Dog Training Aggression

Dominant Dog Aggression – Why Some Dogs Get Aggressive When You Touch or Hug Them

What is Handling-Induced Aggression and The Two Causes?

1.  Being Handled, Hugged and Kissed

There are many dog owners out there that can’t understand why their dog doesn’t like to be handled.  Every dog has a different handling threshold.  Some of them like lots of cuddles and absolutely love to be kissed, hugged and have arms around them.   This is the ultimate “I’m the boss” gesture to a dog, which is why a lot of them won’t tolerate it. Others just aren’t comfortable with too much full-body contact and will get agitated if someone tries to hug them.  Try not to do it so often and when you do don’t be dominant over them.  Let them get used to you slowly.  They will eventually warm up to you.

2.  Bad Grooming Experience

Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience: The two most common are nail-clipping and bathing.  

Nail-Clipping
When you are clipping your dog’s nails, you must be careful not to “quick” them.  This means that you have cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to your beloved canine friend and is a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting hatred to those clippers.  Practice picking up their paws and touching them with the clippers first so they can get used to it.  Let them know that it’s not their enemy.  Dogs that have white nails are much easier to clip because you can see that the nail will be darkened up to the point that the blood vessel stops. For dogs with black nails, it might be a good idea to have a professional show you how first before you try yourself.
 
Bathing
Getting a bath is something that many dogs have difficulty dealing with.  A lot of owners feel that in order to complete their bath they have to forcibly restrain them. Never do this.  It only adds to the dog’s sense of panic, and reinforces his impression of a bath as something to be avoided.  You can definitely “retrain” your dog to enjoy being handled and groomed.  It’s naturally easier when they are a puppy, but it can also be done with adult dogs.

Practice taking him into the bath.  (warm water is much more pleasant for a dog than a spray of ice-water!), Give them lots of praise throughout  their bath and an occasional small treat. For older dogs that may have had unpleasant handling/grooming experiences, you need to undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences.  Please take things very slowly and concentrate on keeping your dog calm. The instant they start to show signs of stress stop immediately and let them relax. Try to make the whole thing into a game by giving them lots of praise, pats, and treats.

Please remember that dogs show aggression for a reason.  They’re warning you to back off, or else! If your dog just can’t seem to accept being groomed, no matter how much practice you put in, it’s best to hand the job over to the professionals. Your vet will clip his nails for you, but make sure you tell him “first” that he gets aggressive when the clippers come out.  That way your vet can take the necessary precautions.   As far as washing and brushing goes, for a small fee, you can get your dog washed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you require by experienced professionals.  Just make sure you always tell them about your dog’s aggression to the experience first!

I sincerely hope this article was helpful to you.  If you would like to gain more knowledge on good dog training and get a FREE 6-Day Mini Dog Training Course today, please visit http://www.susans-dog-lovers-tips.blogspot.com and click on the drop down menu for your specific needs.  While you’re there, don’t forget to check out “Putter’s Doggie Tips for the Week”!  Here’s to loving your dog.

 

About the Author

Susan Benson loves the outdoors and that's why she lives in beautiful Portland, Oregon, where the lush green scenery is absolutely beautiful. Her true passion is dogs and feels if she has information to pass on to other dog owners, then why not? She hopes her articles on dogs will help you and your beloved canine live a very long and happy life.

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