Today we're diving deep into a topic That is often misunderstood and can be Daunting for many dog Guardians Whoa dude chill there's two types of Dogs in the world BarkBox dogs and super Chewer dogs here's some examples of Super chewer toys you can see how super Durable they are let me show you what I Mean Super chewer toys are designed for Dogs with exceptional strength you're Really going to get some of the most Innovative dog toys out there and it's Still a cute toy BarkBox offers still Very robust but more gentle toys for our Spirited yet less ferocious dogs still Incredibly durable you can see how tight The seams are here they're very strong And you always get a couple of bags of Really high value treats too the treats Are a hit every single month with our Dogs they smell just like pumpkin pie What with pumpkin and cinnamon look at These liver Crunchies inertia back up Lie down I would say these are some of The highest value rewards you can give Your dog bark has an amazing offer this Month this is different you can get your Choice of a fun boy toy when you sign up For a bark subscription I'll have a link Below dog aggression is not a topic we Can skim over it's complex it's layered And it requires a nuanced understanding I want to disclose that I am not a Animal behaviorist or a Veterinary
Behaviorist those are the professions or Fields of study that I work with to get All of my information before I pass on Training advice to you I encourage you To fact check everything that we say in This video when we talk about dog Aggression we're not categorizing a dog As an aggressive dog instead we're Acknowledging that a dog may display Aggressive behavior in a specific Context and in some cases it can lead to Tragic outcomes if it's not Appropriately managed addressing Aggression is not about quick fixes ever Instead it requires a thoughtful Case-by-case approach often involving Professional help as much as I wish I Didn't have to say this up for front we Have to address the misinformation as it Relates to dog aggression and look I Understand that many people watching This are desperate for Solutions so many Resources including a significant number Of videos on social media tend to Address the symptom the aggressive Behavior instead of addressing the Underlying cause virtually no cases of Aggression are going to be resolved in a Single training session but the bottom Line is that there are so many harmful Practices as it relates to addressing Aggression out there for instance we've All seen these videos where dogs might Appear rehabilitated because of their
More subdued Behavior but this is Usually the sign of a fearful shutdown Dog rather than a genuinely calmer or Happier dog this misconception is a Severe issue in the dog training Community today and it is a prevalent Source of misinformation for a deeper Understanding of this problem including Extensive scientific research I'll have A link to my video the dog training Crisis in the description of this video Aggression in dogs is a behavior that Involves threats or harmful actions Directed towards another individual that Could be a human or another animal it Can manifest in many ways including Growliers and snarling But remember aggression is a symptom not A diagnosis to describe a dog when dogs Behave aggressively it's a sign that They're stressed they're uncomfortable Or they're scared and it's our job to do Our best to try to figure out why that Is because if we understand why then we Know how to address it it's generally Accepted in the scientific community That genetics can play a role in how an Individual dog displays aggression but There's a wide range of other factors Including the dog's upbringing Socialization training health and Environment whether they are a normally Playful dog who just happens to be Guarding their toy because they love it
So much a small dog who's reacting Fearfully to a tall loud stranger an Older dog with arthritis lashing out due To chronic pain or even a relatively Tame dog reacting aggressive Aggressively to aversive dog training Methods aggression can manifest in Virtually any dog under the right Circumstances so it's not really Accurate to say this dog is aggressive It's more accurate to say this dog is Displaying aggression because and this Because is likely due to fear stress or Anxiety aggression can stem from a Multitude of causes in general animal Behaviorists refer to aggressive Behaviors as distance increasing Behaviors that's because these actions Typically serve to create more space Between the dog and the thing that's Causing them to feel uneasy take Something like a growl and you see that That's often very effective in creating Distance between the dog and the person A dog might behave aggressively out of Fear for its own safety or anxiety about A specific situation the dog isn't Behaving this way because they're bad or Dominant they're most likely simply Reacting to a perceived threat Understanding this can completely shift The way we approach aggressive behavior With our dogs using punishment in your Training might stop aggressive behavior
Temporarily but it doesn't do anything To address the perceived threat from Your dog the data shows that it has the Likelihood of introducing unintended Side effects those side effects can Include heightened fear and anxiety Which often contributes to more Aggressive behavior in the long term and On the other hand there are ways to Immediately bring a stop to aggressive Behavior without detrimental side Effects we do that through management by Using management strategies that we're Going to talk about in a moment we are Gradually addressing the underlying Causes of the aggression in this case Keeping your dog away from various Triggers that might cause them to behave Aggressively it reduces those perceived Threats we were talking about plus it Keeps your dog from having additional Instances of aggression because the more An undesired Behavior occurs the more Likely it is to in the future in many Cases our first order of business is on Immediate and effective management Strategies such as simply separating two Dogs that are prone to get into physical Altercations thereby immediately Preventing any and all aggressive Encounters with that dog so now we've Got control of the dog and we can begin To delve deeper into addressing the Underlying cause of this Behavior now
Simultaneously while we have our dogs Under control we work on alleviating the Dog's fear and anxiety which as we now Know are often underlying causes of Aggression you're getting it now right Recognizing the signs of aggression is a Crucial step in preventing potentially Dangerous situations these signs can be Subtle or they could be more overt and They often appear as part of a sequence Known as the latter of aggression or as Some are saying ladder of communication This is a concept that represents the Escalation of your dog's aggressive Behavior at first it begins with the More subtle signs such as your dog lip Licking avoiding eye contact or more Excessive yawning and you might notice That as your dog becomes more stressed Or threatened those little signs start To escalate into more obvious behaviors Like growling snapping or lunging if These signs continue to escalate your Dog will get to a point where they feel Like they have no other option and That's when biting typically happens It's also worth noting that sometimes Dogs appear to skip steps in this ladder Of communication too understanding this Ladder of communication really helps us Understand when our dogs are likely Feeling uncomfortable and if we can Identify those we can start to avoid Those potential threats that our dogs
Are feeling and address it right then And right there this understanding Allows us to intervene early potentially Avoiding harmful situations for example Let's say that your dog starts to yawn More or lick their lips and avoid eye Contact when you have a certain friend Or relative that visits rather than just Pushing your dog to interact with that Person give your dog some space maybe Consider giving your friends some treats To toss over to your dog you might Manage your dog by having them on a Leash while at the same time trying to Give your dog some positive experiences If your dog is at that level and they're Comfortable with that otherwise it might Make more sense to have your dog in a Bedroom while your friend visits and Address it at another time maybe your Dog experiencing the person from another Room might make it more bearable and Show them that hey nothing bad happens Especially if you give them something to Enjoy while they're in the room another Aspect of canine Behavior that's Sometimes relevant to aggression is What's known as the predatory sequence Now predatory might sound alarming so Let me clarify it's simply a term that Refers to a natural instinct that dogs Have that comes from their ancestors Which were hunters and those instincts Can sometimes influence a dog's Behavior
Including those we refer to as Aggressive the predatory sequence Describes the stages a predator goes Through when they're hunting searching Stalking chasing catching and finally Killing now in domestic dogs you rarely See that sequence in its entirety Because in large part we have the Ability to prevent that behavior by Managing our dogs but fragments of the Sequence can still manifest in various Contexts and if you have a dog that Likes to chase squirrels that's part of The predatory sequence chasing or if Your dog starts to perk up because They're used to seeing deer on regular Walks and they're constantly scanning Their environment and searching for deer That's an early part of the predatory Sequence and it's very common now in Some cases a dog might direct some of These feelings towards inappropriate Targets like other pets or other people And that could often be perceived as Aggressive behavior but the emotions of Fear anxiety or stress aren't Necessarily present during this Behavior Which makes our approach to addressing It different in many cases giving dogs a Natural Outlet in order to experience Those behaviors like fetch which allows Them to chase bite run so even in these Cases where the behavior is more Predatory recognizing and understanding
Your individual dog's instincts can help Identify problems better and help you Address them better these inherited Behaviors in our dogs are instinctual Responses they're not premeditated or Malicious actions our dogs are simply Reacting to stimuli the way their genes Are telling them to your dog's body Language also plays a crucial role in You understanding your dog's Behavior Check out his pylo erection right now do You see that do you see these little Mohawk up here that's a dog that's a Little unsure a little thrown off by it He is below threshold so I think the Healthiest thing to do here is just let Them check it out dogs communicate Largely through body language which Gives us so many Clues as to their Specific emotional state for example a Dog that's feeling stressed or Uncomfortable might have their tail Between their legs or their ears may be Pinned back and flattened or they might Be really stiff these are the telltale Signs of a dog who's uncomfortable and Who might eventually escalate to Aggression if that stressor isn't Removed so let's say your dog exhibits Some of these stress signals when They're around young children I got Careless and I put biscuits in a Position to have her personal space Encroached upon by someone she isn't
Comfortable enough with yet now it's Obviously not enough to just recognize The signs we have to act on that now in This case you should create a safe space For your dog so that they have somewhere To be where they feel comfortable when Children are present and then you can Work on gradually and positively getting Your dog to associate children with good Things we also want to become proficient At redirecting our dog into acceptable Alternative or replacement behaviors Imagine your dog is about to engage in Aggressive behavior you notice the signs We just talked about the aim of Redirection is to shift your dog's Attention away from what's causing that Behavior initially and towards something That's likely to give them a safer more Positive experience that can range from Getting them to play with a toy or Getting them to engage in some basic Training or it might mean just letting Them sit and be neutral because the Ultimate goal is to intervene and not Allow your dog to experience these Triggers so directly until they're more Prepared for them what we're striving Towards is replacing this behavior for One that we want them to do instead now Keep in mind when we redirect our dogs And we give them something alternative To do instead that this is a way to Manage them if things start to escalate
And sometimes we can create positive Experiences during those moments but Ideally we want to not put our dog in a Situation where they feel they need to React we really should be honest about Something though because like when our Dogs behave aggressively that can be Triggering to us in those moments it Feels easier to justify really harsh Physical corrections to offset the Aggressive behavior from your dog how we Respond when our dog does have an Outburst can really influence how our Dog responds if we respond Inappropriately we risk exacerbating the Problem and this seems to be Particularly true when it comes to the Use of aversive dog training methods by Aversive we simply mean methods that use Physical discomfort or pain mean to Discourage specific behaviors in this Case aggressive behavior and while the Math may appear to check out that okay If you behave inappropriately and lunge Out I'm going to physically correct you So much to make you not want to do that Again how do I know the dog hasn't Associated that firm correction with the Thing that was causing them fear stress Or anxiety and so if that thing comes in The future haven't I now said not only Were you scared before you were right to Be scared because you had a severe Correction and that's why it's
Problematic to address Aggressive behavior with forceful Methods and remember these methods while They might get the dog under control in That moment remember they don't address The underlying cause and we're not going To get anywhere until we do that and the Double whammy here is that they often Add to a dog's fear stress or anxiety Which are the actual root causes of most Types of aggression we don't want to Punish the aggression out of our dogs Each case of aggressive behavior with Dogs is unique and requires a tailored Approach first and most important step In addressing many dogs aggression is to Seek professional help you could reach Out to a certified dog behavior Consultant or a credential dog Behaviorist who does not use aversive Dog training methods which I don't think Any credential dog behaviors would use Aversive dog training methods sometimes People call themselves dog behaviorists When they're just saying it not that Doesn't make them credentialed they Haven't done years of schooling these Days there are so many people you can go To virtually we'll have some people that You can virtually consult with in the Comments that we trust and think are Great so here are some general Strategies that might be helpful to you For managing your dog's aggression if
You know that certain situations or Animals or children or whatever it may Be cause your dog to feel uncomfortable In a way that might manifest as Aggressive behavior in the short term You want to avoid those triggers as much As possible I'm not saying this is a Solution to the problem but it gets Things under control so that you're now In a position to better address the Training without risk of relapse Essentially that really means that we Need to make efforts to modify our dog's Surroundings we have complete control of That within your home for example you Can create safe spaces for your dogs Utilizing baby gates or spare bedrooms You can modify your daily routine to Avoid stressful situations that might Involve taking your dog on a walk an Hour earlier than normal before most People get up or taking advantage of Rainy days to exercise your dog you're Doing great Haha And see there's a dog barking I'm Gonna Keep moving no need to stop because we Know he's sensitive to dogs and that's Really good or taking your dog to a more Peaceful environment to get some Exercise like a secure sniff spot or if Your neighborhood's too overwhelming at All hours of the day you can drive them To somewhere that's less overwhelming
For them there's always a way to break Things down a little bit smaller in Order to achieve success with your dog Desensitizing and cancer conditioning Our dog are very powerful approaches When it comes to addressing aggressive Behavior desensitization is the process Of gradually exposing your dog to things That cause them to feel uncomfortable But doing it in a way that attempts to Prevent or minimize that discomfort at All for example if your dog reacts Aggressively towards other dogs a Desensitization process might involve Having your dog observe dogs from a Distance where your dog is still more Comfortable and then gradually modify That distance while evaluating your Dog's emotional state the whole way now One of the things we can do to Accelerate this process is to counter Condition our dogs or change their Emotional response to these various Stimuli and the whole way we want to Make sure we're giving our dog positive Experiences and the idea is that over Time if she has enough experiences with Strangers dropping treats from the sky Around her that she's more likely to Start to associate good things with them Yes your goal isn't always to get your Dog to say love other dogs your goal is To get your dog to behave in a neutral Or acceptable way not all dogs are
Destined to play with all dogs but we Would like all dogs to feel more Comfortable and so by knowing your dog's Limits and making sure that you put them In situations that they're okay with Make sure they're getting regular Exercise that might contribute to reduce Stress with some dogs and that reduced Stress May in turn manifest as reduced Aggression in some cases in addition to Exercise make sure you're giving them Mental workouts this could include Training exercises or puzzle toys or Nose work activity anything that your Dog really finds value and fulfillments In make sure you pay attention to your Dog's diet because that can sometimes Affect their behavior as well very often A dog's a aggressive behavior can be Tied to health issues maybe they're in Pain and that's increasing their Likelihood to behave aggressively Sometimes or maybe their hormones are Out of whack or maybe they're just Getting older Consulting with a Veterinary professional should be one of Your first courses of action and Especially if the behavior appears out Of context or unusual for your dog a Veterinary professional can help you Check for potential causes as well as Help you manage your dog's aggression They might do this by treating pain or Giving your dog medication to support
Your dog's mental health I know that Behavioral medication can be a very Sensitive topic for a lot of people Remember medication doesn't mean simply Sedating your dog the goal is to help Them genuinely feel less anxious or Reactive keep in mind that broad changes In Behavior take time so it'll be very Important that you and anyone in that Dog's life are very consistent in how You approach various strategies bottom Line understand that aggression is Unique with every dog and requires a Nuanced understanding of your dog's Behavior it's not about labeling a dog As aggressive it's about understanding Why a dog behaves aggressively in Certain contexts and taking proactive Measures to address the underlying cause There are no quick fixes for aggressive Behavior it requires time patience and Consistency and often professional help From credentialed professionals not to Be confused with trainers who use Aversive dog training techniques thank You to our sponsor bark get your free Phone boy toy with my special links Below click Thumbs Up And subscribe and We'll see you in the next video
