A reactive dog does not become aggressive overnight. It becomes sensitized to stimulus, gradually and over a period of time. Often the owner or handler, looks back and can remember the first incident, but at the time it seemed minor. The aggression compounded over time, regardless of any efforts to extinguish the behaviour. The dog continued to react and repetitive behaviour became learnt behaviour. The more often the dog accessed the neural pathway the quicker and easier the behaviour triggered. Punishing the dog for aggressing may have worked to shut down the behaviour, but it didnt teach the dog to tolerate stimulus and decrease the stress on the animal. To begin treating aggression, we must first stop the dog from rehearsing the act of aggressing. However, to keep the dog from reacting, you may initially have avoid its triggers and teach it coping skills that will lend themselves to impulse control and handling the stress of the modern world. Ideally we want to expose the dog to small amounts of its triggers and teach it to handle the stress, so that it can learn to cope. This takes time, cannot be rushed and does not happen overnight!
One common characteristic I have found amongst aggressive dogs, is lack of impulse control. The dog simply cant control itself or its emotions under stress. Teaching our dogs to calm down and eventually putting it on cue takes time. We can teach the dog impulse control using toys and food and bridge this work to self control and controlling its impulse to overreact and aggress. For an excited, stressed out or fearful dog aggressing feels good and blows off a lot of steam. It allows the dog to release tension and frustration. The fear feels bad, but the outlet of stress feels good and often results in gained space or resource. Aggression in itself is a rewarding behaviour. That is why repeated aggression strengthens aggression and eventually the outburst become automatic emotional response systems. We need to teach the dog alternative behaviours that are incompatible to aggressing. To prevent rehearsal of aggression, we need to teach these behaviours outside the triggering stimulus. Start with no distractions and practice sits and focussed looks, as well as recalls, until they too are automatic response systems. Then we can use learnt impulse control when triggers are present.
I teach skills incompatible with aggression, without distractions and away from triggers, so I can use these skills when I need them. To put it simply, I am a better dog handler when my dog is not throwing a temper tantrum and my dog is actually able to pay attention to me when there are no other distractions. My fear aggressive dogs learn alternate behaviours like come or heeling off in another direction, or sit facing me, as well as calming down when I grab its collar. In order to do this you can teach the dog to calm down on cue using play. Get the dog excited, grab its collar with both hands, one on either side and gently pull up. With larger dogs I pull them up to my front, but with smaller dogs it is easier to bend down and do it to the side. The dog usually calms and I release the pressure, not the collar, just the tight hold. Keep calm and still, ask for a "look" or if the dog isnt already sitting and giving to the collar pressure, ask for a "sit". Now say "good" or "yes" to let the dog know it got it right, then release "okay". Now you can move onto other things or start the game again. Collar holds are very useful and when rehearsed, the dog will recognize the cues of collar pressure and can learn to succumb to a restrained sit. When the cues are easily recognized by the dog, it is easier for you to get the it under control. You dont want your dog to rehearse aggressing so this is a way to interrupt and redirect all aggressive behaviour. Practice your plan using play!
A rule of thumb, if you want your dog to calm down, you must calm down. If the dog gets excited, you get still. It brings the dogs energy down, or at the very least doesnt amp it up. However, we are human and we cant always preform well under stressful situations. If you find that are not capable of staying calm, practice calling the dog in your panicked voice when there are no triggers present. Use that loud voice and abrupt body language that you know you will use in the case of an aggressive display. Practice getting your dog to follow your change in direction, so you are getting the dog to react to your voice and body language, not just the leash. Ideally, the leash should be kept loose, but also rehearse you tight leash handling because that may be the grip you will use in case of emergency. Keep in mind though, constant leash corrections and constant pressure on the leash escalate aggressive behaviour because they activate the dogs natural resistance reflex. Nonetheless, you can teach the dog that your worried voice and tight leash doesnt mean anything bad is about to happen and that a sudden change in direction is a game. Desensitize your dog to your physical stress cues and if by chance you cant remain calm in the face of a potentially bad situation, at least you wont escalate the aggression by adding strange new body language into the mix. Practice all your leash handling skills when you dont need them, so they will be automatic when you do need them!
