Dogs that are territorial are generally stressed or fear driven. They see another animal or human approaching as a threat. When dogs feel threatened, they either “flight, freeze or fight”. In this case, the “fight” triggers the lunge.
A buckle collar can put a lot of pressure on your dog's throat when they lunge. A front-clip harness is a better choice. It will put the pressure on your dog's chest and help turn them back toward you when they spring forward. A head halter (also called a head harness) is another option for a leash-reactive dog.
1. Calmly remove your dog from the situation. No scolding, no yelling, and no physical punishment. Gently take hold of her collar, lead her to a quiet room away from the action, and leave her there with a bowl of water and a chew toy.
Is training an aggressive dog possible? Yes. Aggression in dogs, whether it be toward a dog's owner or other dogs, is a serious behavior that should be adjusted with the help of a professional dog trainer.
Physical punishment should never be a course of action following a puppy or dog bite. Tapping or popping them on the nose can be misunderstood and seen as being playful. This could also encourage more unwanted biting behavior. Hitting a dog, or being too rough with a dog, frequently encourages more biting as well.
If the dog is attacking you, or you are defending someone else from attack by that dog, it is absolutely OK to use any means necessary to stop the attack. Hitting isn't very effective at stopping a dog attack, however. When a dog is in a fight, pain is not usually going to deter them.
Dog aggression can be related to fear, prey drive, socialization issues, and guarding territory, among other things. Most aggressive behavior in dogs stems from fear and anxiety, rather than the desire to hurt others. A certified animal behaviorist can help you safely deal with your dog's aggressive behavior.
A dog will push against you because he wants attention, affection, and comfort. They're smart enough to know that they will get a certain response by leaning on their owners. According to dog experts, canines will push against their owners to show love and seek out touch.
What do Puppies Want? Puppies (like toddlers) will jump, lunge, bark, chew, and chase because they are; excited, highly distractible, overstimulated, need to meet that dog or person, and/or want your attention!
Lunging and mouthing are typical ways for dogs to play with each other. This play behavior is especially common in puppyhood, but can continue into adulthood. Certain breeds are more likely to jump up toward the face during play, rather than focusing on the paws, chest or side as other breeds may do.
The key is to make sure both dogs are engaging at similar levels and do not look stressed. If both dogs are play bowing, bouncy, or seem to exaggerate their movements and vocalizations, it's likely a play session. Another good indication of play is sneezing.
There are many steps to take to help curb puppy biting and others you should avoid, including: Don't yell at your puppy, tap your puppy on the nose or hold their mouth shut when they bite. This will only confuse your puppy and teach them not to trust you when you want to play.
Don't “Bite Your Puppy Back”
For some reason, this response to puppy nipping has been making the rounds on social forums, and you should completely avoid this. First off, your puppy knows you're not a dog, so biting them back doesn't have the same meaning as when a dog does it to them.
Things You Should Do When Working with an Aggressive Dog:
Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise and other canine enrichment activities. Maintain a calm demeanor around your pet. Use positive reinforcement and reward-based training techniques. Purchase and use a muzzle if your dog bites or you suspect he may.
Aggression in dogs commonly includes body language or threat displays such as a hard stare, growling, barking, snarling, lunging, snapping, and/or biting. Aggression can be a normal form of communication in dogs, yet the display of aggression toward a person or animal is often considered undesirable or problematic.
First, stop your dog in the act of whatever he's doing, then give him a different, pet parent-approved option. For example, if you walk into a room and notice him chewing your shoes or hairbrush, swiftly tell him "No!" and take the item out of his mouth. Once your dog is calm, present him with an actual chew toy.
Negative Punishment (-P): If you want your dog to repeat a behavior less frequently, remove any reward or perceived award for the behavior. This should happen rarely – focus on reinforcement. Think of positive and negative in the addition/subtraction sense.