When you brought your dog home, you just knew that cute little puppy
was going to brighten your family’s life in many different ways! You
visualized him running with the children in the backyard, curled up at
your feet on a winter’s night in front of the fire, and as an
always-cheerful companion for everyone in the house. Whether you were
ready for it or not, you own a difficult dog. But, don’t expect your
problem dog to transform overnight. Changing the behavior patters of
difficult dogs can take some time.
Does he attack every dog it meets on his walk? Or, he has some specific
enemies? Relax; he just wants to prove himself in front of the small
pups, which may not be in a position to answer back. Just watch, if he
confronts a big bully, he will probably run away, for he knows who will
be the boss! And he will automatically be submissive, if he senses
dominance of physique or brain. Normally, two fighters settle their
dominance issues without a battle.
Often you will see young dogs lying on their backs, and showing
their tummies with all four feet up. This is a sign of submissiveness,
like they are surrendering to the stronger ones. But as dog owners, you
should be careful that this does not become a habit, for he may turn
into a pathetic weak animal. So, make him your friend right from his
early age, for when a dog no longer looks upon you as a potential enemy
it stops this lying on its back as protection. You don’t want your dog
to be an all-time fighter, but then you don’t want him to be weak
either!
When confronting a dog-fight, your own personality needs to be
strong, because fighters are usually adult dogs. Among the fighters,
there are a few puppies, and also a few females. Make your mind
stronger than that of the potential fighter so that you are in-charge,
not either of the dogs. But, never step in the middle of two loving
pets and try and grab them by the collar to stop a dog fight. If you
try this, the chances of you being badly bitten are extremely high. Do
not waste time in screaming at the dogs, it won’t help. Understand,
your dog wants to be the boss of his tribe!
Just pacify him. And let him loose with the dog he has previously
fought and he will realize he is at a disadvantage and show no signs of
anger. Be sure to give your dog lots of verbal praise and affection for
not barking or trying to be aggressive towards him. Repeat this process
several times until both animals seem fairly accustomed to the presence
of the other and their aggressions seem to have subsided. When things
go sour, just take it in stride and put the animals in their separate
areas for a bit and, given a cooling period, they will be friends again
in no time.
And if your dog tends to be aggressive towards a particular sex,
then just neuter him. You will also have males with strong sex drive go
after a bitch that is not receptive to them. Take your dog to the park
or some place with lots of dogs and let him explore the other animals.
Perhaps even be the host of a Pooch Party and invite several playmates
for your dog and their human companions to come over for a treat and
some time together. This is a great way to teach your dog some manners
and also gives you a great way to relax.
After all, common sense, proper socialization, training, and
spending good time with your dog are all a part of responsible dog
ownership. Because, dogs always don’t have to fight like cats and dogs!
