A good pet is not just a pet, they are a member of the family. The idea of ‘just getting rid of them’ does not come easily. Would you get rid of your child when they hit adolescence and begin to rebel?
When a dog is aggressive, they can be dangerous. They may growl or bark beyond your control. In the worst case, they may even attack or bite a guest. It can be a very painful problem if your pet has become a threat.
The first thing you should do is try to analyze the situation. What could be making your dog aggressive? Taking note of when the problem began may help you understand why it began, and from there you can work on building a solution.
An aggressive dog is an unhappy dog. Their aggression may even be ‘temporary’, meaning it comes and goes… but it should not be assumed that it is safe. An unhappy dog could strike anybody, at any time, and for no apparent reason. Unhappy dogs are not safe. So what could be making your dog unhappy?
Were there any recent changes? Bringing a new pet into the home or having a new member join the family (having a baby) could result in a jealous temper. The attention your dog is used to will typically go somewhere else. Your dog may feel lonely, or neglected.
If you think your dog may be acting aggressive because of a new baby, then there are two possible situations here. The first is that the dog is being over protective of the mother, and the baby. In this case, it can still be a jealousy situation. The dog will not be a threat to the mother or the baby, but they will at times be a threat to anyone else. They may even attack other family members, including the father or even other children.
The other situation is extremely difficult to go through. If the dog is jealous, and has a selfish personality, they may even attack the new baby. In this situation, it is very important to keep the dog away from the child. Short of finding a new home for this dog, the only other option would be to take it to a dog trainer or another professional and try to restore the peace.
In either situation, a new baby requires more attention. It is important that the dog does not lose the attention it is used to. Other family members should take on the role of giving attention to the dog so it does not feel neglected, and to play with it as often as possible.
The situation of a new pet can be similar and yet entirely different. Jealousy for the sole attention could be the problem, and this can easily be countered by continuing to shower extra attention on the dog so they do not feel left out, or replaced. However the other kind of aggression could be an ‘alpha dog‘ situation. Dogs and cats actually play well together, and in most cases they tend to ‘run the house together. However when there are two dogs, one tends to ‘take charge’ and dominate the other.
Your dog could be aggressive in either of these cases. They could be acting out because they have been dominated and disagree, or they could be taking their domination everywhere. In some cases this can happen with a dog and a cat, but it is more often between two dogs. Dogs, like cats, make better pets if they are the only pet. If you are a multiple pet owner, it is better to have the multiple pets when they are young and grow up used to eachother. Surprising them with a change like that could have a negative impact on your dog’s behavior.
(Note, if there is a battle for ‘alpha dog’ in your house, there will also be a problem with the dogs urinating in the house. They are ‘marking their territory’.)
Other changes that could negatively affect your pet’s temperament could be moving to a new home, a loss of something or someone they are used to, a change in schedule, etc. If you can not find any changes that may have began your dog’s aggressiveness, there are other things to consider as well.
Just like with children, dogs go through an adolescence. If they are acting aggressive in their adolescence, you can’t just “wait it out” like you have to with your children. An aggressive dog is a much more dangerous problem. Take your dog for walks, shower them with love and affection, and encourage them to act positively instead of negatively. I’ll stress again that you should always consult a dog trainer or veterinarian. Trust the professionals to help you.
Similarly, a dog may simply need to be fixed. If your dog is in their ‘prime state’, spaying or neutering them may calm them down tremendously. Do I really need to explain this one?
Consider how you react when the dog misbehaves. If you have acted violently toward the dog, then they may be reacting violently. You may not think you are abusing your dog if you kick them for doing something they shouldn’t. However, if your dog has been aggressive, obviously something is causing it. Dogs are never born mean or angry, or even unhappy. They are made that way. Change your behavior and treat your dog with love. If they do something wrong, there are methods of punishing them without hitting them.
Consult a dog trainer or veterinarian if you have this problem. They can offer professional advice on how you should react and punish a dog. It’s amazing how easily some people treat a dog different than they would a child who had acted up. Dogs are not children, they can become a serious danger if they are abused so it is very important that you treat your dog appropriately. (Note, abused children can often become a threat as well.)
Though not entirely breed specific, your dog’s aggression could be a result of pent up energy. Rottweilers and other ‘lazy’ dogs can be much calmer than smaller dogs. If you took a rottweiler and a Pomeranian and kept them both inside all day, only letting them out to go potty… I would be more scared of the Pomeranian.
This is probably why smaller dogs tend to bark more and show more aggression than any other kind of dog. Dogs that have a lot of energy need to release that energy or they become very angry. If your dog is an energetic dog that has become aggressive, you need to take that dog to an open field with nobody else around. Take them somewhere where it is safe to let them off the leash.
You will need to do this constantly and let them exercise until they are completely worn out. If a dog has had so much energy pent up that they have become aggressive, it is important to do this as often as possible and don’t stop. Eventually, your dog will be happier and safer again. Until you have noticed a major behavior change, however, do not take your dog where there will be other dogs or people that they can attack.
It is difficult to have an aggressive animal for a pet. It is more difficult to consider sending them to a new home. Dogs will actually become more aggressive if they are sent to a new owner anyways. As I mentioned before, major changes are a major cause for an aggressive demeanor in a dog. So the possibility of sending your dog to a new home should be your last option.
Your first option should be to try to locate the problem. Your second should be to seek help from a professional that can work with you and your dog, or even offer advice. If it ever does come to the point that you can not provide your dog with what they need to be happy, only then should you consider finding them a new home. In that situation, you need to know what your dog needs to be happy, and make sure that you know where they are going they will have their needs met.
