Dog behavior: Anger management

Different dogs - different characters! In our blog post Which dog breed would best suit your character, we wrote about how to choose a dog breed according to your character. But what when the dog's character is the problematic one? Let's see how important anger management is for dogs.

Why are dogs aggressive?

Some experts say that some dog breeds tend to be more aggressive than others. On the other hand, some of them state that owners are ones who can train dogs to be good-natured. What are the real reasons why dogs can be aggressive?

There are many reasons why your dog reacts angrily. Here's some of them, he may be:

• defensive,
• protective,
• attention-drawing,
• in pain,
• having reproductive urges.

No matter what your dog's aggressive behavior was, you should address it the sooner the better. Keep reading to find out more about anger management for dogs.

Anger management for dogs

As for anger management, all dog experts agree on one thing: you can fix it. A lot of times, a dog's aggressive reaction comes from a lack of communication.

One thing you must do in these situations is to gain control over your dog and to show him that you are the leader of your pack. It sounds a bit strange, but don't forget dogs are close relatives to wolves.

How you can show your dominance to your dog and stop the problematic behavior? According to The Dog daily, you should try this:

1. Feed according to pack status - "As a dog owner, you need to establish your rank as a leader. You can learn to do it by replicating the behavior of wolves in the wild, and this can even apply to dinnertime. Wolves usually run before eating, so exercise your dog before feeding. Feed multiple dogs according to their pack status because, after a wolf pack has hunted, the alpha wolf eats first and then decides which dog gets to eat and which has to wait."
2. Be Alpha - "Dogs like humans, rest easier under good leadership. If you are a thoughtful, yet decisive, head of the group, you will help to reduce your pet’s stress levels, and probably your own too. Instead, set boundaries for your dog. Reserve your approval for when they have earned it."
3. Be decisive  - "Being alpha is all about attitude. If you give mixed messages that you are the alpha in one context but not in others, your dog may show signs of dominancy, anxiety, fear, or aggression. Your dog sees your confidence and leadership as safety and security. If you assert your leadership through body language, attitude, and, yes, a little growling, your dog will understand."

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