Calm Your Aggressive Dog

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Chapter 1 - Recognizing Aggression

What do dogs own? Primarily dogs consider themselves owners of: • Themselves and the space around them,

• Possessions such as beds, toys, bones, chew toys, leash, and food,

• Home (and yard if they have one) and business (if they go to work with you), and

• Humans (their owner and their family or pack, sometimes including other pets in the household).

Not surprisingly, these are the things your dog will want to protect or guard. Whether she is guarding you while on a walk or guarding her food from another dog in the household or keeping the cat off of her bed (or your bed), these are natural and normal behaviors for any dog! Your dog will feel threatened if another dog, a cat, or a human oversteps her boundaries on these things. Do not be surprised to hear a growl or see a snap in these situations. Do not scold your dog for that behavior in these situations. Your dog has as much right to her space and her possessions as you do. Either you can guard her rights and possessions, or she will do it herself. Is guarding the same as aggression? Sometimes a dog that is guarding can be aggressive about it. Some breeds tend to guard very aggressively. However, if the dog does not feel there is a threat to his ownership, he should not be acting in an aggressive manner. It is usually when someone reaches for the toy or bone he is using that you hear a low, threatening growl. For this reason, family and friends should be warned about any possessions your dog guards aggressively and children should be chaperoned around the dog when the dog has those possessions.

A bigger problem is the dog who aggressively guards you. This often happens when a dog is raised with a single person and then that person gains a new friend or a significant other. If there is physical closeness, touching, kissing, sitting next to one another on the couch, etc., the dog will very often go ballistic. There may be barking, growling, rushing, even snapping or nipping. In rare cases the dog will go into full attack mode. These dogs may even be fine with the other person walking them, playing with them, stroking them, and feeding them, but the minute that person sits next to or touches their owner, look out!

This dog needs to learn “leave it.” (See page 24.) He needs to spend time in his crate in the same room (where he can see the two people being together). This needs to happen every time. If that is the case, starting giving the dog a Kong® with peanut butter to occupy him in the crate. After a couple of weeks, try leaving the crate door open but still give the Kong with peanut butter. If that works, you can

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probably transition to just giving him the Kong when you want to spend time together. If that does not work, he must continue to be shut in the crate during “together time.” Any dog that guards toys and possessions aggressively should be taught “give” (see page 25) as well as “leave it.” (see page 24) When someone else is in the house (such as a visitor or grandchild), those possessions will have to be hidden from the dog to maintain a safe environment.

To identify what kind of aggression is your dog showing and learn more about dog aggression, fill in the journal

http://www.trainpetdog.com/Journals/DogAggression_Journal.pdf

Aggression or Something Else?

Aggression in dogs is a very broad topic. Unfortunately, many people say “my dog is aggressive on a walk” or “my dog is aggressive to other pets in my household,” but often do not understand the difference between aggression and play, or even calming behaviors used by dogs. Therefore, the beginning point is to understand and recognize aggression so that you can differentiate aggressive signals and behavior from various other behaviors. That way you will know which behaviors are problematic. Then you can learn how to change the problematic behaviors.

A dog can be assertive or possessive without being aggressive. Sometimes curiosity is misinterpreted as aggression. Often requests to play are mistaken as aggression. Aggression is a means of communication used by dogs to say to other dogs, humans, or other pets: “I am in control” or “give me more space.” Aggression can also be a defensive mechanism, a reaction to another dog’s communication, or the perceived communication of a human.

Because communication is a social behavior, dogs can be taught a different behavior. The best ways to change a dog’s behavior are through positive training and positive reinforcement. To differentiate among the ways of training, look at the chart below:

Positive Negative

Training Something positive is used to entice the dog to do the right thing.

Example: a treat is held in front of the dog’s nose to get him to walk nicely on the leash.

Something is used as a threat to keep the dog from doing something wrong.

Example: a rolled up newspaper is shaken at the dog or smacked on the owner’s hand when the dog is caught urinating in the house.

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Reinforcement The dog does something that makes something good happen for the dog. Example: the dog sits and then gets a treat.

The dog does

something that makes something unpleasant disappear.

Example: the dog quits pulling on his leash, or walks along nicely, and quits being choked. Correction Good consequences or

rewards are used during or immediately after correct behavior.

Example: food, belly rub, praise, or play with

favorite toy after behaving in the crate while the owner was at work

Bad consequences that occur during or

immediately after a bad behavior.

Example: a sharp “no” or a shake of a can with coins to stop a behavior such as barking or getting into the trash can

Punishment The dog’s behavior makes something unpleasant or undesirable happen. Example: the dog jumps up to greet a visitor and receives a collar

correction.

The dog’s behavior makes something desirable disappear or quit happening.

Example: when the dog barks while looking out the window, the

curtains are closed.

Is aggression ever appropriate? Yes, if the dog’s life or your life is being threatened. Imagine that you are walking your dog and you are mugged (attacked). If your dog is aggressive to or attacks your attacker, everyone would commend you for having such a loyal, protective, and courageous dog. The same would be true if your home (or business) were invaded. Or if your dog were being beaten or being dragged away from its home. Then there are the dogs that are trained to attack on command, such as those used by the police. Therefore, aggression is usually a term we use to

indicate an assertive or attacking behavior in an inappropriate context.

On the other hand, you might see same-sex aggression in some breeds of dogs which is absolutely normal, but totally undesirable in a household. Or, a dog might chase the elderly cat around the house for sport until the cat turns on him, hissing and growling and threatening him. At that point, the dog would use aggression and possibly injure the cat who had lived in that house for years before the dog arrived. These are examples of aggression in a “normal” context, but they are considered inappropriate by most human standards.

Inappropriate aggression occurs in circumstances that do not pose a true threat to the dog. In most cases, the dog should have developed a different method for handling the situation. But, these aggressive dogs have not learned, or been taught,

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different and better behaviors for these situations. Sometimes the dog did learn a better behavior, but suddenly reverted to an inappropriate behavior.

Thus, you are reading these words to try to understand what behavior to teach (or re-teach) your dog and how to teach that behavior to circumvent and eliminate the aggression. You desire to learn to modify your dog’s behavior – from aggressive to agreeable, from an attack mode to a calm, accepting mode.

Aggression vs. Stress

Aggression is closely related to stress in dogs. Stress comes from an inability to cope with the current situation. Aggressive or defensive behavior is a symptom or

result. The source of the stress can be the owner, something in the environment

(such as an approaching dog), or some aspect of the situation (like a child rambunctiously leaning over to hug the dog). The signs of stress are not aggression, but may be precursors to aggressive behavior.

Signs of stress may include one or more of the following: • Sweaty pads on the paws (especially front paws) • Whining, growling, or frantic barking

• Dilated pupils of the eyes • White rim on the eyes • Flared whiskers

• Tense body or frozen stance

• Rigidity of muscles around the eyes and mouth • Excessive salivation

• Increased activity level like running around frantically • Disinterest in food

• Pacing

• Either shallow breathing or rapid breathing • Panting with the mouth drawn back

• Stopped breathing (a precursor to biting) • Sudden hair loss or “dropping” of coat

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• Any flight or fight reaction

Dealing with Your Dog’s Stress

Any time your dog’s stress escalates and calming signals do not work, your dog needs to be removed from the situation immediately! This can be done by simply picking up a small dog and leaving, but is not advisable since the small dog may turn on you and bite you out of fear and stress. Therefore, no matter what size your dog is, take the leash firmly and give the “heel” command (see page 26) and start walking in a wide curve, turning your body and your dog’s body away from the stressful situation. Use a calming but firm voice to give a “leave it” command (see page 24).

Aggression vs. Play

It is not uncommon for dog owners to feel their dog is aggressive because he lunges at people and other dogs when he’s on the leash. Or, he goes ballistic when people come to the door. Or, he chases another animal around the house or yard, barking and growling.

To know if this is aggression or play, you must learn to know the body language of your dog.

Aggression Body Language Play Body Language

Tail level or down (perhaps tucked) Tail up

Tail rigid or stiff Tail wagging or twitching

or held naturally Head down, muzzle (nose) extended, neck

elongated Head up, very alert

Ears down or pinned back or down very tightly Ears up, maybe forward Hair on spine standing up (piloerection) May have hair raised

over shoulders Head ahead of front paws, weight on all four paws

with front paws planted for a lunge (weight will shift to back as dog crouches to lunge)

Front feet out, with front of body in a bowing position, weight may be on elbows

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Teeth may be barred, lips pulled back horizontally, may be frothing or growling deep in throat

Lips may be parted, jaw is slack, may be

slobbering, may be whining or barking Eyes larger than normal, whites probably showing,

very intent gaze or casting glances out of the corner of his eye

Eyes may or may not be larger than usual, very intent gaze

Will make himself look larger, stand on tiptoes with more weight to front feet

May make himself look smaller or more

submissive

Leash can have some slack or be tight, but there will be little or no straining until the dog lunges

Often straining at leash with a constant pull punctuated by jumping

This is a preliminary aggressive threat. The dog’s ears are back, she’s giving a direct stare (big, round eyes) and her lips are pullover her teeth. The threat becomes more serious as she narrows her eyes a bit, raises her nose to make her muzzle level, pulls her lips back, and begins a low growl.

Now she has wrinkled her muzzle to expose her front teeth. She is growling loudly. Her front feet are planted as she prepares to lunge forward using her powerful rear end to propel her body.

This is the same dog showing submissiveness with a slack-mouthed grin, pinned back ears, and a lowered body.

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This dog is growling and has her ears pulled back. Her eyes are rounded and her lips are pulled back over her teeth.

This is the same dog with a relaxed mouth and ears. Her normal eye shape is almond. This is a frightened dog. Notice that it is cowering, Its ears are

flattened, its tail is tucked. She is showing teeth and staring directly and intently at the dog who is invading her space. Notice that her weight has shifted to her back legs.

Here she completes her lunge at the threatening dog. Note the position of all four legs. Her mouth is open as she is snarling and barking loudly.

Bowing; asking for play; ears up and forward, tail up. Notice weight is on extended forearms. This can also be a calming signal the dog is giving.

To see more facial expressions and learn more about your dog’s posture, see http://www.pawsacrossamerica.com/interpret.html

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Aggression vs. Games (Chase)

Since dog-dog play is very similar to serious things like fighting, hunting, and reproducing, dogs have good ritualistic ways of demonstrating that their intentions are peaceful and fun-loving. Dog play is often initiated by a play invitation like a play bow or pawing the air (especially with puppies), and it seems to say, "None of the biting, stalking, or humping I'm about to do is serious.This is just fun, OK?"

Even when dogs play very roughly, they are usually fairly relaxed; their lips usually cover their teeth (not drawn back in a snarl). Dogs often bark in play; this will usually be higher-pitched than that same dog's fear-bark or warning-bark.

Sometimes dogs will mount each other in play. They are often excited, but not in a sexual way, and it seems to be a way to bond. It is occasionally a show of dominance, but not always. Some dogs appear to mount high-ranking dogs in an attempt to find their place in a group that is much more complicated than a straight-line hierarchy.

The classic play bow is the dog's invitation to play. The dog's tail and butt are in the air, and the shoulders and front legs are lowered. The dog's ears are up and forward, his mouth is open in a "grin," and his eyes are relaxed.

In the photo to the left, one puppy is down on his back, and the other is still charging up on him. But note how relaxed the "down" puppy's legs are, and how neither of them is really showing his teeth (the corners of their mouths are relaxed, not pulled back). They will probably start bite-wrestling in a moment, accompanied by furious-sounding but innocent growling, and stop after a few minutes to companionably drink some water!

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Chapter 2 - Calming Signals

Dogs were meant to live in packs. Packs have very rigid social structures and each member of the pack communicates to all the other members through various behaviors and behavior patterns. Dogs use a variety of behavior patterns such as aggressive, calming, and submissive. A behavior pattern is a chain of behaviors recognized by other dogs as having a specific meaning.

Turid Rugaas, a dog behaviorist from Norway, points out that dogs, as pack animals, have highly-developed ways of avoiding and diffusing conflict and aggression. Dogs, therefore, use "Calming Signals" to reduce stress for themselves and others they interact with (including humans). Calming signals include: Yawning, looking away, lip-licking, moving slowly, circling, sniffing the ground, becoming "distracted", sitting or lying down. Some of them are also the "appeasement display" behaviors that are developed to turn away aggression and threats of aggression - these are often confused with "the guilty look" that dogs may appear to be giving when scolded for doing something. Note that most of these are the opposite language from the directed attention that would be found in an aggressive interaction.

There are at least 30 different signals that dogs give for calming a situation. Not all will be covered here. Sometimes a signal is so quick that you may miss it if you are not aware your dog uses it. Careful observation and experience will help you realize what your dog is signaling. Understanding your dog’s signals will allow you to work with him, praising him when he diffuses a situation and enforcing his calming behavior. When his stress escalates, you will know to remove him from the situation to avoid aggression.

Nose Lick: A dog licks his nose as a sign to assure others of his peaceful intentions. Head down and sniffing: If a dog shows a sudden interest in smells on the ground, she is indicating that she is not in any way a threat to other dogs or people.

Body shake: A full-body shake is often used by dogs to "shake off" tension and stress. It can usually be translated as "Whew, glad that's over!". Sometimes if you stroke a dog backwards they will shake themselves and so help themselves relax. Stretching or bowing: These are great ways to relax the dog and those around her. Yawning: Yawning is a calming signal your dog may use to try to calm you. If she is stressed, try yawning (at least opening and closing your mouth without speaking several times) to calm her. She will love it and relax.

Looking away: Turning away or looking sideways, with or without licking, is a polite and friendly gesture. If a dog looks away, you too should look away. If approaching a timid dog or a caged dog, always approach sideways and look away to indicate friendliness.

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Lip-licking: Lip-licking is very frequently used, often combined with looking away and blinking. It helps your dog diffuse a stressful situation and indicates that he is friendly but uncomfortable.

Blinking: Frequently blinking (and winking) indicates that your dog is feeling stress. Slowed movement: As two dogs approach one another, you may see them slow down. You may think they are sizing each other up, but really they are sending calming signals. Very slow motion is calming to all involved. Watch their tails – they are probably up or at least higher than level which indicates a question mark or the message “I am friendly, are you?”

Raising a front paw or pawing the air (or appearing to ask to “shake”): While this is a common demeanor for Retrievers, especially Goldens, you will see it with a variety of breeds as a way of signaling. A dog approaching two stressed dogs will often raise a paw as if to say, “Just a minute. Let’s relax and get to know one another.”

Circling or curving: Mature, polite dogs do not approach another dog straight on, but curve as they approach. This may cause your dog to try to cross in front of you even though he is supposed to be heeling to you. Do not reprimand him, but pay attention to his signals.

Becoming “distracted” or appearing to ignore a dog in the vicinity: This is a definite calming signal being sent to the ignored dog. The distracted dog purposely gazes off into the distance, probably turning his body sideways to the ignored dog. Freezing: A dog who is overwhelmed, especially if a larger or more aggressive dog comes up and starts sniffing the dog, will often freeze. It does not matter if he is standing, sitting, or lying down. Once the larger or more aggressive dog moves on, the other dog will relax.

Sitting: A dog that either turns its back to you while sitting down, or simply sits down when another dog is approaching, is signaling. Your dog may use it when another dog is making him feel uncertain or when you yell to make him come. You can use this signal by sitting when your dog is stressed and cannot relax. Having your guests sit down before your dog meets them will help your dog relax.

Lying down: Lying down is a stronger signal than sitting. It may appear your dog is ignorant of a potential situation, but he is diffusing it.

Remember, not all "stress" is distress; some stresses are merely challenges that might even be enjoyed (think of learning something new or playing a challenging game). But if you see multiple stress signs, or if your dog gets "shut down," then the challenges might be too much and these may be warning signs.

Make use of every situation where your dog is meeting other dogs. Go to the park or somewhere that dogs are off-leash. Watch what your dog is doing. Everytime your

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dog meets another dog, look at him the second he sees the other dog at a distance, and notice which signals he is using.

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Chapter 3 - Why Dogs are Aggressive

Dogs can be aggressive for a number of reasons. They can come from a breed that has is prone to issues with fear, guarding, possessiveness, or aggression. They might have been abused. They may never have been taught any manners or socialized properly. Or someone may have “trained” them to be aggressive.

Aggressive Breeds

There are dog breeds that tend to be aggressive more often than other breeds. However, just because a dog is from an “aggressive breed,” that does not mean a particular dog will be aggressive. It is more important to see the dog’s parents and to see the dog with its littermates than to judge its “aggressiveness” based on its breed. A puppy whose parent will not let you near its puppies will transfer that aggressive behavior to its babies. The bully of the litter will most likely try to bully everyone in your household.

If you adopt a dog from your local rescue group or pound and it has some of one of the following breeds in it, simply be aware that it could have characteristics of distrust or aggressiveness. The best thing to do is to contact the rescue group for that breed and ask questions about how best to handle the dog. Rescue groups work hard to help dogs overcome their fears and aggressions and to help people learn to help dogs so that all dogs get a good home and all those who adopt a dog help that dog to be its best. Listed along with the breeds most likely to be aggressive is the web address of the rescue group.

Ø Large Dogs

• Chow Chows are one-man dogs that are given to biting without warning. They’re also a bit ferocious around unknowns, and can be quite tenacious fighters.

• Old English Sheepdogs are very protective of their owners so they might be aggressive if anybody comes too close to their masters. Other herding dogs like Collies and Heelers can be very protective of their masters too.

• Rottweilers are extremely protective of their masters and home so they also make great guard dogs.

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• Doberman Pinschers are excellent watch and guard dogs with no additional training, so they need calm, firm, and consistent human family owners.

• Alaskan Malamutes do not tend to be aggressive to people, but they have a very strong prey instinct, so small animals are not safe around the Alaskan Malamute.

• German Shepherd Dogs are valuable in police work and as guard dogs because of their extreme loyalty to their families and homes. Aggression and attacks on people are usually a result of poor handling or training or allowing them to think they are the pack leader.

Ø Terriers

• Terriers, as a rule, have a very high prey instinct. Therefore, a terrier (any terrier) will chase and attempt to kill anything that moves. That is what they have been bred for over a couple hundred years! Watch your cats and ferrets and pet rabbits around a terrier.

• Jack Russell Terriers are feisty creatures who require early training to prevent long-term biting and digging problems.

• Giant Schnauzers are very dominant. They often challenge adults, particularly strangers.

• The Pit Bull Terrier accounts for the most mauling’s, injuries and even deaths to other animals and people. They are the breed that is covered the most in the news when it comes to dog attacks. Of course it is not usually the dog’s fault when they do attack because it’s purely their own animal instincts, so attacks can usually be a result of their irresponsible owners. However, Pit Bulls are ‘generally’ quite gentle and can make a well loved pet.

Ø Medium dogs

• Cocker Spaniels often suffer from a dangerous genetic disease known as “rage syndrome.” This syndrome causes spontaneous violent action not only against strangers, but also family members.

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• Boxers tend to be very protective of their homes and families. They should be taught to “leave it” around rodents, cats, and ducks and chickens.

• Hounds, as a rule, will chase prey (anything that moves). They are not aggressive, but they are chasers!

Ø Toy Dogs

• The Papillon is fiercely loyal of their owners – to a fault. They can be quite possessive and standoffish to strangers.

• A Lhasa Apso often gets quite cranky around kids.

• Chihuahuas aren’t too fond of kids so they also make it into our list of most aggressive dog breeds. They’d rather be with adults than play around with tots.

• Toy Poodles bite people and other animals out of self-defense.

Unfortunately, ‘playing’ according to you may be perceived as a form of ‘attack’ to them.

• Dachshunds aren’t known for their patience and are quite quick to ‘snap.’ • The Pekingese isn’t all that tolerant of strangers and can be aggressive

little ‘ankle biters.’

Aggression as a Result of an Event

The following events can lead to acts of aggression: • Anxiety, fear, or a phobia

• Lack of structure/leadership

• Lack of proper exposure to other dogs during socialization • Early imprinting by an aggressive parent, especially mother • A traumatic experience

• Abuse from owners

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Trained to be Aggressive

Some people get a dog and decide he should be a guard dog, so they attempt to train him themselves to be aggressive. Most true guard dogs do behave aggressively unless the given a command or put into a very specific situation. However, people who do not understand how to train or work with a guard dog will attempt to elicit aggression in a wide variety of situations, most of which should not require aggression. Then, when the dog attacks someone he should not (perhaps the owner or the owner’s child), the dog is placed in a shelter. Anyone who attempts to adopt that dog is going to have his hands full in trying to retrain that dog. This is a dog that will take a very special owner with lots of experience with dog training and lots of patience.

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Chapter 4 - Types of Aggression

All aggressive behavior has an underlying cause or motivation. You need to figure out the motivation in order to eliminate the aggression. If you cannot figure it out or create a plan you can carry out to successfully eliminate the aggression, you must call an animal behaviorist to help you before someone gets seriously hurt.

Fear-Motivated Aggression: Fear-motivated aggression is a defensive reaction and occurs when a dog believes he is in danger of being harmed. Remember that it’s your dog’s perception of the situation, not the actual situation, which determines your dog’s response. For example, you may raise your arm to throw a ball, but your dog may bite you because he believes he’s protecting himself from being hit. A dog may also be fearfully aggressive when approached by other dogs. Most aggression seen in dogs is based on fear.

Protective, Territorial, and Possessive Aggression (Guarding Resources): Protective, territorial, and possessive aggression are all very similar, and involve the defense of valuable resources – home, toys, food, owner and family. Territorial aggression is usually associated with defense of property, and that “territory” may extend well past the boundaries of your yard. For example, if you regularly walk your dog around the neighborhood and allow him to urine-mark, he may think his territory includes the entire block. Protective aggression usually refers to aggression directed toward people or animals who are perceived by the dog as threats to his family, or pack. Dogs become possessively aggressive when defending their food, toys, or other valued objects, including items as peculiar as tissues stolen from the trash or owner’s purse.

Redirected Aggression: This is a relatively common type of aggression but one that is often misunderstood by pet owners. If a dog is somehow provoked by a person or animal he is unable to attack, he may redirect this aggression onto someone else. For example, two family dogs may become excited, and bark and growl in response to another dog passing through the front yard; or two dogs confined behind a fence may turn and attack each other because they can’t attack an intruder.

Dominance Aggression: Dominance aggression is motivated by a challenge to a dog’s social status or to his control of a social interaction. Dogs are social animals and may view their human families as their social group or “pack.” Based on the outcomes of social challenges among group members, a dominance hierarchy or “pecking order” is established.

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Two Things to Do to Avoid Aggression

When you have an aggressive dog, you need to do two things: Ø Become the pack leader

Ø Socialize your dog

How to Become Pack Leader

Every human in your household has to become higher in the pack than the dog. This is not mean, nor does it mean being dominating. It is simply using body language to help the dog understand that the humans are higher in the pack order than he is. He can still be friends with everyone and may even sleep with you or one of your children, but only on the humans’ terms. This is especially important with breeds or individual dogs who are prone to aggression.

Here are some things to remember:

1. Do not tolerate growling or barking or talking back. (Teach your dog “Quiet.” See below.) Talking back must be dealt with swiftly by placing him in a room away from you and gating the room so he cannot get to you. This is a time out just as you would do with a child. If he barks, growls, or talks back, use a shake can (coffee can with coins in it) and say “NO” sharply and pick him up and take him to the bathroom or whatever is his time out room (not his crate since it is a “safe” place) and shut him there for 15 minutes. When he comes back out, repeat the procedure when he does it again. If growling and barking are done when the dog is on a piece of furniture, he must not be allowed on the furniture.

2. Never allow any biting or nipping or mouthing. Use a shake can (coffee can or bottle with coins in it), then say sharply or gruffly, “No bite.” If you have to repeat it, take him to a time out place as above.

3. Never let your dog(s) go through a door ahead of you. You may have to put your dog on a leash and keep him right with you as you go about the house. If he runs ahead of you into a room, pull him back and make him “sit” and “wait” and then make him “heel” to go through the door.

4. All attention that is given to the dog is on the human’s schedule and not the dog’s schedule. Do not let the dog tell you when to play by pushing a toy at you. Always say “not now” and make the dog lie down. Then, if you are willing to play, release the dog (say “free”) and send him to get the toy to play, using a command like “get your toy.” Games of fetch or any play should be started and ended by the human.

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5. Beware of playing “tug-of-war” with your dog. This allows him to become dominant. It also loosens his teeth. It allows him to “win” and teaches him to growl and to pull objects away from you and run away with them, refusing to drop them on command. These are all bad behaviors. It also reinforces biting and barking behaviors.

6. Teach your dog “Give” or “Drop It.” Practice by giving the dog a toy or ball (or throwing it for them). Make the dog “sit” and then say “Give” and take the object out of the dog’s mouth. If he jumps up and runs away with the object or growls or holds on very tightly, you must enforce the “give” by getting the dog and bringing him and the object back to you and putting him on a sit (with his leash on). Pinch his nostrils closed so he has to breathe through his mouth and say “give” and take the object. He must learn to “bring” and to “give” on command.

7. Do not let your dog sleep in your bed. This signals to him that he is Alpha. You can give him a bed in your bedroom, but make him sleep in his bed. Otherwise, he is shut out of your bedroom, preferably in his crate. If the puppy is under 6 months, he should be sleeping in a crate at night anyway. Once he reaches six months, you could substitute a dog bed for the crate for sleeping.

8. Do not let your dog jump at you or anyone else. Jumping up on you is a dominance issue with a dog. Do not let a 65-pound Retriever jump on you, and do not let your 5-pound Chin jump on you. Teach him the “floor” command and enforce it. (See page 42)

9. And if he is a small dog, don’t let him jump into your lap when you are sitting down (watching TV, working at the computer, visiting, eating) until you have given him permission. That means that if he jumps in your lap, you must set him down off your lap and say very firmly “NO” and hold him on the floor for a full minute. Then say “come up” (you could pat your lap and say “ok”) to give him permission and let him come up on your lap. He must always look at you and ask permission and be granted permission before coming up. If you allow him to sit on the couch next to you, use the same “permission granting” procedure. He must know that you own your lap, your chair, and your couch and you sometimes permit him to share them. At no time should he be allowed to growl or to snap at a person or dog while he is on your lap. Again, you may need to use a time out if a “NO” does not work.

10. Dogs are not allowed to eat when people eat. Feed the dog at one or two specific times (the same every day). Make him wait until you put the bowl down and say “Eat your food” before he eats. He needs your permission. Do not ever give him food from your table while you are sitting at the table. If, after you have eaten and cleared the table, you want to put a bite in his bowl, that is okay, but again he must be given permission to touch it. In many cases, it is advisable to not let the dog into the room where the people are eating. Feed him before you start to prepare your food or after you have finished eating.

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11. Do not greet the dog immediately when you enter the house. Ignore the dog at first. After laying down anything you’ve brought in, then greet the dog in a low-key manner. If he tends to jump up to greet you, you may kneel to greet him.

12. If the dog is lying in your walking path through the house, make him get up and move. If he is standing in your lap in a proud manner, make him sit or lie down or put him on the floor. Never have a staring contest with your dog. If your eyes do meet, he must look away or blink first.

Being the pack leader is not being mean to your dog. It does not necessitate yelling at your dog or smacking your dog. Do not hold his head, pinch his ears, or shake any part of his body at any time. Your body language will tell your dog that you are the leader.

Each person in the household must project pack leader body language – even fairly young children can be taught to work with the dog in this way. All humans are above dogs in our packs.

How to Socialize Your Dog

If you get your puppy from a breeder, the breeder should have started socialization with him. Whether he has had a good foundation laid or not, you need to really work with your dog on socialization. This is the basis for all good behavior. It is a fun way to spend time with your dog, yet make a big difference in his knowing your expectations. It will also give you several ways to observe how your dog reacts to various situations.

When you take your puppy out of your home and yard, people will want to pet it and make over it. Unfortunately, all puppies seem to be cute. You do want people to approach your dog and you want your dog to get used to a variety of people. However, you need to be the judge of who does what to your dog, so do not be afraid to say “I’m sorry but he has already had a lot of handling today, so he does not need another hug.” Or you can say “You may say hello to the puppy, but we are doing some work right now.”

When you allow someone to approach your dog, ask them not to bend over but to kneel or squat to the dog’s level. Have them put a hand out with either the palm up or with the palm down but with the fingers pointed down. That way your dog can smell their fingers and palm or the back of their hand. Usually he will not be afraid in either of those positions as they cannot pat his head directly without his meeting them first. Do not allow your dog to jump on or lunge at people. This is usually accomplished by keeping him on a leash and making him “sit” while the greeting takes place.

Children should be taught to ask an owner if it is okay to pet his or her dog before approaching the dog. If a child asks, always thank the child for asking and then tell them “yes” or “no.” Teach children to approach the dog correctly.

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Whether your dog is a puppy or a six-year-old rescue, you need to get your dog used to a variety of noises and you need to see his reaction so you will know how much work you will have in order to overcome any noise fear he has:

• Make sure your puppy (dog) hears household noises like the vacuum, doorbell, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, TV, and radio.

• Expose your dog to other noises such as various lawnmowers, airplanes and helicopters, sirens, fireworks, and thunderstorms.

• Take lots of short rides – 2-3 times a week take your dog with you to run errands, go through a drive-through window, stop at the vet, go to a park, etc.

• Take a longer car trip each month. Take your dog on a trip that takes an hour or more of riding some time each month - to a park or outdoor festival or other event where dogs are allowed.

Introduce your dog to as many different animals and people as you safely can: • With your dog safely on a leash, let him meet other dogs, cats, horses,

llamas, etc. Remember that animals meet nose-to-nose. Many dogs then sniff the new animal’s rear end, so give him a chance to do that unless the other animal objects (growls), but after a few seconds, pull him away and say “be nice.”

• Take your dog (on a leash with a slip collar) to a strip or outdoor mall, to a nursing home, into a business building that allows dogs, in an elevator, on various types of stairs, etc.

• Allow your dog to see and meet people of different ethnicities. The dog will be exposed to a variety of voices, gestures, smells, and clothing as well as the peoples’ reactions to dogs.

• Men, women, children of various ages, and older people should be included in your dog’s early experience. Some dogs are very fearful of tall people or people with deep or gravely voices.

• People wearing hats, glasses, flip flops, or skirts sometimes scare dogs who have not seen them before. Your dog should also be exposed to people who smoke, who tap their fingers, etc. Make sure his experience includes people in wheelchairs and using walkers, canes, or crutches so he learns to be calm and careful in those situations.

Puppy kindergarten or puppy classes are another great socialization tools. They allow your puppy to be with other dogs and people in a controlled environment. Many community centers and pet stores offer a 4-week, 6-week, or 8-week puppy class. You may even learn some beginning commands like “heel” and “sit.”

Always watch your dog carefully in new situations. If he shows fear, do not pet him or say “good boy.” Instead, cheerfully say “don’t be silly. That’s just a cat.” Let your dog

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approach new experiences on his own terms and don’t force him. You want these to be positive experiences.

Socializing a rescued dog who is afraid in some of the above-mentioned situations will take much patience and repeated exposures. You may have to break the socialization into “baby steps.” For instance, a dog that is afraid of men will have to have many positive experiences meeting many men in many situations. You may want to invite one male at a time to your house. Each time put the dog on his leash. Provide treats outside the door for the male to pick up and bring in with him. Then have him kneel to hold a treat out to the dog. If the dog shows signs of aggression, make him sit while you take the treat from the outstretched, open hand and give the treat to the dog. Repeat several times.

He may never trust that person on the first meeting enough to take a treat. However, if he meets the same person with treats again, he may be more willing to get close to the outstretched hand. (Note: If he is still very hesitant or fearful or aggressive, try really smelly treats (like cooked chicken or beef or bacon.) If he still will not accept a male who is kneeling, keep him on a leash and have the male sit in a chair or on the couch. Keep the dog on a leash and let him see that the male is not going to hurt him. Praise him for not growling or hiding. Use a treat to get him to sit where he can watch the person. It could take 2-3 meetings before he becomes brave enough to work his way closer to the person. Just talk to each other and pretend to ignore the dog (do not look directly at the dog).

Once the dog gets closer to the person, he can extend a treat and drop it on the floor. He may have to do this several different times. If you feel your dog is trustworthy, you can drop the leash but leave it on the dog so you can grab it again if necessary.

Only after the dog becomes somewhat friendly to the person sitting or kneeling should you introduce the dog to the person when he is upright (standing). Be sure to let the dog sniff the person’s shoes and pant legs to know that it is the same person he has known.

You may have to repeat this tedious process many times with a dog who has been abused or frightened by a previous owner. However, your patience will pay off!

What Every Dog Needs to Know

Every dog should be taught to pay attention to you when you ask him to do so. There are several ways to get your dog’s attention if he is growling or barking too much to realize you are asking for his attention. However, the ideal is to have him focused on you and aware of you and your desire for his attention at all times.

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24 Pay Attention to Me

There are several ways to try to get your dog’s attention. • Put some beans or coins in a pop can and shake it. • Use a squirt gun.

• Use a whistle or train whistle. • Bang on a pan with a spoon. • Ring a bell or cowbell.

The main thing to remember is that getting your dog’s attention is only the first step. Then you must immediately give a command. And that command has to be one your dog is trained to know and obey. So you must do your duty training your dog.

Five Things You Must Teach Your Dog Whether He Is Aggressive or Not

These five things are critical for good manners and necessary to make sure you and your dog can co-exist. None of them is hard to teach. Each should be taught within the first six weeks you have your dog – whether he is a six-week-old puppy or a four-year-old rescue. Even if he has previously been obedience trained, he may not have or remember the training on these commands.

1. “Leave it” 2. “See me” 3. “Give”’ or “drop” 4. “Heel” with “sit” 5. “Sit-stay”

“Leave It”

Teach the dog “leave it” by putting your dog on a leash – a choker collar and lead. Hold onto the leash and throw 3-4 treats on the floor. When your dog goes to get or eat a treat, say firmly “leave it” and jerk the dog back. Give him a treat he really likes such as a tiny piece of chicken. Then relax the leash and let him start after the treats again. Jerk him back and say firmly, “leave it.” Praise him (“good leave it”) and give him the really good stuff. After doing this 3-4 times, pick up the treats and tell your dog “free.” Then give him the really good treat from your hand.

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This is a great command to use at home for a dog that barks at everything he sees out the window. It is also good for the dog that chases cats or harasses an older dog. “Leave it” is a great command to use if you drop a pill or drop food you are fixing or eating. The best part of this command is that it becomes both a mental and a physical command. Once the dog really learns it, he must not only leave the object (or animal or person) alone, he must also quit thinking about it!

Once he leaves treats on command (without jerking), use toys and people food as practice objects. If you do this 2-3 times a day, the dog will reliably leave things alone on command in a week. It is also very good to use on walks to keep your dog from picking up fast food wrappers, gum, candy, dead animals, etc. Another use of it on the walk is to keep your dog from lunging to visit with other dogs or people. You will have to anticipate its use – like when you see a dog up ahead, give a quick jerk and command “leave it” and keep walking. A few seconds later, as the dog gets closer, repeat the jerk and command. As you pass the dog, you may have to repeat the jerk and command 2-5 more times.

“See Me”

“See me” is a game that keeps your dog watching you and teaches your dog to come to you whenever you ask. This is a type of “come” command but is a lot less formal. Take tiny treats in your pocket. Throughout the day or evening, call “BUSTER, SEE ME” and when he comes to you, give him a treat. Do not go to him. He only gets a treat and praise if he comes and gets it. Then give him your release command – “free.” Go different places in the yard or house and call “Buster, See me.” All he has to do is come to you. He gets a treat and praise. This is different from “come” where he has to come and sit straight in front of you and then “by heel” to get ready to “heel.” The “see me” command can be used any time—as a distraction, as a way to get him into the house, as a way to get him to go to his crate, etc.

“Give” or “Drop”

Using a dowel rod with a Nerf® ball on each end, put your hands over the balls and offer him the dowel rod, making him take it in the center. If he refuses to take it, go back to a toy or a chew toy he likes. Once he takes it, praise him. Then use the command “give” – the difference between “give” and “drop” is that “give” puts the object into your hand and “drop” puts the object on the ground.

Repeat this several times a day. Once your dog does a “give” or a “drop,” then you can start practicing it with his possessions – toys, Nylabone®, chew toys, ball, and rope toys. This will help him to quit being so possessive of these things.

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This is the common command used when walking with the dog's shoulder next to the owner’s leg. This is a command demanding action from your dog, so use the dog’s name at the beginning of the command each time you say it. Give the command loudly and clearly in a bright but firm tone of voice.

Begin teaching "heel" by placing your dog on your left side using a training collar and 6-foot leash (lead). Make sure the training collar is on the dog correctly. It should come straight across the top of the dog’s neck and through the dead ring so that when you jerk and release using the lead it will pull over the top instead of around the bottom of his neck. Hold the lead tightly with your right hand and loosely with your left. (Bunch or fold the lead in your right hand; never wrap it around your hand.) Begin walking, left foot first, and give the command "Tippy, heel.”Pull and release the lead with your left hand as you move your left foot forward. If your dog begins to pull ahead or lag behind, pull and release and say “Tippy, heel.” Use the command "Tippy, heel" every time you jerk the lead to move him back into the proper position. Take 10-15 steps and stop. Stop on your right foot and bring your left foot up to your right foot. Your dog will learn to follow your left foot. Your dog should sit (see “sit” below). If he does not, pull up on the training collar using the leash and push down on his hindquarters while saying “sit”. Insist that he sit straight (parallel to you). Start again with a “Tippy, heel” and step off on your left foot. Take 15-20 steps and stop. Vary how far you go so your dog does not come to expect a certain distance and a stop. Sometimes you will go 12-15 steps, sometimes 15-20, sometimes 20-30, etc. Always insist on an immediate straight sit when you stop. Make frequent stops and turns to keep your dog paying attention.

Once your dog begins understanding this exercise, he will watch your leg to make sure he is heeling. Once he understands straight lines, it is time to start turning corners. Turn left, gently pushing him as you turn if need be. Give the command "Tippy, heel" every time you turn to make sure you have his attention. When you turn right, you will have to do several short jerk and release movements along with the command “Tippy, heel” each time to get him to keep up with you. If your dog is not paying attention, do an about turn (U-turn), keeping your dog to the outside. You will turn to your right (basically on your left foot). Using short jerk and release movements and repeated commands, keep your dog next to your leg.

Each time your dog walks next to you nicely or sits, give him lots of praise. Sometimes include a small treat with the praise.

Sessions should be no more than 20 minutes the first day and 15 minutes two times a day thereafter. Don’t forget to give your dog a drink and an opportunity to potty both before and after your training session. Your dog should be able to learn this command in about a week's time.

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Using a lead, have your dog at your left side. Use the command "sit" as you pull up on the lead with your right hand, and gently "push" his rear end down with your left hand. With most dogs, the "push" needed will only be a gentle guiding. As soon as he is in the sitting position, praise him and stroke his side or under his chin. If your dog is large enough that you can easily reach under his chin, that is best as it forces him to look at you. Do this each time you stop while heeling and he will soon not only understand what sit means, he will learn to do it each time you stop without being told.

If you have a very large dog that cannot be manipulated into a sitting position when you try to push his rear end down, you may need a second person to assist you the first few times. Pull the lead up and back to help "push" him into a sit position.

“Sit-Stay”

When you first teach the sit-stay, you need to practice inside the house or garage or in a fenced area. You want control and you do not want distractions when you start teaching a command.

Start teaching ‘sit stay’ by teaching ‘sit.’ When you say ‘sit,’ your dog should sit with its right shoulder next to your left leg. If she does not, pull up on her choke collar sharply. At the same time, reinforce this by pressing down on her rear end. On larger dogs, you may have to pull up and slightly back to pull their front feet slightly off the ground and throw their weight to the back.

Once your dog is sitting, you can give the ‘stay’ command. It is usually given both as a command and a hand signal. The hand signal for ‘stay’ – no matter what position the dog is in – is the open hand, fingers together, palm facing the dog, in front of the dog’s face.

The first few times you give the stay command, you will only step in front of the dog, holding onto the leash. If your dog starts to get up, you will have the leash up fairly close to the dog’s neck and can pull sharply up and back to throw the dog back into a sitting position. At the same time, say, “No, Annie. Sit.” Then give the ‘stay’ command and hand signal again. “Stay.”

After 10-15 seconds, still holding the leash close to the dog’s neck so that you have complete control, step to your right and walk around your dog until you get back to the heel position. Wait a couple of seconds and then free your dog and give lots of praise. You can even give a treat at that time.

After doing this a couple of times a day for 3-4 days, try stepping back from the dog’s nose a step or two while the dog stays. Once the dog stays in the sitting position for you to be a couple of steps away, start going to the end of the 6-foot leash. Continue this for several days. Start lengthening the amount of time your dog stays until it is 3 minutes.

Don’t forget lots of praise. Do not praise your dog while she is in a ‘stay’ because that often encourages them to be excited and get up and come to you or run around.

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If your dog does get up during her ‘stay,’ walk over to her, take the leash and say “No.” Use the leash and your hand if necessary to put her back into a ‘sit’ in the very same place. Once she is sitting, repeat ‘stay’ and walk to the end of the leash again. Once your dog stays reliably for 3 or more minutes, vary the amount of time your dog is on a ‘sit stay’ so that the dog does not anticipate that it is about time to be free. Sometimes do it for 2 minutes, then one day do it for only 20 seconds but do it three different times during the day. Another time do it for 5 minutes.

You will now drop the leash and take two more steps backwards for the three minutes of the ‘stay.’ Eventually you should be able to take the leash off and walk 30 feet away and your dog will stay until you return and ‘free’ him. You can continue to practice this until your dog will stay when you are out of sight. An adult dog should be able to ‘stay’ on a ‘sit’ or ‘down’ for 30 minutes with you out of sight. I know that sounds like a lot and most of us have no need for our dogs to do that, so that is not necessarily our goal, but it is not an unreasonable expectation.

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Aggression Toward Other Pets at Home

This article will help you:

• Discover the 5 essential techniques you must use to stop your dog from pinning down your other dogs or chasing your cats, and

• Learn 3 proven methods to teach your dog to happily play with your other pets and not to dominate them by barking, jumping, or growling.

True aggression to other animals in the household is one of the toughest aggression problems to solve. The issues involve the fact that the animals are in the same household all the time so get endless practice antagonizing each other and that there is little relief from the problem. Even more important for you, the human owner, is the issue of having to train or retrain all the animals involved while constantly managing the environment to prevent further aggression. G-r-r-r-r . . . very difficult and challenging.

Every addition or subtraction of a dog or another animal (such as a cat) from the household will cause problems with the dogs (and cats and other animals) in the household. Suddenly everyone’s position in the hierarchy changes and everyone is vying for the spot they want – top dog.

Aggression quickly becomes much more than growling, snapping, excessive salivation, or piloeretion reflex (hair standing up on the back of the neck and back). Aggression is a fight that is designed to kill the other animal very quickly – going for the throat and/or eyes and hanging on and shaking the other animal until death occurs.

When you have animals that are this aggressive toward each other, you must recognize the signs and nip the aggression in the bud very quickly. Otherwise, you must try to break the dogs off each other by inserting a thick piece of wood in each dog’s jaws and prying them from each other. Then they have to be closed in separate rooms. A breaking stick has a thick end and a thin end. The thin end is forced into the dog’s mouth and then the stick is twisted so that the thick end pries the dog’s mouth open. If you do not have a breaking stick, other objects can be used. However, be aware that something such as a screwdriver could do a great deal of damage to the dog’s mouth and teeth. Also note that your hands and fingers should NEVER be used!

A dog that chases another dog may be playing; a dog that chases a cat in the house may also be playing. However, a dog chasing another dog or cat in the household may also be aggressive. What you have to remember is that all dogs have a prey drive and in some breeds that prey drive is much higher than in other breeds. Terriers, for example, have very high prey drive and may never learn to leave the cat alone if it moves. Herding dogs, on the other hand, may not care at all about a cat, but may become very aggressive toward a dog entering their territory. If this is true

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aggression, here are five essential techniques you must use to stop your dog from pinning down your other dog or your cat(s).

1. It is natural for puppies to play with other pups, you, cats, toddlers, kids, etc. in a chase, pounce, wrestle, bite manner. The pup needs to learn, early on, that it is not appropriate to chase and bite the baby or the cat. He must learn self-control. Teach him “leave it.”(See page 24) Other obedience training such as “heel” and “sit” and “stay” will also help with self-control. See pages 26 and 27.

2. The chase itself is extremely reinforcing. The dog enjoys an adrenalin high from the pursuit and the success of capture is a jackpot which makes curbing the desire to chase difficult if not impossible in some dogs. Behaviors that are rewarding are more apt to be repeated. Re-training a dog with a long reinforcement history will take dedication and time and monumental amounts of management. Find ways to make the chase less exciting and the catch undesirable. See below for ideas.

3. Leadership is essential. Why follow the direction of someone you don't respect or trust? If your dog won't keep his face out of your dinner plate and ignores your pleas for compliance to commands, what hope do you have of telling him to leave the cat alone? Learn to be the pack leader.(See page 15)

4. Is the cat the instigator? If your cat saunters by with that sly face, tail up and making figure eights, makes sure the pup sees her and then makes a mad dash up and over the furniture, you must ask yourself who's getting the rush out of the situation? Who really needs the interruption? A long range squirt bottle can work wonders to end the "let's get the puppy in trouble" game. Maybe the cat likes the dog! Some cats enjoy being covered in dog slobber. If the cat is throwing itself on the floor in front of the puppy and wrapping it's arms around the pup's head while it wrestles it until the cat is sopping wet and no one is getting hurt and nothing escalates, this may be a friendship not a conflict at all. Watch carefully who is the instigator and, as with children, disrupt the instigator if there truly is a problem. Otherwise, allow the game to continue as long as nobody is being hurt.

5. Cats in the house are safe, but the neighborhood cats or your cats outside may not be safe. Many dogs will learn to ignore their own cats in the house, but chase them in the yard. Some will totally ignore their "own cats" but still be death on any strange cat that hops the back fence. Dogs don't generalize well - it's a challenge to move the training from "specific cats" to "all cats anywhere, anytime." The other problem is in the house, it is your domain. The yard may be seen by the dog as his turf. The reaction of the cat has much to do with the dog's response. Your own cats are calm and no big deal about the dog. Strange cats startle, jump, run, climb and trigger a far more intense chase instinct in the dog. Disrupt the behavior. See below for ideas.

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How do you make the chase less exciting or the catch undesirable? Perhaps the same way that you disrupt the chasing behavior. That will depend on your dog. Distraction can work for some dogs. If that is the case for your dog, use a shake can (a soda can with beans or coins), a whistle, a spoon banging against a pan, or even calling your dog. If you have taught your dog “See Me,” use that to get your dog to come to you for the treat. (See page 25) If your dog loves to fetch a ball or Frisbee™ you can use that to divert your dog’s attention.

Teaching your dog not to chase or attack other dogs in the household or cats in the household is a great goal. Some people want to take the training a step further and teach the dog to play nicely with the other pets in the household.

The critical socialization period for puppies is 3 weeks to 12 weeks. Breeds with high prey drive (terriers, pitbulls, huskies, etc.) will very likely never be trustworthy with cats or small animals. For breeds with a lower level of prey drive, the probability of successful co-existence will be increased the younger the dog is at first meeting. There are three proven steps to teaching your dog to happily play with your other pets and not to dominate them by barking, jumping or growling. (Remember that barking, jumping, and growling can be due to excitement or part of play posturing rather than aggression.)

1. It's a de-sensitization, habituation and counter-conditioning issue. Your plan is to keep the pup's and the cat's adrenalin levels low and their comfort levels high while just hanging out in the same room for hours at a time until the novelty of seeing the cat is desensitized. You want the pup to think of the cat as "just another piece of furniture." Pick a mellow time of day and put the cat in a carrier or on a lap and the pup on leash at a distance they can feel comfortable and watch movies. As they start to ignore each other, you may move closer but don't be in a hurry.

2. Allow quiet, curious investigation by the pup and praise/food treats for all appropriate behavior. Use phrases like "easy" or "gentle" and show him how. Pet the kitty and then pet him. Spread kitty scent on him and doggy scent on the kitty. The goal is simply to help the cat feel safe and the dog feel calm. Calm curiosity is fine, intensity is not. Redirect or time-out for inappropriate behavior. The one and only goal is to teach the animals to relax in each other's presence.

3. As their relationship reaches a point where they have more freedom in each other's presence, put a trailing line on the puppy, long enough that you can step on it easily, as a safety net in case of chasing. The pup should wear this line until you are 99.9% sure there will be no chasing. Should the pup start to think about chasing, plan to say a specific phrase "AAAHH AAAHHH!!" or "Leave it!" and step on the line. You want the pup to make the connection that you warned him that the chase was not an option. Be careful that the pup is never in a position to gain much speed - we don't want to whiplash the pup, just interrupt the thought of chasing. If you find have to use the line, take a

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step or two backward in your desensitizing process. It probably means you are giving too much freedom too soon.

Aggressive Leash-pulling or Lunging on a Walk

Dog owners often complain about their dog’s aggression toward other dogs on a walk or toward people when the dog is on a walk. This is an area where you must know the difference between desire to play and aggression. Review page 6to know the difference. If what you are seeing is really a desire to play, then the most important things you can do are steps 1 and 4 below along with a “heel” command that is well-practiced (see page 26). For many breeds, and for most puppies under the age of three years, walks are simply not enough exercise, so you will have to find other types of exercise to tire your dog. Many breeds (like the herding dogs) need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Obedience training and agility training in classes are great for giving dogs both mental and physical stimulation. Various indoor games can help.

**If you dog is dangerously aggressive, then you should muzzle your dog (not a head collar like a Gentle Leader™, but a true basket muzzle) and do steps 1 and 4 below when on a walk. **

In all other cases, you will want to follow the four essential steps below to solve your dog’s aggressive leash-pulling or lunging on a walk.

1. Keep your dog on a leash.

Any time your dog is outside of your yard or a fenced dog play area, he should always be on a leash. It does not matter how good he is. There is always the chance that someone else’s dog is off-leash and is not that good and will run up and attack your dog or that children or bicycles will scare him or a truck or bus going by will frighten him. When he is on a leash, you are in control and you can keep him from jumping into the street in front of a vehicle or pull him away from another dog or catch him when he darts after a squirrel.

Often dog owners will stop and let their dog “meet” another dog they see when on a walk. If the other owner quickly pulls his dog away, puts his dog on his side away from you, or starts walking faster when you do this, pull your dog into a “heel” and move on. However, if the other owner allows his dog to meet and greet yours, it is time to keep a careful eye on both dogs and read the body language carefully.

2. Watch your dog closely, reading the body language of both dogs, or of your dog and the person.

When watching your dog interact with other dogs, the general rule is to let the dogs decide what is and what isn't appropriate. Butt-sniffing, rough playing,