How To Stop Dog On Dog Aggression

In my previous post, I talked about the sad fact that dog aggression towards people can and do happen. However, it is not only people that are experiencing dog aggression. In fact, dog aggression can and do happen to other dogs as well. Just like we humans don’t get along with everybody else, we can’t expect a dog to get along with every dog that he/she sees.

But, that doesn’t mean that it is acceptable for a dog to behave aggressively towards another dog. Nobody wants to risk being held liable if their dog’s aggressive behavior results in injury to somebody else’s dog. So, you will want to do everything that you can to ensure that things are peaceful between your dog and another dog. With that in mind, here are the strategies to help you with how to stop dog on dog aggression.

Strategies For How To Stop Dog On Dog Aggression

1. Avoid Other Dogs During Walks

(Photo courtesy of Guptakartikey via Wikipedia)

Whenever you are going for a walk with your dog, one strategy that you will want to employ is to simply ignore any other dogs that happen to be in the neighborhood. So, whenever you see another dog as you pass by, just keep on walking along.

You don’t want to stop walking when another dog is right there because that will cause your dog to become obsessed with the other dog which can turn into aggressive behavior by your dog towards that dog.

So, you don’t want your dog to even think about the other dog at all. You want your dog to be focusing on walking instead. With that in mind, keep on walking along, even if there is another dog over there.

Don’t even make any eye contact with any other dogs that you and your dog pass by. Ignore them outright and keep on walking as if nothing happens at all.

If for some reason another dog is blocking your path, simply across the street to the other side to get around the blocking dog. Also, be careful not to allow your dog to get crowded by other dogs as that may overwhelm your dog and prompt him/her to act aggressively in order to clear the other dogs away.

So, if you see multiple dogs within one spot, just walk in a different direction in order to avoid them altogether.

2. Block Your Dog’s View Of Another Dog When Possible

Some dogs may become fearful or feel threatened at the sight of another dog. So, when you and your dog are out for a walk in your neighborhood, you will want to use your own body to try and block your dog’s view of another dog.

What you want is for your body to serve as a shield for your dog so that he/she doesn’t feel the need to act aggressive towards another dog in order to protect him/her.

During a dog walk, your dog should be walking right on your side, not ahead of or behind you. So, position yourself on the side of your dog depending on which side the other dog is positioned.

For example, if another dog is to your left, put yourself on the left side of your dog so that you are positioned in between your dog and the other dog.

If you think you may be coming too close to another dog, just move a little bit onto the street in order to create some space until after you have already passed by that dog.

Also, if your dog happens to be at home, you will want to cover at least your front windows with blinds or curtains in order to block your dog’s view of any dogs that passes your home.

That is because your dog can still feel fearful or threatened upon seeing a passing dog, even if there is a physical barrier separating the two dogs in the form of a window.

3. Get Your Dog Comfortable With Other Dogs

(Photo courtesy of Sarah Farris via Wikimedia)

I think that the most ideal of the strategies for stopping dog aggression towards other dogs is to get your dog comfortable with being around other dogs. That is called desensitizing.

What you want is for your dog to associate other dogs with good things and the best way to do that is with delicious treats. The Canine Carry Outs Dog Treats is a great option for treats.

You will also need a leash and a harness for restraining your dog – you already need these two things for walking your dog anyways. The most comfortable leash I have seen out there is the BAAPET Dog Leash which comes in nine colors to chose from.

As far as harnesses are concerned, you will want to make sure to get a no pull harness with a front clip so that you don’t risk injuring the neck of your dog when restraining him/her.

One great option for that is the BARKBAY No Pull Dog Harness Front Clip. With all of these items on hand, get started with the desensitizing process by attaching your dog to a leash.

Once your dog is on a leash, you can head outside with him/her and wait for another dog to pass you by. Have your dog sit down by your front door because you want him/her to be as far away as possible from another dog at first.

That way it will be the least stressful for your dog. If your dog allows another dog to pass by without causing any trouble towards the dog, praise and reward your dog with a treat.

Repeat this process at least a few more times and then you can move your dog just a little bit closer to another dog to continue the desensitization process just like you did before. You don’t want to rush your dog much closer to another dog.

Just move your dog closer to another dog a little bit at a time after successfully repeating the desensitization process at least a few times. That will help your dog to feel at ease as he/she moves closer towards another dog.

If another dog comes along and your dog acts aggressively towards him/her, just take your dog back inside your home to calm down and then you can go back outside and resume the process another time.

Oh and also, be careful not to overwhelm your dog with multiple dogs at once. Start out by focusing on just one dog at a time. As the desensitization process progresses and your dog’s comfort level increases, you can gradually increase the number of dogs that your dog faces at a time.

If you don’t want to wait outside for a dog to pass you by, you can try and invite a family member or friend who has a dog to your home to speed up the desensitization process a little bit. Either way, patience will be key for the process to succeed.