Dog Aggression
Here at Mission Accomp-Leashed we do accept dogs who have issues with aggression, though the guidelines are not always cut and dry. Behaviours depicting aggression can include: resource guarding, territorial warnings, or “protectiveness”.
These behaviours may not necessarily mean your dog is actually aggressive by nature, and they can be addressed and modified. Every dog is regarded as an individual. There are many considerations taken in the way we approach aggression. It is important we evaluate where the troubling behaviours stemmed from.
Inherent vs. Situational Aggression
There are different types of canine aggression. Sometimes it can simply be a misunderstanding between humans and the animal they have taken stewardship, care and control over. Gaining a clear understanding of the roles that both you and your dog assume in the household will, in turn, help the animal understand where in the hierarchy they belong.
True aggression (inherent aggression) should be managed and treated with respect. In the same way people must respect dangerous tools or situations, they must also approach these issues with caution and focus. Dealing with inherent aggression is a lot of work. Hopefully your dog will live a long and full life, which means you must remain dedicated throughout the dog’s life.
We want all dogs to have the best experience possible, however the risks associated with owning an inherently aggressive dog come with the need to take precautions. These can include: using appropriate equipment and restricting certain activities you would otherwise engage in with a different dog.
So, be honest and ask yourself - do you have the time and energy it takes to work with an aggressive dog?
If you answered yes, then Obedience Training is the next step in understanding and managing your dog’s aggression.
TIPS for working with dog aggression
The 3 Avenues of Communication
It’s important to use all three types of communication when interacting with your dog. Communication can be physical, body language and verbal. Dogs only respond with verbal forms of communication (verbal word associations, barking, growls, sighs, and intentional sneezes, whining) about 10% of the time – it is not a dog’s main communication pathway.
Rather, dogs communicate 90% of the time by either physical actions (biting, bumping, chasing, pawing, stepping on feet, leaning in to you, knocking into you, jumping on you) or with body language (eyes, tail, ears, nose, neck, back, leg placement, stiffness, position, mouth open, mouth closed). Keep this in mind as you practicing the following 3 Avenues of Communication:
YES - Express yes to your dog through physical and verbal praise, body language a laugh and/or a smile.
NO - Speak to a qualified trainer to learn how to effectively communicate the command “No”.
I DON’T CARE - Express this by not taking any action whatsoever.