Territorial aggression in dogs is something that needs to be taken seriously by dog owners. Fortunately, more often than not it is, but there are some owners who believe that it is normal for dogs to protect the family home from strangers in an aggressive manner.

1. Territorial Aggression
In Dogs And How To
Stop It, Fast!

2. Territorial aggression in dogs is
something that needs to be taken
seriously by dog owners.

Fortunately, more often than not it
is, but there are some owners who
believe that it is normal for dogs to
protect the family home from strangers
in an aggressive manner.


3. They see nothing wrong with their dogs
lunging menacingly at the front fence
with teeth bared at people walking
by, snapping at the postman, or growling
at strangers invited into the home…”they
are just being ‘good watch dogs’ and
would never hurt a friend or someone
known to the family.”


4. Then there are others who are aware of
the fact that their dog’s aggressive
behavior is wrong and are concerned by
it, but are reluctant to do anything
because they feel safe in their home
knowing they have a dog that will deal
with intruders.

5. They lock the dog up or hold it by the
collar to protect tradesmen and other
‘strangers’ invited onto their
properties, but this is seen as a small
price to pay.
 As long as the dog behaves around
family members or friends, their
aggressive behavior towards strangers in
the home is allowed to continue.

6. Only barking is acceptable behavior when
strangers approach or enter your
property, nothing else.
It is reasuring to know that your dog will
bark at intruders, but, if the behavior
they display towards someone they don’t
know is aggressive, even mildly so, it’s
only a matter of time before they will bite
a friend, or even you.


7. While it is possible to address the
problem of territorial aggression in your
dog by yourself you do need to know
how to go about doing so the correct
way.
Like any unwanted dog behavior, early
intervention can make aggressive
behavior much easier to resolve and the
tips I’ve given below should help you if
your dog isn’t too highly aggressive.

8. However, if you don’t see improvement
fairly quickly, or if your dog has already
nipped someone, it’s best to call in a
professional dog handler.

9. Tip No.1 – Seek Understanding First
 Instead of viewing your dog as a terror
who has a lust for growling at people or
snapping at them, seek to understand
why it’s behaving the way it is. This type
of aggression usually boils down to your
dog believing that it is dominant and in
control of you, your family and ‘it’s’
territory, which can be the backyard, the
house, various objects, the car, or all of
these things/places.

10. Often dogs will only show their
dominance and defend their turf against
strangers, but as I’ve already
mentioned, they can turn on family
members and other people they know.
Remember that dogs are pack animals
and that it is instinctual for them to
battle for domination. Give your dog
plenty of reason to believe it can
dominate you, and it will.

11. A dominant dog has to be strong and
show other dogs (and human pack
members), signs that they are the alpha
dog and head of the pack.
There are many different ways for a dog
to show its dominance, and they are not
always aggressive, but understanding
pack leadership is the first step towards
helping to change your dog’s
behavior, without viewing him in a
completely negative light.

12. Tip No.2 – Assert Your Authority

Get the upper hand and show your dog
that its time for him to step down. Do
this by using your voice in a calm and
assertive way when talking to him or
correcting him, and consistently display
confident body language when around
your dog.

13. He will soon get the message that you
have stepped up and taken over the role
of pack leader.
If you can manage to do this well, the
changes you will see in your dog’s
behavior will be quite amazing.

14. Tip No.3 – Obedience Training Must
Be A Top Priority

Territorial aggression always seems to be
more frequently displayed in dogs with a
lack of obedience training. If you have
skipped over giving your dog proper
training it would be a smart move to
start now.


15. If he is highly aggressive or dominant it
might be wise to take him to obedience
school or classes for several weeks to let
the professionals help out, and regularly
practice at home what you and your dog
learn in class.
However, a dog that is only showing the
occasional sign of aggression or
dominance can very easily be trained at
home.

16. It could take a few weeks for your dog to
learn the basic commands, depending on
its age, its learning ability and how much
time you commit to practice.
 If you’ve never trained a dog before you
might run into some difficulties at
first, but it will get easier with time.

17. To get the best results always give
instructions clearly and confidently, and
praise your dog for good behavior and
obeying commands.
Try clicker training for an easy and
effective way to train your dog quickly!

18. Tip No.4 – Get A Health Check-Up

An underlying health problem could also
be the reason why your dog is showing
signs of aggression. A dog with an illness
that is making it feel unwell, or an injury
that is causing it pain, can feel very
vulnerable, irritable and defensive.

19. Animals don’t always show how bad they
feel, and signs of serious pain or illness
often go unnoticed.
So, even if you don’t believe there is
anything wrong with your dog health
wise, take it to the vet for a complete
physical examination anyway.

20. Early Warning Signs Of Territorial
Aggression In A Dog

Be aware of the fact that biting is not
always the first indication of a problem.
In the early stages some dogs may just
occasionally bare their teeth or growl at
someone they don’t know. It’s when a
dog realizes that this is an effective way
to make people back away that the real
problems begin.

21. Also, some dogs will just bark, but if they
start wagging their tails as well when
strangers approach it’s not a good
sign, and could result in someone being
seriously hurt! This is because many
people mistakenly think that a dog
barking at them, but wagging its tail, is
only bluffing and will try to make friends
with it, only to be bitten on the hand, or
worse.

22. Some people will also ignore these dogs
for the same reason, turn to walk away
and get bitten on the back of the leg.
This type of behavior is a sign that a dog
is very unsure of itself, and very
unstable. It wants to be friends, but the
urge to protect its territory is often very
strong, and should be taken very
seriously.

23. In Conclusion

While you might not think your dog is
capable of hurting anyone, until it’s
aggressive behavior has been brought
totally under control, and stopped for
good, you are going to have to assume
that it could possibly bite someone.

24. Keep children away from your dog at all
times while it is going through training
for aggression.
Even when you are convinced that your
dog no longer has issues and has been
well behaved for several months, stay
close by and keep a very watchful eye on
any child that approaches your dog, or
vice versa.

25. Territorial aggression in dogs can be
treated very successfully and stopped
quickly if you put the tips I have shared
with you into action, but remember, if
you fail to see any results after a couple
of weeks do seek expert help, and if your
dog has already bitten someone or
attempted to, find a reputable dog
behavior specialist to help you as soon as
possible.
 http://www.bestobediencetraining4dogs.com/