1. direction from me, you will find it difficult to put theory into HOW TO FIX YOUR DOG’S
application.
AGGRESSION
So what can you do?
PROBLEMS!
CALL TODAY!
My name is Rod Butts and I am the owner of
A NO NONSENSE GUIDE TO WHAT IT
ROD BUTTS DOG TRAINING. I specialize in TAKES TO CONTROL YOUR DOG
dogs with aggression problems and fear related issues in
dogs. I train any dog, any breed, any size and any
temperament.
Call me now at 303-503-7712 for a free consultation.
I will test your dog’s temperament and give you a training
prescription to help you solve your dog’s behavior
problems.
rbdogtraining.com
ROD BUTTS DOG TRAINING
COPYRIGHT 2012
Volume 1, Issue 1
PRIASE THE POSITIVE
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2. set for their behavior. Motivation is both positive and
Table of Contents negative. We use positive motivation to teach and reinforce
behaviors we want and we us negative motivation to stop
The Purpose and Benefit of a Booklet ...........................................1
Why is my dog aggressive .............................................................1
behaviors we don't want.
Dominance Aggression ..................................................................1 When we are talking about aggression we want to positivly,
Territorial Aggression .....................................................................1 reinforce our dog’s behavior when he shows no aggression.
Fear/Defense Aggression ..............................................................2 For example, if our dog normally shows aggression when
Learned Aggression .......................................................................2 you are on a walk and someone approaches you. If your dog
Keys you must know ......................................................................3 does not show the aggression, you praise him lavishly. On
Motivation .......................................................................................4 the other side if your dog shows the aggression you, need to
use a negative reinforcement to communicate that his
behavior is something that you do not allow. This negative
reinforcement is not cruel or in humane, it is using a form of
communication that your dog understands. Once the
aggression stops the negative reinforcement stops and
positive reinforcement is added to communicate to your dog
that he is now behaving they way you want.
Aggression from your dog is a behavior you cannot afford to
Allow to continue. If you do not seek help for this problem,
you can lose more than just your dog.
Training an aggressive dog is like learning to drive in a
racecar. You can be successful but you need to learn to do it
with someone who knows how to drive and also knows how
to drive a powerful vehicle. You need the experience of
sitting in the driver’s seat with an expert in the passenger
seat giving you tips on how to do what you need to do. If
you were to try to learn to drive the racecar by reading a
book, you will find it difficult if not impossible. I can tell
you what to do, but unless you see it done and have
5

3. communicate to your dog either a The Purpose and Benefit of a Booklet
positive or a negative outcome in Safety The purpose of this booklet to give owners of aggressive
response to his behavior. In unwanted Aggression is not
dogs a guide of what it takes to control their aggressive dog.
a problem that
aggression, your dogs must understand Knowledge and understanding of aggression will help you
just goes away by
that his displaying aggression will be deal with aggression problems in your dog.
itself. In most
met with a negative outcome and he cases, if your
must associate his aggression with that dog's aggression Why is my dog aggressive?
negative outcome. isn't checked, it When it comes to our dogs there are several defined types of
will continue and aggression. They are:
Consistency: Being consistent simply
get worse. The Dominance
means that ever time your dog exhibits Territorial
reason is that
a specific unwanted behavior he will every time your Fear/defense
get the same response. For example, dog acts Learned
Mother Nature knows how this works. aggressively, the
She protects her porcupines with quills behavior is self- With this list of four types of aggression, professional dog
used to defend itself. If a curious dog reinforcing or you trainer can diagnose your dog's aggression. Let’s take a brief
encounters a porcupine and get to close, are inadvertently look at each type of aggression and then we can discuss
reinforcing the what you need to do to fix the problem.
he will receive a quill of two in his
behavior. The
muzzle. This is extremely painful. If good news is it's
the dog ever encounters another never too late to Dominance Aggression
porcupine, he will give it a wide birth get help. Dogs that are dominance aggressive are usually of sound
to avoid the painful outcome of the last temperament and not the "Cujo" type dog. They will usually
encounter. bite if you or someone else is perceived as threatening him
or tries to place him what he perceives as a submissive
Motivation: position. He usually sees himself as the leader of the pack or
Motivation is often overlooked or misunderstood by dog Alpha/ Pack leader. With a strong willed confident dog, this
owners. Most dogs will gladly follow you as long as they can be an explosive situation if not handled correctly.
see you as a leader. If you fail to lead, they will naturally
assume that role. As we lead our dog through daily life, we Territorial aggression
have to remember that we need to motivate our dog’s Dogs like their cousins the wolf will naturally protect their
behavior. We want to motivate them to follow the rules we territory (or make it appear they will protect their territory.)
1
4

4. When someone or something approaches the mailman as he approaches the house, the
their home, the car they are in or where Signs... mailman walks away. The dog thinks that he ATTITUDE
You may believe When you are
their pack is they will start by putting on has scared the intruder away and it bolsters trying to deal
that your dog's
a show of barking, running back and aggression his confidence in that situation and it is with and fix an
forth, hackles up and generally sounding happens in the reinforced every time the mail is delivered. aggression
like they will destroy any thing that does blink of an eye. How did this happen? problem, you
not turn tail and run off. In reality there Regardless of the type of aggression your have to have the
are always dog is displaying, there are two possible right attitude. If
warning signs you don’t know
Fear/Defense aggression reasons why he acting this way:
that your dog will deep in your
The Fear/Defensive aggressive dog is a Your dog does not see you as the leader. If heart and mind
display before he
dog that will bite if he feels fearful, shy bites. It is he sees you as the pack leader and you give that you are the
or insecure around people they do not impossible for him a command to sit and quiet down, he one in control
know or in new situations or situations, our dog to think would do as you asked. Dog want to have a and are the pack
they don't understand. The owner petting one thing and leader. They are more confident and calm if leader, you will
and talking calmly to the dog while he have that not they know that you are in charge. They will find it difficult if
reflect it in his not impossible to
shows fear often reinforces want to please you.
body language. gain control of
fear/Defensive aggression. The secret is to The other reason is that you and your dog your dog. You
learn how to read are not speaking the same language. Your have to know
Learned aggression your dog's body dog sees the world differently. For example that you are the
Learned aggression is usually a result of language. This people often pet and try to calm their pack leader and
the dog learning that displaying certain includes aggressive dog. The owner thinks that this will decide who
education and will be barked at
behaviors will get him something that he will calm the dog. The dog sees this action
awareness on and who will be
wants which I getting everyone excited. as the owner likes what he is doing and thus bitten. Attitude,
your part. You
A young dog learns from seeing other need to be able to continues it because the dog wants to please confidence and
dogs raising a ruckus and mimics the detect and stop the owner. The owner inadvertently knowledge equal
behavior. possible reinforced the aggressive behavior. success!
Some aggressive behaviors include more problems.
than one of the types of aggression we Keys you must know to fix canine
described. For example, a dog that aggression
exhibits fear aggression at his home finds that if he barks at Timing: Timing is the ability for you to
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