What do I do for Dog to Dog aggression?

Items to Focus on:

1. Focuses on remaining calm and in control, Do Not expect the attack to happen.
2. Pay attention to body language on both dogs (ear position, tail level, whale eye/stair downs, head and body stance, raised hackles, raised paws   head, yawning and stress indicators).
3. Use your body language and sounds to stop aggression before it escalates. (Don’t yell and thrash around, step into the dog challenging and in a deep quiet voice use a word to stop the behavior).

Exercises to do:

If actual aggression has already started contact us for a consultation before trying any exercises!

1. Do not favor the dog perceived as being the victim, this only causes more aggression.
2. Walk both dogs together on lead with backpacks containing weight. While walking make sure both dogs are focused on you, not going ahead of you. Do Not let either dog focus on the other dog, if one starts focusing on the other immediately divert her attention away and back onto you. This can be a snap, a touch to the neck or rear quarters or a correction on lead.
3. Using treats bring the dogs together in command mode with the focus on you. Have them sit together, lie down together and make sure they know you are in charge of the exercise and food.
4. Keep treats in your pocket and when the dogs are together in a calm state reward them with praise and treats, while using a word such as good nice or friendly.
5. Increase exercise in order to keep them tired if possible.
6. Do not leave toys or bones lying around the house that can cause conflict.
7. Make sure you control play time not the dogs, you decide when and how long play time is.
8. If one dogs starts to act aggressive or challenge the other bring the aggressive one out of the room, banishing her from the pack for at least 10 minutes. When reuniting ignore them as you would regularly and if any aggressive body language persists re-banish for longer time period.
9. Do not comfort or reward bad body language of either dog, with pets or praise.

What creates Leadership, Balance and Harmony?

The biggest factor in success or failure is consistency. These steps must become a way of life and be practiced by everyone in the house all the time. When a dog sees that you act like a leader sometimes and not others it causes anxiety and confusion, in their world if you are not going to be the pack leader full time one of them will have to step up and take on the role vacated by you. Dogs in nature crave leadership and are the happiest when a strong leader is in place and they know what their place in the pecking order is. Even after you achieve success you must always maintain the alpha role through consistency in order to keep a happy pack.