Instructions
Take your dog to your vet to get a full checkup. Dogs will sometimes exhibit aggression because they are hurt or sick. Your vet can help you rule out this possibility and may also be able to give you some guidance on working with your dog to reduce aggression. Unless you plan to breed your dog, neutering is a must to prevent or reduce aggressive behavior in male dogs.
Identify the situations in which your dog shows aggressive behavior. Females who are pregnant or have new puppies can be characteristically aggressive to anything or anyone they deem a threat. This is normal maternal behavior; just learn to respect her boundaries. Other dogs may feel threatened by the presence of another animal or be anxious about defending their food, turf or toys. You may need the help of a canine behavior professional, because the cause of aggression isn't always evident to the untrained eye.
Avoid activities that could elicit aggression. Seemingly harmless and affectionate actions like hugging your dog could actually be a trigger for aggression. Respect the dog's boundaries and keep alert to your his body language. If the fur on the back rises, the ears lie flat, the eyes focus sharply or the teeth are showing, dog language is telling you to disengage from the situation.
Hand out praise and treats in a step-by-step program to desensitize your dog to the situations that make him aggressive. Calm down a food guarder by handing him his kibble one piece at a time. While praising him, take a piece out of the bowl after you feed him one. He'll gradually get used to the idea that you're the boss of the food. Or walk an antisocial dog a good distance from just one other dog, praising and treating for continued nonaggressive behavior. Keep good control of the leash. Slowly increase the proximity and number of other dogs over time as your dog tolerates it. If necessary, hire a professional canine behaviorist to work with you and your dog to determine appropriate exposure to situations that trigger aggression.
Calm yourself down when working with your dog. Dogs are adept at picking up your emotional energy, so if you're angry or nervous, they will know and may become aggressive in an effort to protect or dominate you. Practice being a calm, assertive leader for your dog and let him learn to trust your instincts.
Practice positive reinforcement exclusively---never use punishment on any dog, especially one that can be aggressive. Punishment will lead only to increased aggressive behavior. Positive reinforcement used consistently gets the best results and develops the pet-owner bond, cutting down on aggressive behavior. Food equals love to dogs as well as humans!
How to Cure Dog Aggression
Dog aggression can be caused by many different reasons, from protection of territory to food guarding to a display of dominance. Regardless of the cause, dog aggression is a serious problem that is best dealt with sooner than later, before it becomes so ingrained in a dog that it cannot be extinguished. Most aggressive dogs can learn to relax with some consistent, calm leadership from the alpha dog: you. With a limited-exposure step-by-step process, you can help your dog become your best friend again.