As written in the second part, Sovereign Leadership in Dog Training – accept that you have a problem. You will need to take precautions and may need certain supplies. Organize your dog's environment to avoid problems. Keep your dog safe when you cannot supervise him. People and other living beings must not be harmed by your dog.
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Taking control
Be up walks vigilant. You may need to politely ask people who approach you and your dog to keep their distance. Stay positive, otherwise your dog might feel compelled to become even more defensive. Your tension is transferred to your dog.
- Don't let your dog run loose in public if it could be dangerous.
- Find out as precisely as possible in which situations an aggressive reaction is triggered in your dog.
You must definitely avoid such situations during behavior change training. With each repetition, a behavior becomes more practiced and anchored more firmly. In all cases of living with your dog that are controllable, it is now up to you to decide whether the dog receives a reward or not and whether it has to work for it. The dog must be interested in all desirable things in life, from now on directed towards you and do something. Demand something from him, for example, to sit down for a short time before he gets his food, to be allowed to go outside, to get out of the car, to have the collar put on, etc.
However, the whole thing should be playful, not in a barracks style. Such an approach gives you the opportunity to organize your dog's life according to clear rules. Such an approach gives an insecure dog more security and self-confidence and a dog that strives for control to orientate itself towards you.
Types of muzzles:
The closest accessory to increase safety is a Muzzle. Have this adjusted by someone who knows something about it and slowly get your dog used to it. There are two types of muzzles.
- One consists of a kind of mesh made of leather, metal or plastic and is more suitable if the dog has to wear it for a longer period of time. It ensures that the dog can pant.
- The other type is often used by dog groomers or veterinarians. It is made of leather or nylon and is very tight so that the dog can hardly open the muzzle. This is only acceptable if the dog only wears it briefly, in cool weather and does not undertake any physical exertion.
How to slowly get your dog used to a muzzle is described below:
Five steps to getting a dog used to a muzzle
- Ensures that there is play, attention and treats, if possible several times a day, for a few days. only in connection with that short Putting on the muzzle occurs.
- Approximately 5th day: Hold a treat in your hand at the same time as the muzzle and in such a way that the dog can only reach it if he puts his nose in the muzzle.
- Approximately 7th day: Repeat step 2 several times a day, but leave the muzzle on while you continue to feed several treats.
- Approximately 8th day: Put the muzzle on your dog and now give the treats with short breaks in between.
- Approximately 9th day: Give the treats at increasing intervals and gradually eliminate them completely, but replace them with going outside or other things that the dog finds exciting.
If you do that Wearing the muzzle associated with positive things and experiences that are not often available, your dog should like the muzzle. When you come with the muzzle, he should wag his tail in joy! Many dogs need to wear a muzzle during training and should have learned to like and accept it. If this is not the case, the dog may find it annoying and will not be able to concentrate on training.
Getting your dog used to a Halti:
The Halti is a head halter for the dog. It lies around the muzzle, runs to the neck and is closed behind the ears. The leash is hooked with one hook under the dog's chin and with the other hook on the collar or harness. This gives you significantly better control of your dog when going for a walk. It is used to steer the dog's head in a certain direction if necessary. However, there is the following to note:
Under no circumstances should you work with a leash on a dog wearing a halter. This would be dangerous and could lead to serious injuries to the dog. Used with a Halti never a flexi leash or tow leash. Also make sure that your dog never uses the full length of the dog leash and pulls when he is wearing a head holder. Never pull your dog back on the head holder.
The same applies here: As described above, when getting used to the muzzle, first get your dog used to wearing a muzzle using positive reinforcement.
Avoid repetitions.
Once you have identified which stimulus causes an aggressive reaction in your dog, it is essential to avoid that stimulus at all costs until it can be specifically addressed through training.
In order to avoid critical situations, you have to become creative, think flexibly and question your current priorities. For example, you want to take your dog to visit a friend in town, but if your dog has already shown aggressive behavior under similar circumstances, then you may have to avoid it for a while. It shouldn't be forever.
Author: Melanie Weber-Tilse
Article series “Aggression in dogs”
Part 1: Reasons for aggression from dogs to people
Part 2: Confident leadership role in dog training
Part 3: The basic program
Part 4: Obedience training