Can I train an aggressive dog?

Different dog breeds have been created for different purposes and thus have inherent traits that are passed on from generation to generation. For some breeds, aggression or the instinct to guard and protect is one of these traits. The question that sometimes comes to us, Caucasian Shepherd breeders, is related to the possibility of training an aggressive dog to become less aggressive and the answer is yes, of course it is possible. Commitment and putting together different resources for the dog will always pay off. Let’s see some of these resources.

Professional dog training

The first thing that comes up to mind when realizing that the degree of aggression of your dog is higher than desirable is asking for help from a professional. It can happen for many dog owners that they neglect some important activities and basic training in the evolution of their puppy, leading to an adult that is hard to control.

There are many TV shows with dog trainers who are called for help in solving cases of aggression you can watch, understanding a bit more about the causes which lead to such behavior in a dog. Calling for a professional dog trainer to assist you for a few sessions can be a life saver and can change the relationship you have with your dog for life. There are a few things that most of the owners do wrong, leading to a high degree of aggression in a dog and a dog trainer can easily spot them and work with you to correct them.

In the case of the Caucasian Mountain Dog, aggression as a means of protection is an inherent trait of the breed. However, depending on the kennel and the intentions of the breeder, different lineages can have different degrees of aggression. This way, choosing less aggressive males for mating and checking the whole lineage of both dogs will always give less aggressive pups.

Socializing

The simplest thing you can do from an early age for your pup is intense socializing. Let’s say you may have skipped doing that in the first part of his life, maybe you got comfortable and thought it was enough for the dog to run through the yard. You didn’t know and didn’t realize how important it is for a dog, especially for a big guard dog, to go out and have walks in between people and other animals, to receive guests at the house and be properly and patiently introduced to them.

It’s all okay, it’s never too late to socialize your dog. However, due to the size and weight of a Caucasian Shepherd, it can be really hard to hold them if you are out on the street and they start barking and doing their guard job. That is why the help of a professional trainer is invaluable, you will learn some tips and trick and with patience and consistency your dog will gradually become friendlier and easier to handle around people.

Dog Shows

Taking your best four-legged friend to dog shows can be one of the best and memorable experiences together. Besides from being a competition**and giving you the thrill of working together with your dog for achieving something, it will bring a lot of social interaction with both people and other dogs.

Going to a dog show will involve a lot of attention and dedication from an owner, spending time in working with the dog and making it as beautiful and obedient as possible. This will always strengthen the bond between human and animal and reduce tendencies of aggression.

For Caucasian Shepherds, dog shows are great opportunities for meeting other dogs and learning to behave in their company. Also, it is great for both owner and dog to receive recognition from other dog owners and professionals in the domain and who knows, make new human friends also.

When returning from a dog show, neither dog nor owner will have the same tendencies as before, although the guarding instinct will always remain present for a Caucasian Shepherd on its territory.

So, the answer to the question “Can I train an aggressive dog?” is yes, you can, with some help and with a lot of patience and consistency.