How to Train Your Dog to Not Play Aggressively

Hello Tommy, I would start by desensitizing her to a basket muzzle so that you can address this without getting bitten in the process. I would work on teaching Leave It, Sit, and Out, so pup understands what you are asking of her in those situations later. I would then practice, with the muzzle on, giving those commands when pup gets too excited, rewarding obedience with a treat, then correcting any attempts to bite or jump in disobedience to your command. To correct, you may need low level remote collar training, or to leash pup like the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcwvUOf5oOg Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Step Toward and Leash methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-australian-shepherds-to-not-jump Out: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Angela, I would start by stimulating pup more mentally - giving pup jobs to do, dog food in things like kongs, kong wobbles, puzzle toys, or automatic treat dispensers. You can also incorporate obedience into things like Fetch or Heeling Walks to wear pup out during those activities faster and help alleviate boredom. Depending on how hard pup is biting, you may need to desensitize pup to wearing a basket muzzle in general - so pup doesn't mind it and so that it's not only associated with situations pup jumps in. After pup is desensitized, then set up scenarios where pup commonly jumps and bites and practice your commands like Leave It and stepping toward. When pup doesn't jump when you do things that normally cause them to, like jump up and down, turn away from them, hold a toy, first get home, ect...then reward pup with a treat hidden in your pocket through the muzzle's holes. A basket muzzle should allow you to do this, opposed to a standard muzzle. Muzzle introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTucFnmAbw&list=PLXtcKXk-QWojGYcl1NCg5UA5geEnmpx4a&index=6&t=0s Out - leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Check this article and the tips on teaching Leave It using the Leave It method. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite For the excitement with other people, once pup gets to the point where they are fine but still excitable with guests, I would recruit friends and practice the Passing Approach method - with people instead of other dogs in this case. Only do this yourself if pup is friendly and not at all aggressive with people (pup might be mouthy but that's a bit different than true aggression, even though I would still keep space between and use the basket muzzle as needed to ensure no one is bitten, even in play). Passing Approach: https://wagwalking.com/training/greet-other-dogs Check out this article for helping with polite greetings if pup tends to jump, to teach pup to Sit instead. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-australian-shepherds-to-not-jump Finally, you can teach pup a 1+ hour Place command and give pup a dog food stuffed chew toy on Place. Start small and work up to the longer time and distractions very gradually through frequent short practices. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Lesley, Check out the two articles linked below. If pup is biting to try to get your attention, opposed to true aggression, then I would work on teaching pup Leave It to build their self-control and understanding of what you want, as well as use the Step Towards method to move into pup as soon as they are about to jump, or the Leash method when you have a leash on pup or when guests visit, and finally the Out command. Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Step Toward and Leash methods: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-australian-shepherds-to-not-jump Out: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Depending on how hard pup is biting, you may need to desensitize pup to wearing a basket muzzle in general - so pup doesn't mind it and so that it's not only associated with situations pup jumps in. After pup is desensitized, then set up scenarios where pup commonly jumps and bites and practice your commands like Leave It and stepping toward. When pup doesn't jump when you do things that normally cause them to, like jump up and down, turn away from them, hold a toy, first get home, ect...then reward pup with a treat hidden in your pocket through the muzzle's holes. A basket muzzle should allow you to do this, opposed to a standard muzzle. Muzzle introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJTucFnmAbw&list=PLXtcKXk-QWojGYcl1NCg5UA5geEnmpx4a&index=6&t=0s Example of this behavior being addressed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcwvUOf5oOg For the zoomies, I suggest practicing something called "Jazz up and Settle Down". Which is a bit like red light, green light for dogs. During training, get pup a little excited, then command "Stop" or something puppy knows like "Sit", and freeze. Wait and completely ignore them until they calm back down. As soon as they get calm or sit, praise and give a treat. Tell pup "Let's Play!" again, and start playing and getting them a bit excited again. As soon as they start to get a little worked up (not too much at first), command "Stop" or "Sit" again, then wait, reward with a treat when they calm down, then continue the game after they are rewarded. Repeat this a few times each training session, then end the session (have lots of frequent shorter sessions throughout the day at this age). As pup improves, and can really calm down quickly, let them get a bit more excited before calling Stop. Gradually work up to pup becoming more and more excited and having to calm down quickly from a higher level of excitement as they improve. For her protection and comfort, you may need to start out this game with pup wearing that basket muzzle you desensitized them to beforehand. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Gail, The environment of the dog park can be highly arousing for many dogs. Sometimes that arousal can lead to aggression when pup doesn't know how to calm themselves back down, especially with a strong prey/chase instinct and a group of dogs running after one or two. It's the packs level of energy versus the level of energy just one or two dogs would have. I recommend not taking pup to that environment. It's probably not a good fit for them, and could lead to aggression in other situations too if pup gets used to behaving that way often. Instead, I would pursue calm activities with other dogs, like joining a dog walking/hiking group with pups on leash, an obedience class or group, some of the canine sports that are more structured, or potentially one on one play date with another dog of similar play style in a private fenced location (test how they do on walks together first) and be ready to intervene if play gets too rough. I would work on teaching Out and Come on a long training leash, so those commands can be used around other dogs when you can tell pup is starting to get too aroused. Interrupt pup before they are in the intense state, when they first get excited, calling them to yourself, using a drag leash around just one other dog if you need to practice pup coming in that environment, then having pup practice a couple commands, giving treats for obeying, until both pups are calm again and can play if they want to again. Have the other dogs owner call their own dog to themselves as well, instead of both dogs getting treats from just you, so they dogs aren't next to each other competing for the food, but having a break from one another. When you see pups' ability to take turns chasing vs being chased, wrestling being on top vs. on bottom, and giving each other breaks when the other dog needs one, becoming less even, then it's probably time for another activity until the dogs have had at least an hour to rest. Once overtired or over aroused, many dogs have a hard time regulating their excitement and aggression. If you aren't certain if pup is okay with one on one playdates, have them go on walks together first and observe their body language. Do introductions with a basket muzzle in play if needed to ensure safety.. This isn't the long term option, since you don't want pup attempting certain behaviors at all and the behavior getting worse, but to evaluate whether pup can learn to play calmly with just one other dog, without putting pups in danger. Passing Approach and Walking Together method https://wagwalking.com/training/greet-other-dogs Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Megan, First, once you can get pup comfortable putting the leash on him again, when you are home to supervise and ensure it doesn't get caught on anything, I would actually keep a drag leash on him around the house for a while, both to help with the roughness and to further desensitize him to wearing it. To get him more comfortable putting it on again, first ensure that it's not chafing pup or squeezing uncomfortably. Since pups grow a lot that commonly happens with pup. I always recommend harnesses that are padded, or something like a martingale collar or other collared training device when a no pull tool is needed. Check out the video below on desensitizing to the harness. You may need to break this into several sessions since pup is protesting it, using something like a martingale collar for a bit while you reintroduce the harness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn5b8u1YS_g&feature=emb_title With the kids, I recommend using the drag leash once that's an option again, teaching Leave It from the article I have linked below, teaching Out, using the sections on how to teach Out and how to use out to deal with pushiness to enforce boundaries on behalf of your kids. I would also involve the kids in training, having one kid at a time with you practicing telling pup things like Sit and Drop It and Off, with the child rewarding pup when they obey, and you using pup's leash to follow through with pup obeying the child if pup ignores them. This can help build respect and listening for the kids with your help. Those commands can also start the process of the kids being able to play with pup by doing a structured fetch and drop it training and doing trick training with pup, so pup has a structured way they expect to play with the kids instead of trying to play with them like another dog. Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Youtube channel for trick training ideas: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZzFRKsgVMhGTxffpzgTJlQ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden