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You’ve just settled down to watch this week’s episode of your favorite show, but your dog is demanding attention. He’s had had his walk for the day, but still wants to play! Perhaps he’s a puppy or just particularly energetic, but whatever it is, he won’t take no for an answer. But their idea of playing can often lead to aggression, such as growling, nibbling and even full on biting. Everyone wants to be able to play with their dog, but a dog that displays aggressive behavior when playing could potentially be a risk not just to you, but children, strangers and other dogs too.
Training your dog to NOT play aggressively could save you from a world of future problems. Not to mention it means you can play with him without the risk of losing a finger. Thankfully, with patience and a proactive attitude, you can nip displays of playful but aggressive behavior in the bud relatively quickly.
Training your dog not to be aggressive can be done through a variety of methods. You can try and encourage them to play with toys instead of your body, you can ensure they have a cool off period when they start to show signs of aggression, plus you can let them know when you are dissatisfied with their behavior.
The key to training aggressive behavior out of your dog is consistency. You need to keep up the training until all displays of aggression have gone. Combating aggressive play is seriously important, otherwise, their aggression could manifest itself outside of play and could lead to serious injury. It is not a straightforward and easy road to tackling aggression, but with persistence, in several weeks or months you could have a transformed dog. While training aggression out of puppies may be easier, even graying dogs can respond to this sort of training too.
Before you begin tackling aggressive behavior, you’ll need to get a few things together. It is firstly worth getting a toy for your dog that will be used instead of your hands and arms. You may also want to get some treats to reward your dog for playing gently. These could be actual dog treats, or their favorite food, be it cheese or some lean meat. The only other thing you need is patience and a proactive attitude.
You’re now equipped with the knowledge and some tasty treats, it’s time to get to work!
The Toy Substitute Method
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Begin playing with your dog gently
Try to keep play gentle, soft and strictly friendly. You don’t want to get them too worked up, but if they do...
Introduce a toy into the mix
Encourage your dog to chew and play with the toy instead of your hands, arms and legs. Try to keep your hands away from his mouth and on the toy only.
Tug of war
Encourage the dog to pull the toy with its mouth while you pull at it too. But always let your dog win so they feel encouraged and want to play again in future.
Stop when a line is crossed
If your dog gets too aggressive and starts growling, barking or biting, then it’s time for a cool down period. Leave or ignore your dog until he has calmed down.
Praise your dog for gentle play
If your dog has behaved well during play, be sure to praise him or give him a treat – he will then associate gentle play with rewards in the future.
The Distract & Discourage Method
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Exercise, exercise, and more exercise
If he is well and truly tired out, your dog won’t have the energy for aggressive play. If you can’t walk him anymore than you already do, throw a ball for him regularly while walking to tire him out.
Teach tricks and obedience commands
Teaching your dog to ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and ‘roll over’, will all help you control your dog’s behavior. It will help him respond to your commands promptly, making it much easier to stop aggressive behavior quickly when they start to exhibit signs of it in play.
Use positive reinforcements only
Never punish your dog when he is aggressive, it may work your dog up even more. Instead, focus on praising your dog with words or treats when he is gentle and well-behaved. This will encourage him to repeat that good behavior again.
Discourage aggressive attention-seeking
If your dog does get too excited and starts to growl or bite, move your arms behind your back, lean away, and look away to show him you will not engage with them if he is going to be aggressive.
Stay off the floor with an excitable puppy
Puppies can get overly excited very quickly if you’re down at their level. Instead, stay above them, this will help them to see you are the pack leader and prevent them exhibiting signs of aggression.
The React to Behavior Method
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React
Say ‘NO’ in a firm voice if your dog displays aggressive behavior and bites you. Also ensure you relay that you are unhappy by walking away and ignoring him until he has calmed down.
Use taste deterrents
Dogs that have a habit of biting when playing can be deterred with unpleasant tastes. These deterrents can be bought online and from pet shops and once your dog associates biting with a horrible taste, they should soon stop biting.
Keep your hand away from his mouth
If your dog has a habit of trying to bite when you playing, then stick to stroking their body and handling their toys only, don’t play with their mouth or head. This will reduce biting and direct their attention to the toy instead.
Never play roughly
It sounds obvious, but if your dog has a habit of aggressive play, then don’t allow him to get worked up by also roughhousing with them. Remain quiet and soft so he can’t get overly excited and aggressive.
Don’t be afraid to use a muzzle
If your dog consistently bites and you cannot stop him getting aggressive, then it might be time to consider a muzzle. This will prevent him biting, and when he plays gently you can remove the muzzle to signal to them they have behaved well and should continue to play in the same manner.
Written by Amy Caldwell
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 09/21/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
More articles by Amy Caldwell
Training Questions and Answers
He get excited when someone comes to the house and even with us he jumps up and grabs your shoes or pants and has knocked me down we tried the toy thing it doesn't work
Nov. 2, 2022
Jojo's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, 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 Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Nov. 2, 2022
He is about 80 pounds he's been fixed he's very very hyper I just got him back from when he was 3 months old he's had absolutely no training I don't think and I have two other dogs a beagle that is much older and a pit mix please help
Oct. 17, 2022
Roscoe's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I would work on teaching commands to help with self-control. If there is any aggression present, I also recommend hiring a trainer who has a lot of successful experience working with aggression, as well as getting him used to wearing a basket muzzle gradually, using food rewards, and managing his freedom around those he displays aggression toward, by using a leash, crate and being in another room when you can't directly train with him with your trainer's help. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s 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 Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Heel- Turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Come - Reel in method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall Off- section on The Off command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-train-dog-stay-off-couch/ Drop It – Exchange method: https://wagwalking.com/training/drop-it Building listening and respect toward you - if aggression is present, work with a trainer on this and use a basket muzzle for your safety and the safety of others, don't just start this on your own without safety measures when there is aggression or high arousal that can turn to aggression quickly. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Oct. 18, 2022
I have a older dog(13y) named rusty. We just got esme a 6 months ago and since she was little, and up to now still, she’s been jumping and biting and growling and aggressively “playing” with rusty. The thing is rusty is deaf, has no teeth really, and just simple wants to just lay down and relax. Since esme been here rusty been so tense, he won’t lay down anymore to sleep, and he scared of esme backing up every time she looks at him. Can you help me find a way to please make it stop. We tried everything(we can think of).
Sept. 8, 2022
Esme's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I would start by teaching Out, Leave It, Place, and crate train Esme. Once Esme has learned all of that, if she is still not improving, then I would hire a professional trainer who is very experienced with using a remote training collar on "working level", which is the lowest level that your specific dog will respond to, determined during training with pup. I would work on then teaching those commands: Out, Leave It, ad Place on remote collar, so that pup learns that the commands will always be enforced even when you aren't right beside pup. I would also combine this training with a lot of positive reinforcement, correcting what you don't want to see, but also looking for even more opportunities to use positive reinforcement to reward what you do want pup to be doing - rewarding obedience to your commands, choosing to lie down on Place on their own and leave the older dog alone, and generally being respectful and more calm around the older dog. Reward away from the older dog when using treats though, to avoid a potential food fight. If pup may react aggressively toward your older dog at any point during training or in general (not playing but trying to hurt the older dog), then I would desensitize her to wearing a basket muzzle using treats ahead of time, and utilize the basket muzzle around Rusty until things improve to prevent her from taking any aggression out on him - if it's needed. 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 Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Crate training - surprise method if food motivated: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Sept. 8, 2022