Let me ask you a simple question.  Do you know how important it is to socialize your dog?  Do you even know what socializing your dog is?  Learn how this important aspect of dog training can prevent aggression in dogs later on.

What Does Socializing Your Dog Mean?

Actually, it’s pretty simple.  What you’re doing is getting your dog accustomed to strangers, both human and animal.  It also includes taking your dog lots of places so that he’s used to different environments. 

This process can be so much fun that most people don’t take it seriously.  But if your dog hasn’t been socialized properly, he may become timid and fearful.  A pup who’s scared is more likely to develop some dog behavior problems that are very hard to get rid of. Aggression toward strangers can lead to biting people, while aggression toward other animals leads to fights with other dogs.

Fear Aggression In Dogs

If your pooch is not exposed to lots of different people when he’s between the ages of three and twelve weeks, he may develop fear aggression in dogs as he gets older.  This is characterized by him displaying suspicion and mistrust around people he doesn’t know. 

A dog that shows a lot of fear around strangers when he’s very young has a good chance of becoming fear aggressive as he gets older.  If your pup backs away from strangers while barking at them, this is a tip-off for you that this condition could be his problem.  In this case, you really need to concentrate on getting your dog used to other people.

Aggression Towards Other Animals

If your dog is not friendly towards other dogs, he probably doesn’t know how to interact with other canines.  This is because he never learned the proper social skills as a puppy. 

Sometimes a dog owner unknowingly causes aggression between strange dogs.  If you tighten the leash and pull your dog closer every time you see a strange canine, you’re communicating your unease to your dog.  If this happens repeatedly, your dog learns to get tense whenever another dog gets close.  He wants the other dog to stay at a distance, so your dog growls and barks at the stranger to accomplish this.

Plus, tightening the leash tells your dog that he can’t run away.  The only option he has left is to fight.  Pulling back on his leash also forces him to lean forward on his front feet.  The other dog may think he’s being threatened, and the result can be a dog fight.

Socializing Your Dog Prevents Aggressive Dog Behavior

You can see that neglecting to socialize your dog at a young age can lead to many dog behavior problems as he gets older.  It’s important to expose your pup to a wide variety of people to be sure he doesn’t develop fear aggression in dogs when he’s around strangers. 

Even more important is to make sure your young puppy has plenty of opportunity to interact with other pups.  This is how he learns to be a dog, and how to behave around other dogs.

You need to watch your own behavior to be sure you’re not inadvertently training your dog to be aggressive towards other dogs. 

Now that you have this information, you can take steps to socialize your dog properly to prevent aggressive dog behavior.

By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have a better understanding of fear aggression in dogs.  Plus you’ll also know several dog training behavior modification techniques to use when dealing with this problem in your dog.

What Causes Dog Behavior Problems Like This One?

Fear aggression in dogs can have many causes.  Certain dog breeds, like the herding breeds, are more prone to this problem than others.  Neglecting to socialize your dog when he’s a puppy can contribute to canine aggression towards strangers.  Past abuse may also be a factor.

Even if puppy socialization isn’t an issue, many dogs go through a “shy” period when they hit adolescence at around six months.  It’s important to keep exposing your pup to lots of situations to avoid him becoming wary of new people and new animals.



Dog Behavior Modification Techniques

If your dog is already displaying fear aggression, here are six steps for dog training behavior modification you can use to desensitize your dog to strangers.  What you’ll be doing is teaching your dog that strangers are great!

To start, you’ll need a few volunteers to act as strangers.  You dog also needs to be on a leash so he’s under your control at all times.

First, you need to identify your dog’s favorite treat.  It shouldn’t be something he gets on a regular basis.  Steak, liver, chicken, cheese, hot dogs, whatever it is, it should be something he absolutely loves.

Second, the only time he gets this favorite treat is when a stranger is present.  You’re training your dog to associate this wonderful treat with a stranger being around.

Third, figure out what is triggering your dog to show canine aggression.  He may be OK if strangers are outside, but not in the home.  He may be scared of all men, certain men, or kids.  Do sudden movements, or somebody getting too close agitate him?  Observe him carefully to see what sets him off.

The fourth step is to expose your dog to a stranger.  Stay inside your dog’s comfort zone.  You want to move slowly so you don’t provoke him to an aggressive display.  Your dog should know a stranger is around, but he shouldn’t be overly concerned about it. 

Fifth, as soon as your dog is aware of the stranger, start feeding him treats.  Sixth, before the dog starts getting aggressive toward the stranger, you either have the stranger leave, or your and your dog will leave.

It’s very important that your dog is continuing to eat the treats.  If he won’t eat, then the stranger is too close.  If the dog isn’t relaxed enough to eat, you’re moving too quickly with the dog training behavior modification. 

Remember that you aren’t rewarding your dog for doing something right.  What you’re doing is changing his emotional state.

More Tips For Dog Behavior Modification

You’ll continue to work within your dog’s comfort zone, varying the distance the stranger is from your dog.  The stranger may be six feet away one day, eight the next, seven after that.  As long as aggressive dog behavior isn’t seen, you’re doing fine. 

Continue these steps for several weeks.  Now you’re going to start working outside your dog’s comfort zone by having the stranger come a little closer, maybe five feet away.  Keep working to reduce the distance your dog is from the stranger. 

You can see that this is a long, slow process.  It can be tempting to try to move along faster, but if you push too hard, you can undo all your hard work.  Keep the training sessions short, and end the session if your dog is getting nervous.

Do yourself a favor and find a good dog training course.  This can be a very helpful aid when using dog behavior modification techniques.  You’ll want to look for one that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer so you can get help, if necessary.