RECOGNIZING AND TREATING
CANINE AGGRESSION
Providing in-home dog training and behavior modification services to the entire North Florida area - Zoom and phone consults anywhere

By Jon Wedemeyer
April 21, 2023

When Playing Leads To Fighting
When dogs are displaying playful fighting and romping around behavior, it is truly wonderful to watch and a great benefit mentally for the dogs. We call this rough and rowdy play and it is actually essential for dogs to have this type of play in order to learn play signals and play boundaries. As puppies, dogs teach each other when biting has become too hard (bite inhibition) by correcting the other puppy when it bites too hard (they do this by immediately walking away from the offending puppy, who then gets the message very quickly that if it wants playmates, it can't bite that hard!). This is much the same method they use when teaching each other play boundaries (although they use many different signals) and is why it is so important for all dogs to be able to play with abandon but always with supervision!

In much the same way as with children playing, where laughter can quickly lead to crying or fighting, dog play can quickly turn aggressive and you need to know the signs in order to diffuse it before someone gets hurt. When growling starts to sound firm, guttural and threatening, whenever teeth are shown and there is a fixed stare, whenever a dog becomes overly-assertive over another dog, pushy or bullying or pinning it down, this has now gone from playing and become aggressive behavior.

It is now time to quickly separate the aggressive dog from the submissive one, as this type of aggression can explode very quickly to an attack. I would immediately distract the aggressive dog from the other dog by calling it to come to me, or clapping/whistling loudly for it to come, then redirect the aggressive behavior to another more desirable behavior such has sitting next to me quietly to decompress for a while. Reward the good behavior and make sure the dog does not start up again. If it persists, remove it from the area for a moment then reintroduce. If it still persists I would take it away from the immediate area and the other dog completely.

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND TREATMENT PLANS
- DESIGNED TO FIT YOUR DOGS NEEDS
We have a variety of treatment plans and options we offer, dependent on your dog(s) individual needs. In the case of puppies who need puppy training on a number of behaviors over time, I will typically recommend a package at the first visit and spread them out over a little time as the puppy grows up.

- INITIAL IN-HOME CONSULT
Rather than sell you a package of sessions up-front, I prefer to start with an initial In-Home or Zoom/Phone Consult to see what's going on. Some cases only require a single initial In-Home or Zoom/Phone consult, with client training, and without the need for follow-ups. In these cases I am always available for advice via phone call afterwards. After the Initial Consult we will know better what we are dealing with and if more sessions are needed, If so I will recommend follow-up visits.

- FOLLOW-UP VISITS
There are a number of different packages with Follow-Up options to choose from, again depending on what we determine on the first visit. I will be available for as many visits as you need, until you are comfortable that your dog is on its way and you don't need me any more. Of course I will always be available for you and your dog whenever you need me!

IN HOME DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN GAINESVILLE, OCALA, JACKSONVILLE, LAKE CITY AND ALL OF NORTH FLORIDA.
We offer in home visits throughout the North Florida Area M-F, 11Am to 5pm. Weekend consults can be arranged when needed.

ZOOM AND PHONE DOG TRAINING AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SESSIONS - ANYWHERE!
We offer in home ZOOM and PHONE consults anywhere in the world - M-F, 11Am to 5pm. Weekend consults can be arranged when needed.

Find out more about the EVALUATION phase here: [wpi_designer_button id=1119]

CALL TODAY IF YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR PET!
352-256-6960