My Dog Bites

A call goes something like this – “Gayle, my dog has bitten someone. Can you help us?” I respond with a few questions along the lines of how long they’ve had the dog and has it done this before. I’m becoming less shocked when I hear that they have had the dog for four years. It has been “a little” aggressive since they got it as a puppy. It didn’t seem like an issue until now.

Let’s break this down. If your dog has been aggressive for four years, in dog years – that’s 28 years! I know it doesn’t calculate exactly like that. But, why wait? I’ll say it another way – if your dog shows any signs of aggression, stop it! It’s much easier to correct when they haven’t done it long enough for it to become a behavioral pattern.

Behavioral issues can be dealt with and corrected; however, if it has escalated as they matured, it may not be an instantaneous transition. Chances are the dog now has a triggered response. A trainer will be able to work with you and your dog to change the behavior and give them a new response.

Don’t give up on the dog. If you are reading this and are wondering if it applies to that little aggression issue with your dog, do something about it. Call for a consultation or hire a trainer to show you what to do. Fewer dogs in shelters may be the result!