by Chelsea Padget

Created on: December 23, 2011   Last Updated: December 26, 2011

There are many types of aggressive behaviors in dogs, including dominance, fear and prey or predator aggression. Aggressive behaviors in dogs should  be treated at as young an age as possible. Older dogs can also be trained to stop aggressive behavior. Because dogs live in the moment, it is never too late to change aggressive behavior in your dog. A combination of poor breeding and poor socializing are the two main causes of aggressive behaviors in dogs.

Aggressive behaviors in dogs is dangerous and is the result of lack of training and ignorance about pack order. Learning about the order of the pack can greatly help in the treatment of aggressive behavior in dogs. The dog should never be allowed to become the leader in the pack. The first step in treating aggressive behaviors in dogs is establishing yourself as the pack leader:

Pack leader: 

Before you begin any of the following treatments, you must establish yourself as the pack leader. Dogs who believe they are pack leader are the most aggressive. Establishing yourself as the pack leader is the first step in proper training of a dog and will decrease the risk of your dog establishing any of the aggressive behavioral problems discussed in this article.

To establish yourself as pack leader, you must take control of every aspect of your dogs life. It is recommended that you use a crate for this step. You should keep your dog in a crate from the time you bring him home and for a few weeks more while you are treating him for aggressive behavior. 

You should be the only person feeding, walking, bathing and cleaning your dog during this time. You should not pet, play with or engage in any positive activity with your dog during this time that he is in the crate. Your dog needs to feel totally dependant on you to establish you as head of the pack. Do not exhibit negativity, but aloofness.

Your dog should never be outside of the crate without a leash, even just to go outside to relieve himself. When your dog becomes well-behaved, listens and follows instructions (sit, stay, stop, no barking etc.) you can allow him more time outside his crate. If he continues to show good healthy behavior, let him out of the crate for longer intervals each time.

Keep your dogs leash on at all times when he is outside the crate. This helps create a dominance in you and establishes you as pack leader. Don't ever get all  "gushy" over your dog during this stage of training. When your dog has completed this treatment

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