Training aggressive dogs take a slightly different approach from training more genial, friendly dog breeds. It definitely carries a higher degree of risk to yourself and the people around you. But it’s always possible to train a normally aggressive dog to become gentle enough to be part of the family.

Surprisingly, looks can be deceiving when it comes to dog breeds. The scarier-looking breeds, such as Rottweilers, Boxers, and Mastiffs, actually have better temperaments compared to many smaller, cuter breeds. It’s always important to check your preferred temperament before choosing a dog breed to take home.

But take note — even kinder dogs such as Golden Retrievers can be forced to attack and regress into bad behavior when trained wrongly or pushed to the limit. The thing to remember is that whenever a dog feels afraid, threatened, or anxious, he becomes much more likely to attack.

Aggressive Dog Training Tips

The first and perhaps the most important rule when it comes to training aggressive dogs is to constantly build TRUST. Even the most aggressive dog breeds dare not harm a person they see as their master. The “pecking order,” it seems, is respected quite a bit by aggressive dogs.

Building trust involves regular and constant training sessions between master and dog. So make sure to schedule enough time training your dog — leaving him alone for most of the time may make him unreceptive to human instruction, and allow his more basic animal tendencies to take over.

All dogs, no matter what their breeds or temperaments, take well to positive reinforcement, and may especially mellow down a normally unruly dog. So have treats handy whenever you’re training your dog — when he does things right, give him the treats he deserves.

Socialization is the second important rule. Dogs are usually leery of people they’re not familiar with, so the more people (and perhaps other dogs) they meet in their youth, the more they get acclimated to the company, and the better they take to meeting strangers.

Take note, though, that some dog breeds (especially the smaller ones like Chihuahuas and Daschunds) simply don’t take too well with younger kids, no matter how much training you give them. So if you have toddlers walking around, it may not be a good idea to get these smaller breeds.

Abnormal Behavior And it’s also important to note that abnormal and aggressive behavior in a dog can be caused by an underlying disease instead of poor training. Some Cocker Spaniels, for instance, have a noted genetic disease called “Rage Syndrome,” which causes them to be extremely unruly and dangerous.

Other dog breeds can carry certain genetic psychological diseases, as well. These diseases and bad temperaments are often passed from mother to puppy, and can be a challenge to undo. It’s best to simply avoid ending up with a bad dog by dealing only with good and responsible breeders.

When your dog is acting unruly and is putting you and the people around you in danger, it’s best to consult a veterinarian or an animal behavior specialist. Dangerous dogs may ultimately need to be put down to protect the people around them. Don’t feel too bad if this has to happen to an aggressive dog you own — just remember that it’s either you or your dog.

Training aggressive dogs can be pretty difficult, especially if you want him to be safe and docile enough to be a family dog. If you want the cross between a family dog and a guard dog, you may want to look for a dog breed such as the German Shepherd, as they are fiercely loyal and good with kids at the same time.

Learning to identify serious dog aggression problems

Dog aggression can be a serious problem that should never be ignored. Even though no dog owner wants to admit that his puppy is growing into a menace, you must be aware of the signs of aggression because the problem may only get worse and worse over time.

Where does aggression come from in dogs? Well, part of it comes from their genetics, and some dogs are more likely to be aggressive. However, the environment and learning is also a big factor, and some previous owners may have encouraged your dog to produce aggressive behavior.

If you believe that your dog has a serious aggression problem, talk to your veterinarian about finding an experienced trainer who can deal with these kinds of behavior problems. You need someone with experience in these specific areas of dog training since an aggressive dog can be dangerous to handle.

Otherwise, the problem will only worsen, and you may even have to put down your dog eventually. If this prospect scares you, then this is all the more reason to do everything you can do for your dog before it’s too late.

One clue that your dog’s behavior is becoming more serious is if your dog spends time staring at you with a hard, serious stare accompanied by an erect body posture. We’re definitely not talking about a peaceful and loving look from your dog, which is quite normal and desirable.

If certain activities, such as asking your dog to get off of your sofa, lead to growling or other aggressive signs, you need to be honest with yourself about your dog’s aggression.

You should not consider this type of aggressive behavior cute, even if your dog is still a puppy. Do you find your dog growling at the veterinarian, or are you worried that your canine companion may not be safe to have around children?

The ultimate warning sign, of course, is if your dog has already bitten someone. Hopefully, you will stop things in their tracks before they get this far, but if it has occurred you need to take action immediately. You need to do everything you can do to protect other people from the dog, but you also need to stop your dog’s aggression for his own protection.