Advice from Tricia Wills, Dog Trainer in Exeter, Devon and the South West
Dog aggression can come in all breeds, shapes and sizes, there are many reasons why your dog may exhibit this aggression, whether it is territorial, dominance-related to other dogs or owner, fear-induced, possessive, defensive, noise-induced, food guarding or predatory aggression.
Living and socialising with an aggressive dog can be emotionally draining, disappointing, frustrating, difficult and in some cases dangerous.
They will all differ from each other in the reason for being like this, it is so very important to have someone that can understand what the key motivators actually are, and what drives a particular dog to have a particular type of aggressive behaviour.
Once a dog bites, they have shown a willingness and if successful in their outcome, this will become a habit-forming trait, this behavioural cycle will need to be interrupted before it becomes a method.
It is important to have an understanding of the exact turn of events and factors that made your dog make the decision to be aggressive and bite, it is worthwhile noting that dogs have their own understanding of what force they apply to a bite or nip.
My 25 years+ experience and insight into various dog breeds and the nature of their behaviour in these kind of situations is critical to deliver the correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
