Aggression in dogs is not only extremely alarming to the owner but will make you and your dog feel unwelcome in the area you live in. It is a worrying state of affairs as the dog may have been the victim of abuse in its younger years or as is very common the dog has not received any basic training when it was a puppy.
Your best friend is now an adult and has won your heart but his behaviour has become intolerable. Rather like a child who has had no guidelines from the parents and is now running riot in the home and elsewhere. What started out as a fantastic idea to acquire a dog for companionship has literally caused you to feel like an outcast in your own town?
You had always wanted to own a dog and the day had finally arrived to visit Max named by his owner who required a new home for him. Walking up to the gate you were met with a barking dog that seemed to totally ignore any commands from his current owner. You discounted this as you had been told a guard dog would be good as you lived alone.
Had you brought a dog obedience trainer with you they would have pointed out that this was not good behaviour. Once inside the house you sat on the floor in order for Max to feel comfortable with you, this was another thing that had been suggested and it seemed to work well. You took a shine to this dog so bundled him into your car and took him home where the two of you could get to know each other in his new environment.
All seemed to be fine so the next morning you saw the sun shining and decided to go for your first walk with your canine friend. You were feeling very happy about Max and were keen to show him the neighbourhood and meet the people in it. What was to happen next, could only be described as a nightmare for in an instance it seemed Max had seen Mrs Jones walking down the road towards you both and gone from a leisurely walk to a gallop dragging you helplessly in the direction of this frightened lady.
The next thing you know Max had leapt onto Mrs Jones barking, snarling and barring his very sharp teeth. In a heartbeat he took a massive bite out of this dear ladies arm only missing the flesh because she had a very heavy overcoat on. Once you had managed to gain control of Max the seriousness of the situation truly sunk in. Mrs Jones was a caring soul and agreed to Max getting some training that would hopefully improve his behaviour.
Was Max a victim of abuse? Or was his previous owner ignorant or lazy when it came to his former dogs early puppy training. The local vet can be a vast source of experience and information when it comes to situations like this and the first port of call as advice would most likely be dog obedience classes accompanied by training in the home.
These classes are great as the dog can work with new people and dogs and learn what is acceptable or not. They have these classes in most areas and are not usually expensive, It is important to know that fear is the common reason dogs attack people or other dogs and can be turned around with the right support and training.
Basic training in a controlled environment could save Max’s life and your reputation and give you the dog you were hoping to have. Yelling, screaming and hitting are never acceptable solutions to the problem This will only make him worse.
Patiently teach him to come to you and walk him in the park or away from people and dogs till he learns better ways. The effort you put in will pay dividends and Max will hopefully become a happy, well-adjusted dog. You know you love him now so like a child that has lost its way, Max deserves this chance to be all that he can be..
