At Tip Top K9, we specialize in training aggressive dogs, from German Shepherds to Pit Bulls and even Golden Doodles. Whether your dog is territorial, possessive, fearful, or attacks people and other dogs, we can help.
Dog aggression is serious. The earlier you address it, the better the results. Waiting makes it harder and more expensive to control.
If your dog is showing any signs of aggression schedule your first lesson and meet with a local dog trainer today.
There are three main sources of aggressive behaviors:
When a dog shows aggression to people.
It is time to be concerned when your dog uses aggression or a show of aggression as their normal way to handle social interactions with people and as a way to avoid contact with new people and even with children.
We see many dogs that if you were to ask them they do not even know the root of their behaviors but they engaged in aggression and liked the response or the feeling they got and it got reinforced.
When a dog shows aggression to other dogs, specifically when unprovoked and at a distance.
It is time to be concerned when your dog uses aggression or a show of aggression as their normal way to handle interactions with other dogs or will go after other dogs unprovoked.
Much of the dog aggression we see falls into the “Controlled/Managed Category” and not “Fixed” as much of it can be rooted in past trauma or genetically based.
When a dog is scared of other dogs and/or people and will be aggressive to make people or dogs leave them alone.
It is time to be concerned when your dog is showing teeth, growling or biting out of fear to manipulate their environment and make a “perceived threat” go away and the threat is a very nice, non-threatening person or very nice, non-threatening dog.
Dogs with extreme fear can be some of our hardest cases to work but we really do see a lot of dogs overcome their fears and be able to handle daily life so much better!
When a dog shows aggression as a means of controlling and dominating others and and/or getting their way.
This is normally seen in very big and strong, highly dominant dogs (Rottweilers, Akitas, Wolf Hybrids, Alaskan Malamutes) but can be seen in smaller breeds too.
When a dog will guard any item with their body and presence such as food or a bone or a toy and then will growl, snap or bite to guard that item from anyone taking it.
Resource guarding can be learned behavior or can be genetically based in some breeds but we still have a very exact way to work through these challenging behaviors.
Aggression specifically around food.
Food aggression is similar to resource guarding but generalized to just food With strict obedience we can get good results quickly with most food aggressive dogs UNLESS they were long time street dogs or feral dogs that were constantly starving and on the hunt for food, with these dogs it can be very, very challenging to get past their scarcity mindset.
Fixed aggression means we’ve successfully taught your dog that aggressive behaviors are unacceptable. We also provide you with the tools to reinforce these new boundaries.
As pack animals, dogs naturally follow new rules once they understand their leader’s expectations. While you may see improvements within a week or two, it can take 2-6 months of reinforcement to fully fix aggressive behavior.
If your dog has shown aggression for years, it won’t be completely resolved in just two weeks. However, our training will significantly curb the behavior and bring it under control.
Long-standing issues may require more time and may not fully disappear, but substantial progress can be made.
Controlled or managed aggression means we teach your dog which behaviors are acceptable and which are not. Your dog knows right from wrong but needs you to actively manage their behavior to prevent aggression.
This is common in dogs older than 5 years, who have had aggressive tendencies for most of their lives or are genetically predisposed. These dogs may guard the house or family members, or have aggressive backgrounds.
While we may not be able to completely eliminate aggression in older dogs, we can significantly improve control.
Remember, dogs are animals with instincts that can’t always be overridden, and continuous management is often necessary.
Early intervention for aggressive dogs is crucial. The sooner we address it, the better.
With Doggy Bootcamp, your dog will live with our trainer for 2-6 weeks and receive daily professional training to control or fix aggressive behavior.
Ask your local trainer if Tip Top K9 Doggy Bootcamp is right for you.
To effectively manage aggressive behavior, we teach four critical commands that your dog must reliably follow 100% of the time, regardless of the situation or surroundings.
Place: We train your dog to go to a designated spot and stay there. This helps control your dog during uncomfortable or triggering situations, reducing the chances of aggressive outbursts.
Quiet: Stop aggressive barking or growling on command. This is vital for managing situations where your dog feels threatened and responds with aggressive vocalizations.
Off: Redirect your dog from making aggressive eye contact or fixating on a target. This command helps prevent escalation of aggressive behavior by interrupting their focus on potential threats.
Come: We teach your dog to come when called 100% of the time. This command is crucial for calling your dog away from potentially dangerous situations and preventing aggressive incidents.
We’ll spend some time getting to know you and your dog, their current training level, and chatting about your goals.
We’ll work with your dog and assess their needs while applying basic training techniques to solve minor issues.
Use what we teach you to help control and hopefully fix those aggressive behaviors before they get worse!
We have trainers across the U.S. who specialize in aggressive dog training. Check out our locations to find an expert near you.