When you find yourself walking a dog that is aggressive, there are some things that you can do to try to make the best of things, discourage the menacing behaviors, and keep yourself and your dog safe. This will require a great deal of knowledge, understanding, patience, care, and skill in displaying dominant behaviors.
Though there are many reasons that a dog can behave in an aggressive way (from possessiveness to fear, pain, or even frustration), most frequently when these behaviors are displayed by a dog on your walk, it is a dominance issue. They are trying to show that they are higher than you in the pack hierarchy and it is up to you to prove the dog wrong. Even the sweetest dog with a dominance problem can become an aggressive monster, so when you can work beyond that issue, you’ll gain a great deal more control over the dog and the aggressive tendencies should abate.
When walking an aggressive dog, you need to show your leadership. You may not physically be a very strong person, but as long as you display a strong personality and don’t back down, you will have made your point and the dog will not behave as threateningly anymore. He or she will listen much more closely to what you want and will follow your firm rules. Remember that you will need to be very consistent about your decisions. You can’t allow something one week and not allow it the next (or the other way around). If you allow something that you had previously not permitted, then the dog will only learn that if they keep at you long enough, you’ll give in – making things even more difficult than they were to start.
Walk an aggressive dog in an area with as few distractions, other people, and other dogs as possible. You need to reeducate the dog in terms of its behavior, so minimizing influences that will take away from concentration on this education is very important. A chain slip collar is generally best for keeping control over these dogs and is most effective for ensuring that the dog will not slide out of the collar and escape. The key is to make sure that it is on properly. If the dog will be walked on your left, the collar should be in the shape of the letter “P” before going over the dog’s head. When worn in one direction, the chain will slip tighter when the dog pulls on the collar, but will ease again when the dog stops pulling. When worn in the wrong direction, it will tighten but will not let go. The higher on the dog’s neck you can keep the chain slip collar, the more effective it will be. This is because you want it to tighten when the dog tries to pull away, but let go again when the dog behaves. You’re not trying to choke the dog with the collar, nor strangle him as a correction. A chain slip collar allows the dog to decide how comfortable or uncomfortable he or she will be.
The aggressive dog should always be kept walking directly beside you. His or her shoulder should align with your leg. By allowing an aggressive dog to walk ahead of you, you are giving him or her the dominance – you are being led. That will only encourage aggressive tendencies. You need to eliminate any signals that he or she is the leader. Similarly, you should always enter and exit doors ahead of the dog and when you start walking, begin with the dog in a sitting position take the first step, then allowing the dog to start walking.
As soon as you show your dominance, you will have demonstrated to the dog that you are the leader and he or she will become much less aggressive toward you, and will allow you to lead him or her.
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