Aggression

Affective Training for your Resource Guarder

Playing Games with your dog can improve your relationship and reduce Resource Guarding. The Emotional dog The emotional, less social dog will likely grab and item and move across the room with a more purposeful feeling as he seeks a place AWAY FROM YOU to go under or behind to retain possession of his item.

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Is my puppy playing or guarding?

The detail is in the Sociability + Arousal + Social Confidence Many puppies and adolescent dogs steal items which they find interesting. Some for consumption, attention, play, and some try to teach their human how to play tug! Some for the pleasure of chewing on a particular fabric, and some to full-fill an individual need

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Dog Bite Prevention

As a dog trainer, I often work with dogs who have bitten people, yet I am able to hand feed and often begin body handling them without getting bitten myself.  Since dog bite prevention is a critical focus of my reward-based dog training, I will share some simple techniques to reduce your chances of being bit by a dog.

Learn to read dog body language:

If the dog is facing you, look for signs he is calm and relaxed. These would include a loose body (free of tension), open mouth, relaxed ears, soft blinking eyes, relaxed neutral tail and ears. These are communications signs from the dog that he is feeling okay about you near him. This handsome boy is offering me friendly relaxed body language as he stands at an angle showing he is feeling comfortable about my presence.

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Reactivity and Aggression in the car

The only way to control car aggression 100% is to never take your dog in the car. For many, that is unthinkable as we enjoy having our dogs with us. So if your dog reacts in the car, first, teach your dog to relax in your home and other environments including your car with no distractions. Again, this is hugely helpful for the dog with poor impulse control.

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