When you bring a dog into your home, he or she quickly becomes part of your family. Whether you adopt a puppy or an older dog, you may be surprised to discover that he or she sometimes displays aggressive tendencies. Everyone wants a calm, loving dog that gets along well with people and other canines, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some dogs are just more aggressive than others and need to be treated a little differently than friendly pets. Instead of getting frustrated that your dog is aggressive, use these four tips to improve the situation.

Try To Deal With Aggression in Positive Ways

Some dogs are less aggressive when they have the chance to burn off excess energy. Try giving your pet extra time to run in your backyard or increase the number of walks you go on. You may also find it helpful to invest in a durable dog toy for aggressive behaviors.

Determine the Type of Aggression

Dogs have different aggression triggers just like people. If you can determine which type of aggression your dog shows, you can work on avoiding triggers so the behavior is less obvious. Aggression typically falls into one of the following three categories.

• Redirected aggression: Your dog turns on your other pets or your family members after being triggered by something else.
• Fear aggression: Your dog gets aggressive when he or she feels threatened.
• Terretorial Aggression: Your pet aggressively defends the area he or she considers his or her territory.

Talk to Your Vet

Your dog may have a medical condition that causes him or her to be aggressive. Take your pet to the vet for a check-up and ask your provider for tips on how to handle aggressive behavior. The vet may run some tests to make sure there is not an underlying issue that is triggering the aggression. You may see the aggressive behavior subside if the underlying medical condition is treated, and if not, your vet can give you some guidance on how to deal with aggression issues.

Watch Your Reaction

Dogs pick up easily on the emotions of their owners. If you are tense every time you take your pet out in public because you never know when he or she will react aggressively, then your dog will pick up on your tensions and is more likely to show unwanted behavior. Try to stay calm and relaxed even when your dog is being aggressive so you can deescalate the situation.

You love your dog even if he or she sometimes shows aggressive behavior. You want to do everything you can to help your pet feel safe and secure without harming you or anyone else, so getting ahead of aggressive behaviors is important. You may not be able to cure aggression completely, but by using these four tips, you can learn how to deal with the behavior appropriately so your dog can live a happy and healthy life. Start using these tips today and see how your dog’s aggressive behavior changes.