Dogs Must Communicate – But You Can Control Their Bark

November 27, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training


Dogs communicate with barks, and if your dog is barking, there is usually a reason for it. Dogs may hear something that we can’t, or they may just bark out of boredom, he may bark just to stay busy!
If you give your dog lots of exercise, toys, attention and have made your yard very interesting teaching him not to bark should be fairly simple.
Start his training with his collar and leash. If he barks, pull on the leash with a sharp jerk, and a firm ‘no’ will show him that his barking is wrong.
Graduate to the more advanced methods of training if it is necessary. Gradually a firm ‘no’ will be the only correction that is needed, and your neighbors will be lots happier!
If he barks only when you are not home, try leaving your radio on a chat station, this may convince him that you are there and keep him quiet.
If this fails, tape a normal family discussion one evening, (you will need a continuous play record to use this method). Every once in a while, throw in the word ‘no’.
When you leave, play the recording, it will remind him that there is always someone around, and that he isn’t supposed to bark.
If all else fails, pretend you are leaving the house for the time. Be very precise with your actions, even jingling the keys to make him think you have locked the door.
You will need to be a really good actor as dogs are very perceptive, and will pick up on it if you aren’t.
Have a cut lemon handy, when he begins to bark, open the door and say a sharp ‘no’, then put a drop of lemon or some other bitter liquid on his tongue. This will have to be done numerous times to get the point across to him. It takes time, but is well worth the effort.
A barking dog is a superb protection and an outstanding burglar alarm, but you need the ability to control the barking.
If you do not train your dog to bark only at the appropriate times (fire alarms, noise from the window and when approached by strangers), your neighbors are likely to resent your best friend, and you because you fail to control your dog.
If you are training your dog to be protection for you, teach him the guard command rather than speak. An intruder or someone who is threatening you will not know exactly how much your dog knows about protection and it is an excellent deterrent.
This skill does not mean that your dog will actually attack someone, but the barking can be an effective prevention for your safety both inside and outside your home.
To teach your dog to guard or speak, tie his lead to a fence or some other immovable item. Stand about 3 feet away and tease him with a toy or food, when he begins to bark, give him the reward.
Now put the food and toy away and change the treat to verbal praise when he begins to bark. The command guard or speak should be given as soon as the dog barks, the timing is essential here. By watching his body language, you can tell when he is ready to bark.
Once he becomes aware of the guard command, give the quiet command when he is barking; give the reward as soon as he is stops barking. If the barking continues, give the no command.
When he has successfully learned the command, move further away and continue the training, he needs to know and respond to these commands from any distance.
Once this training is successful, untie him from the fence and train him the commands guard and quiet.
You and your neighbors will appreciate this training when they have a peaceful night, and they will learn that if he is barking, there is something wrong.

Attack Dog Training! Must See. Amazing! (K9-1.Com)

November 24, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training Videos

Barking Dog – a Fundamental Must Know Before Stop Dog From Barking

November 16, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training


There is always some reason for your dog from barking. You have to try understanding what exactly your dog need. Good Dog Training will eliminate and make your dog to bark less. Keep communicating and develop your skill is the key for understanding why your dog is barking It is no doubt that dog barking for some right reason. Barking is the only one way to communicating with others when something is go wrong or maybe dog just need to go have some water. Consider with your neighbors, barking will annoying people around you. You don’t want feel guilty every time your dog barking do you? It is all your decision to train your dog from barking behavior Here’s, I will explain some point reason why your dog become a barking dog. Have you realize, how long do you spend a quality of time with your dog? Are you eight to five workers typical? I bet you only say hello just before you go to your office, then have 30 minutes touch your dog after you back home at night. How about all day alone while you are at office? Can you imagine what is your dog doing to spend such horrible time? There’s a common problem for some people, and when it happens, just provide your dog with toy like ball or bone to chew on before you leave. Toy will make your dog busy, and divert dog’s attention so that make dog easier to spend all day alone and eliminate the stress as well. Don’t forget to buy toy more than one characters, and rotate it regularly (weekly). This strategy eliminates your dog being bored and controls your dog for over barking. You still have two days in the weekend anyway. So, push yourself to get along, and play with your dog. I think two days is enough to compensate for your five missing days. Or, try my second advice. Look around for a hired dog walker. Providing your dog with plenty of exercise about 1 to 1. 5 hours per day is good for your dog health and temperamental as well. If dog has enough exercise and activity, this will release dog from stress, and it means, the dog will bark less. Dog loves to get involve with family activities, the more you interact and spend a lot of time with your dog, the more you can develop your understanding what your dog’s need. You can talk anything with your dog and make your dog feel his existence in your family. If you treat like that, bad behaviors problem such as barking, chewing will stop by itself. All dog training method requires consistency and patient from dog trainer. Dog training advice & theory is all the same from years. You cannot control your dog from barking as long as you cannot give a good quality of life, spend plenty of time and love to your dog. Please visit my blog for other some interesting article http://www. dogtraining-123. com/dog-training-advice/