Aggressive dogs can be an issue for everyone. They can be extremely frightening for small children and adults alike. Even though some breeds are more aggressive than other breeds there is usually an underlying issue why a dog is aggressive. If you figure out why your dog is acting out you can tailor your training methods to curb his aggression. You will be a more contented pet owner if you can trust your dog to be calm in most situations.

If you dog wishes to establish his dominance he may act aggressively. Dogs are naturally pack animals and there is always a leader in the pack. When you are training your dog you need to establish yourself as the alpha dog. If your dog thinks he is the leader you will continuously have problems. Your dog may still be aggressive towards other dogs or animals if dominance issues are the reason why he is being aggressive.

Another common form of aggression in dogs is territorial aggression. Your dog will relentlessly protect everything that he considers to be "his" including yourself, your home and your family. While this can be a good thing if you are threatened at some point, it can cause many problems in ordinary situations. It is infrequently that a family is truly threatened and if your dog's territorial aggression is crazy it can cause issues with visitors and neighbors. Excessive territorial aggression is inappropriate behavior.

Often a dog will strike out from fear. Something frightens your dog and rather than back off he lashes out and attacks. The dog will start growling, pull his ears back and tuck his tail between his legs. Many times this type of aggression is mistaken for direct aggression. Fear aggression is always caused by a situation that has frightened the dog. He is striking out because he is frightened and does not know how to handle that fear.

Aggressive behavior can sometimes occur for no obvious reason. However this aggression is usually misdirected. Something happens that instigages anxiety within the dog but he is unable to react to the actual reason so he takes it out on something else. This may be a reason for some unexplained dog fights between 2 or more animals. The dog is just not able to act on the real issue.

There may also be medical or biological reasons for aggression. A mother dog will often express aggression when she is nursing her litter of puppies. This type of aggression is understandable however sometimes a medical issue could be causing excessive aggression so it is always wise to have your vet give your dog a thorough examination.

Most dogs will be calmer and have a better temperament if they are spayed or neutered. This will also make your training efforts easier and more effective not to mention the fact that there are too many unwanted and unloved dogs out there. If you are not in the dog-breeding business it is just the responsible thing to do to get your dog spayed or neutered.

If you know the reasons why your dog is acting aggressively you can fit your training efforts to match your dog and you will find success comes easier. There is usually a reason for excessive aggression in dogs.

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