An aggressive dog can be scary to have around, but there is help for pet owners if they are willing to seek it. Excessively loud barking, nipping, biting, growling, and snarling are all examples of behaviors that come from aggressive dogs. Dogs can be aggressive for many reasons, but the main reason is that they have learned this behavior at some point in their lives. Genetics may also play a role in a particular dog’s tendency toward aggression.

There are several types of aggression when it comes to an aggressive dog. There is predation aggression, which is mainly aggression caused by the motivation to obtain food or water. An aggressive dog may also exhibit redirected aggression. If a dog is not able to attack the intended target, then his aggression may be redirected toward someone or something else. Next, there's territorial aggression. This is a form of aggression in which a dog has marked his area and does not want to allow anyone to penetrate it; if they do, he will turn into an aggressive dog. A similar type of hostility is referred to as protective aggression, in which your dog becomes aggressive if he feels someone or something is trying to harm you or the rest of his human family. Some dogs may have a fear-based type of aggression. If he believes that someone or something is trying to harm him, then he may attack. The last type of aggressive dog to mention is the dominant aggressive dog. This type of dog feels like he is the head of the pack and will feel his position is easily challenged. This type of dog may have to be trained to find his position in a human family.

If you have any of the above types of aggressive dog, then you need to see your veterinarian. Your vet will let you know if there is anything medically that you need to do to that can help reverse this behavior. Once that is ruled out, you may need to seek a dog behavior expert. He will diagnose the issue and teach you ways to eliminate this type of behavior.

Always remember that you must not have these kinds of dogs around children. This could be very dangerous, as you never know how they will react to any given situation. Your best bet is to see an expert and have them help you divert, and eventually eliminate, this behavior as much as possible. An aggressive dog can be changed, but you will have to be a committed, patient, and loving owner.