Managing and Training a Dog with Aggression: Key Steps

Obedience Training for Aggressive Dogs

Many dogs I've encountered with aggression problems lacked proper socialization during their critical early window, or in some cases, received none at all.

I've known numerous Rottweilers kept indoors past 16 weeks because owners feared Parvovirus. More recently, I've seen the same pattern with Pitbulls, and in my area, some Fila Brasileiros are never allowed outside their yards.

The only real solution for these dogs is to get them out and introduce them to new sights and sounds. The more they experience, the better their chances of overcoming shyness and aggression. However, if you're working with an aggressive dog, you'll need to take specific safety measures.

When walking your dog around other animals or people, use a muzzle if you're not completely certain you can control him. The muzzle must be secure but should be a "basket" style so he can breathe easily.

Always walk your dog with two leashes. The second leash should be a "slip" type, and even if you don't use it for control, keep it attached to your left wrist. Hold the main leash in your right hand at all times. If the main leash breaks, your dog will still be secured.

Spend as much time as needed training in a confined area. I prefer hand signals and expect every dog I work with to respond to both spoken and visual commands; dogs should learn all basic cues like sit, down, stay, and come. Every aggressive dog must come 100% of the time before being taken for a walk.

It's also wise to teach the aggressive dog a safety word before ever walking him outside a confined area. There are no guarantees with dogs, but if trained properly, this word gives you the best chance of calling your dog back when he's in an aggressive state.

All aggressive dogs need to learn a safety word before being taken out for training.

Angelo Carniato/Unsplash

Pre-Walk Checklist for Aggressive Dogs

Attach two leashes.
Use a basket muzzle.
Practice/review all obedience commands.
Teach a safety word.

Some dogs are never let out during the socialization period because they are accused of being aggressive.

cc-by ickr.com themacinator 2677817053

The Safety Word Explained

Here's what you need to know about safety words.

What is a safety word?

A safety word is a special command used to call your dog. It's similar to "come," but unlike that word, it's rarely used in everyday training.

I use the safety word "touch." When the dog hears this word and sees the hand signal, he knows to come close and place his muzzle against my hand. I give a treat every single time, but only then.

If your dog is motivated by treats, the best way to teach a safety word is to say the command, give the hand signal, and reward with a treat every time you call the dog with the safety word.

How was the safety word developed?

The earliest safety word I know of was used in training guide dogs for the blind. The word "touch" was given, and the dog learned to place its muzzle against the blind person's fingers. Even if the person couldn't see the dog when called, the touch told them exactly where the dog was.

Using a safety word with an aggressive dog is different. When the dog is calm, he should be so accustomed to hearing the word that if he lunges at a person or another dog, the "touch" command calls him back and lets you regain control.

This is the hand signal I use for the “touch” command.

DrMark1961

Training the Aggressive Dog

Here's what you should know about working with aggressive dogs.

Teaching and using the safety word

When the aggressive dog is in his enclosed yard doing regular obedience training, start using the safety word. Every time you use it, give a special treat—don't reward inconsistently as you might with other commands.

Practice the safety word several times per session, but always with the dog on leash. The dog should never learn that ignoring this command is acceptable.

On the dog's first socialization outing, use the safety word even when you don't need it. (This helps both of you remember to use it.)

Is teaching a safety word enough to control an aggressive dog?

Not at all. Every dog, especially aggressive ones, needs to learn all basic obedience commands. As part of obedience training, a safety word should be taught so it's available in emergencies.

Some puppies aren’t being aggressive at all—they just want to have fun!

DrMark1961

The Importance of Safety Words and Hand Signals

Even though it's not sufficient on its own, teaching your aggressive dog to respond to a safety word should be a key part of his overall obedience training. If you train your dog but still can't control him, please seek professional help.

If he bites someone or attacks another dog, he could be euthanized by a local judge. Prevent that by teaching him a safety word.

All dogs should learn to obey hand signals. Make sure hand signals are part of the routine when working with your aggressive dog.

More About Aggressive Dogs

How to Train a Dog to Get Along With Other Dogs Here are some tips on dealing with dogs that are aggressive toward other dogs.
How to Prevent Aggression in Your Cane Corso Not everyone will want to deal with this breed, but if you enjoy them, learn some things you can do to control aggressive behavior in this beautiful dog.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Questions & Answers

Question: My two-year-old pitbull is aggressive when people are walking towards me. What can I do?

Answer: There are several things you can try. The first would be to put your dog in a sit-down position everytime someone approaches. I realize you cannot do this if you're walking in a busy area. The second is to practice avoidance, but again this may not be possible where you are walking. You can also have people you know walk towards you and toss the dog a very good treat so that he sees strangers coming towards you as less threatening. This takes a lot of time, and you need to have a lot of friends that the dog does not know, but you have the best chance of him getting over this with this technique. If you want to do more reading on these training methods, I have an article at s.com/dogs/dog-to-dog-aggression, but it is mostly about dog-to-dog aggression, which is what I see most commonly.

No matter what you do, your dog might get away from you someday, and if he bites someone, the authorities will take him away and may even decide to kill him. To avoid problems always walk him with a muzzle. Keep him in a good harness so that he cannot take off on his own.