How to Stop My Dog’s Aggression Towards Other Dogs

Dogs are typically aggressive towards other dogs when defending their territory or a possession such as food or a toy. If they think the other dog is a threat, they might act aggressively. In the wild, aggression is also a method by which dogs assert their dominance and establish rank within the pack. If you are the owner of more than one dog or if you often take your pet to locations like a park for exercise, you can keep these pointers in mind to deter fights and aggressive behavior.

• You could consider neutering your dog but a spayed dog is less of a threat to other dogs and your pet is more likely to get targeted.
• Distract your dog by calling to it and diverting its attention towards yourself. Maintain eye contact until it calms down.
• Walk your dog away from the other dog and if they do get into a fight turning on a water hose is the best way to separate them.
• Never give your dog special treats like pig hooves or rawhides when there is a chance there will be other dogs around.

If you have multiple dogs in your household, here’s what you need to do:

• Keep their feeding areas separate and when giving out treats, make them sit in distinct places and set down the treat in front of each.
• If the dogs are likely to fight over toys, put them in different rooms when giving them toys.
• Make sure the dogs don’t play tug-of-war games. These can turn into a fight quickly.
• If your dogs are playing, keep a close watch on them and if you sense the play is becoming aggressive, break it up and separate the dogs immediately. Soon your dogs will learn to control their aggression because the fun stops.

For more tips, check with your trainer or behavior specialist and if you suspect a medical problem, schedule a visit to the vet.