Every dog has the potential of being an aggressive dog. Some people believe that certain breeds of dogs are naturally aggressive but the truth is that the dogs that get a bad rap for being aggressive are the ones that people tend to train to be aggressive.

An example is the pit bull. Pit bulls are not born mean. Often they are very sweet in nature and mild tempered. However, people love to train the pit bull to be a mean, aggressive dog.

While all dogs of a breed are not aggressive all dogs have their own distinct personality. If you find that you have an aggressive dog you need to use caution around them especially if they are around children.

So what do you do if you’ve adopted an aggressive dog?

The answer depends on how aggressive your dog is and what sets them off. One form of aggression is when your dog crouches down with their belly close to the ground like they are ready to spring in for the attack while growling and barking.

One of the best ways to curb this type of behavior is to simply ignore your dog. The worst thing you can do is look them in the eye because by doing that you are issuing a challenge and it will turn into a game of who is in control.

Never lash out or spank your dog if he is doing this or it will turn into a game where he tries to dog you and lunge at you for his turn. Once it becomes a game for your dog it will be very hard to break him of doing it.

If your problem is aggressive with food then you might want to consider staying around him when he is eating.

Never touch an aggressive dog when he is eating.

Start out by just being in the same room as your dog and slowly work your way a little bit closer each meal. Use caution when doing this and pay attention to the signs your dog is giving you. If he is getting nervous then do not get any closer.

If you have a very aggressive dog then you need to use caution around him and get him trained either by training him yourself or by going to a local dog trainer.

It is very common to run into problems while dog training.  This is normal and with a bit of patience both you and your dog will get past the hurtle and be very happy because of it.

The next time you find yourself wondering “Do I have an aggressive dog?” look for the tell tale signs and train it out of him.