Dogs can be fun to be with, and no doubt, they can take our stress away. But there’s another side to that story. These animals can be scary too. Just a quick look at how they bare their teeth can make any kid run for his life.
As mothers, we are overprotective towards our children, especially true when our furry friend starts to be aggressive towards them. Truth be told, there are many multiple factors to why your dog is exhibiting unruly behavior towards your kids, most of them psychological. When that happens, living with a canine can only cause high amounts of uncertainty and frustration.
Worse, statistics show that more than 50% of victims bitten by a dog are children. And 26% of these children attacked require immediate medical attention or an emergency room. This alarming rate is one of the causes of why parents are reluctant to have their children surrounded by dogs. You don’t want to expose your own kin to such great risks.
Luckily, there’s a silver lining to it all. There are methodologies you can have the problem under control. Below are proven-and-tested ways.
Control the Situation
One of the most important things that you can do if you’re still unsure of your dog surrounding your children is to manage the current situation. If your dog is not in his usual behavior or is being aggressive, it’s best to keep the animal away from your children.
For further prevention, you can use muzzles or fences. Additionally, you can put a leash on your pet. Do this until you have the situation under control. You surely don’t want to have any dog bites happening on our premises.
And if the dog is behaving well. You can have them interact with your kids. But only if these meets are fully supervised.
Seek Medical Help
When your sweet and gentle dog is suddenly misbehaving and displays aggressive behaviors, he could be having health issues. Remember, you are also the mother of your pet dog to a large degree. So you should also prioritize his health.
Make sure you get your dog a regular check-up done via your trusted veterinarian. The poor canine might be experiencing health problems without you knowing. Top of the list: painful injuries, hypothyroidism, and neurological problems. Getting medication and treatment is timely. It will make a big help in building a better relationship with your dog and with your child.
Seek a Dog Expert
A medical problem is one thing, but if your vet sees no problem with your dog, then other professionals could pitch in. A dog diagnosed with aggressive behavior is truly a serious problem that needs to be addressed. And sadly, you might not have the tools nor the experience to fix this on your own.
Fortunately, a professional dog trainer can be the guy you’re looking for. More than anyone, a dog expert knows dog behavior. And with tons of experience under his belt, he has better chances of taming any aggressive dog, your dog including. For starters, he can figure out why a canine is behaving aggressively. In the end, not only will he be able to make your furry friend obedient, but he can also help the dog interact with others in the house positively.
Get Your Dog Excited
The best way to counter your dog’s aggression is to make them excited. Do this such that in a way that you also slightly bother them. How? By giving them rewards now and then.
A good practice is to start training them by lightly grabbing their tail and treat them with food or snacks afterward.
This “tail pulling” will bother them at first, but they will get used to it after a while. Moreover, this forces the emotion of your dog to switch into excitement. When the dog sees he’s being rewarded, the deed is likely to be repeated.
In turn, you’re reprogramming his aggressive behavior into something more positive without worrying about bite accidents to occur in your household. This way, you can keep the poor canine out of his leash for a longer time than before. And you can bond with your loved ones more than ever.
