Preventing Dog Aggressive Behavior: Fun & Easy Tips & Tricks

For this Omaha dog training session we shared some tips to stop dog aggressive behavior to help 3 year-old Akita Senshi stop being reactive at the sight of unknown dogs.

Many people use the word dog aggressive for dogs who are reactive. In the dog behavior world, we try to stay away from labels like “dog aggressive behavior” because, more often than not, its not actually aggression.

What does Dog Aggressive Behavior Look Like?

When a dog barks and lunges at other dogs, often its because they’re trying to get the other dog to move away. A dog might react this way for several reasons. These include fear, excitement, frustration, territoriality, or not enough socialization. Sure there are situations where its dog aggressive behavior, but in my experience working with thousand of dogs, its often not the case.

Fear often occurs when a dog hasn’t been properly socialized which cases many dogs to see other dogs as threats to discover that they are insecure. When this is the case it is certainly not aggression, but often labeled that way.

Another emotion that can be confused is excitement which can trigger barking and pulling, especially in playful breeds that want to interact but can’t due to the leash. Territorial dogs may act “aggressively,” seeing other dogs as intruders in their space. This happens a lot when dogs bark at the door. This is why many dogs sit at the door watching over thier “territory” for invaders.

The behavior is meant to make the other dog move away. In some cases it is aggression, but most of the time its just a form of communcation. After all, how else does a dog get another dog to get out of the yard?

Another factor can be frustration for many things; when a dog is on a leash and unable to approach or interact freely with another dog. Or if you are using a punishment based device like a prong collar.  Definately not the case here. Senshi’s guardian would never use such a tool on her boy!

Lastly, dogs that haven’t been trained properly may not know how to behave calmly when encountering other dogs. The bucking, barking and lunging can cause many people to think its dog aggressive behavior.

A significant issue with this dog behavior problem is the reactivity (how we prefer to label these outbursts) appears to work. Senshi barks and the other dog goes away. He doesn’t understand that dog was on a walk, only briefly passing by his home. He just wants the dog to go away and uses the method that works best.

How to Stop a Dog from Dog Aggressive Behavior

To stop a dog from lunging or acting aggressively towards other dogs, it’s best to make your furry friend feel more comfortable. We call this changing the dog’s emotional response. Rememebr our goal is to stop dog reactivity.

There are many ways to create a positive association with the other dog. Frequently by offering treats or some form of licking. Licking has the benefit of releasing oxytocin, the “feel good hormone.” This is a wonderful way to change dog aggressive behavior into a positive emotional response.

I pulled out my camera to film a tip on how to prevent dog aggression. We call this the engage disengage game and its a go to method used by dog behavior experts to change a dog’s emotional response and stop dog reactivity.

The engage disengage game is a useful technique to stop dog reactivity, whether it’s out of fear or excitement.

The goal is to teach your dog to see the trigger, like another dog, as a positive. As soon as they look at the dog, you say your marker word which causes them to quickly turn their attention back to you to get the treat.

This accomplishes two wonderful things. First, it helps your dog practice turning away from the thing that makes them act out. But secondly, it gradually changes the way the dog thinks about whatever it was just looking at. With enough practice, the dog looks at the thing as an inidicator something good is going to happen.

Before starting, I recommend your dog has burned off some energy and is in a calm state. The goal of this exercise is your dog practices being calm. If it has too much energy or starts off excited / upset, you make it harder to stop the dog aggression or reactivity.

When playing the Engage Disengage game, the distance between you and the trigger is important. Your dog should be close enough to see the other dog, but far enough away that they don’t react. If your dog starts barking or lunging, you’re too close. If that happens, move away until your dog returns to calm, then return to the previous locaiton, but take a few additonal steps back.

To begin, have someone walk past you and your dog while you wait for your dog to look at the trigger. As soon as they look, click your clicker or use a marker word and reward with a treat. The key is to reward your dog for looking at the trigger calmly and then looking back at you.

Repeat this in short 3-6 minute practice sessions, always ending ona good repetirion.  Over time, your dog will learn to look at you as soon as they hear the click or marker word.

If your dog starts freezing or acting uncomfortable, you may be too close, so watch for those indicators. If you spot them, increase the distance and try again. Only move to the next stage (close) when your dog is consistently looking back at you within a few seconds of seeing the trigger.

In the second stage, the goal is for your dog to turn away from the trigger and focus on you without needing a click or treat. This may take several practice sessions. Once your dog is disengaging easily, try practicing from different angles and gradually increase the speed of the trigger.

Tips to Stop Dog Reactivity

Anyone can do this simple dog training exercise. You don’t need to be a professional Akita dog trainer to succeed. Just be sure to go at your dg’s pace and avoid them getting reactive.

Keep training sessions short—about five minutes at a time. If your dog seems frustrated, end the session on a positive note by rewarding them for something simple like sitting. Afterward, give your dog some fun time, like a walk or play, to keep things positive.

Training a dog to stop barking at other dogs isn’t hard with the right approach. Just be sure to keep the appropriate distance and avoid getting too close, too fast. When correcting any unwanted dog behavior, you need to work at the dog’s pace. I would like to see the guardian practice this simple technique daily, or as often as possible.

Be patient and consistent. If your dog struggles, it’s okay to go back to earlier steps. The goal is to help your dog stay calm and focused when they see things that used to cause a reaction.

A Few Other Tips to Stop Dog Aggressive Behavior

Building up a dog’s confidence is a sneaky way to stop dog reactivity. Just like people, confidence is a wonderful insulator. The more confident a dog is, the more relaxed they are in general.

An easy way to boost a dog’s confidence is to celebrate desired behaviors. Basically reward tyour dog when ity does things you like. Dog sits, you say “yes” then pet it under its chin. Dog come to you, say “yes and give it a treat or pet. The more you reward your dog for the things you want, the more they will do those things.

And the more your dog knows what you want, the more confident they become. It may seem too easy to just pet your dog when it voluntarily does things you like to boost its confidence, but it works.

You can also teach it a new trick like how to back up on cue, brush up on basic obedience lessons like sit and down or develop a rock solid recall. In addition to teaching new skills, teaching your dog these things deepens their bond with you. All wonderful ways to boost its confidence.

I recommend that Senshi’s guardian take note of the days and times when people are walking their dogs. This will help her identify good opportunities for practice. Another option is to ask friends or neighbors with dogs for help, using the steps I shared in the free positive dog training video above.

With plenty of high-value treats and consistent practice, I’m confident that Senshi and his dedicated guardian can overcome his dog aggression and help him become more relaxed and well-behaved around other dogs.