Dog Aggressive Stance: How to Handle a Dominant Dog

How to Handle Dominant Dog Behavior: What’s Going on In a Bossy Dog’s Mind?

What truly drives your dog's need to assert dominance and display aggression?

Let me give the explanation through a common scenario often encountered by dog owners with aggressive and bossy dogs.

Picture this: when you take your bossy pet to the park, they tend to gravitate towards other dogs, sizing them up.

Dogs typically approach each other with erect ears, engaging in a circling ritual as they assess one another.

Soon enough, you might hear a chorus of barks, each dog unrelenting! The next thing you know, they will be in an aggressive stance, ready to attack each other.

So, why do they behave this way? Especially when there is no food or toy around?

The answer is rather straightforward: they exhibit aggression because they want to know who is in charge.

The bossy aggression happens when your dog perceives themselves as the one in charge, so to speak.

They have this HUGE need to assert themselves, and if either you or another dog fails to comply with their desires, they resort to aggressive behaviors to assert their dominance.

What Does a “Dog Aggressive Stance” Mean?

A dog aggression stance is one of the warning signs from your dog, indicating a potential for conflict. It's like them saying “Be careful, I'm ready to attack.”

This defensive posture, often accompanied by bared teeth or showing teeth, reveals the dog's heightened emotional state. 

An aggressive dog will start showing signs like intense stare and direct eye contact, signaling they are paying attention and ready to react. 

This defensive response escalates in stressful situations, where the dog feels threatened or challenged. Recognizing these visible signs is crucial for preventing aggression, as they communicate the dog's intent and discomfort before a physical altercation occurs. An aggressive stance is also a sign that happen before a dog bites so keep an eye on that.   

Other Dog Body Language Signals That Tell A Dog Is Asserting Dominance

Do dogs also exhibit dominance over their owners?

They can and do!

Some of the signs that your dog is showing dominance over you includes them refusing to come when called, persistently climbing onto your bed and couch despite your objections, or displaying aggression towards you.

Recognizing these signs is crucial because they show that you have potentially lost control of your dog.

And when you lose control over a dominant dog, it can be the start of difficult behavior issues.

So, how can you prevent these issues from escalating?

There are four signs that you should 100% watch out for.

#1: Invading Your Space

Picture this: dogs encroached upon your personal space, freely climbing onto your bed without an invitation, perching on your head, or occupying your lap without consent.

It might sound sweet at first (“Yay, my dog wants me!”) but they are actually very subtle ways of dogs taking over the leadership. Even a dog lying on your feet is their way of showing dominance.

And the more your dog invades your space, the more they start to think “I can do this because I'm the one in charge here.”

#2: Growling at You

When dogs growl at you, it's a significant sign. This is because growling can be a precursor to an attack.

It suggests that your dog perceives you as a threat to their authority and security, prompting them to growl to assert dominance. Whether you have a territorial dog or a fearful dog, growling should be taken seriously.

#3: Ignoring Your Commands

You call your dog, but there's no response.

You command them to stop, but they disregard your instructions.

Regardless of how loudly you may shout, they simply do not heed your words.

It’s a silent but powerful way of letting you know “Why should I listen to you?”

Making Decisions

Dogs take matters into THEIR OWN PAWS, making decisions without waiting for your input.

They decide when to eat food, nudge you for cuddles, or fetch their leash to signal their desire for a walk. These actions may seem harmless, but they slowly build into a wrecking ball that eventually crushes your control.

Once these signs become evident, it's essential to regain control. I am sharing the powerful strategies for training bossy dogs I’ve learned from my experience. Read on below.

How to Train a Dog With Defensive Aggression

The most effective approach to resolving dog aggression begins with consistent and proper training within the home environment. Establishing yourself as the leader through controlled feeding, delayed attention, and clear boundaries sets the foundation for improved behavior.

This method, combined with positive reinforcement and gradual socialization, allows the dog to understand and accept your authority, reducing their need to resort to aggression.

Implement the Dog Calming Code's Five Golden Rules:

• These rules provide a structured approach to regaining control and establishing your authority.
  • Control the food:
    • Managing all aspects of feeding, from mealtimes to scraps, reinforces that you are the resource provider and therefore the leader.
  • Delay attention:
    • Controlling when and how your dog receives attention prevents them from dictating interactions, reinforcing that attention is given on your terms.
  • Make decisions:
    • Ensuring you make all decisions prevents the dog from assuming control, reinforcing your role as the leader.
  • Manage danger:
    • Taking charge of perceived threats shows your dog that you are the protector, reducing their need to assert dominance through guarding behaviors.
  • Control the walk:
    • Maintaining leadership during walks prevents the dog from challenging other dogs and reinforces that you are in charge even outside the home.

• Maintain a Calm Demeanor:
  • Projecting confidence and calmness reassures your dog that you are in control, reducing their need to assert dominance. Your dog senses your emotions, so staying calm is essential.
• Protect Your Personal Space:
  • Establishing and enforcing boundaries around your personal space prevents the dog from asserting dominance by invading it.
• Prevent the Dog From Making Decisions:
  • Retaining control over all decisions, from when to eat to when to play, reinforces that you are the leader and they are not.
• Enforce Rules and Boundaries Consistently:
  • Maintaining steadfast rules and boundaries prevents confusion and challenges to your authority. Inconsistency allows the dog to test and push limits which can lead to not making progress in their behavior.
• Use Calm, Consistent Corrections:
  • Employing methods like timeouts as non-aggressive corrections reinforces respectful behavior without resorting to fear or aggression.
• Socialize Your Dog Properly:
  • Gradually exposing your dog to controlled social interactions helps them develop appropriate social skills and reduces aggression towards other dogs.
• Utilize Positive Reinforcement:
  • Rewarding desired behaviors reinforces positive actions and establishes a pattern of good behavior. This helps the dog understand what you want from them.
• Consistent Training:
  • Consistent training will enforce all the other rules, and will make your dog have a better understanding of what you want. Consistent training is the bedrock of all the other rules working.

Five Mistakes Dog Owners Make When Training an Aggressive Dog

• Not Correcting the First Sign of Dominance:
  • Failing to address initial dominance cues allows them to escalate.
  • Subtle signs like pushing during walks, growling over toys, or invading personal space should be addressed promptly.
  • Early intervention with consistent training, like timeouts, is crucial to prevent ingrained dominance patterns.
• Thinking Dominance Aggression Will Just Go Away:
  • Dominance aggression rarely resolves on its own; it often worsens if ignored.
  • Assuming a dog will “grow out of it” can lead to deeply ingrained, harder-to-correct behaviors.
  • Proactive training, socialization, and consistent rules are essential.
• Letting the Dog Rule the House:
  • Allowing the dog to dictate household activities reinforces their belief in their dominance.
  • Examples include letting them claim prime spots, decide meal times, or demand attention.
  • This can lead to aggression, excessive barking, and leash lunging.
  • Establishing and consistently enforcing clear boundaries is vital.
• Lack of Consistency in Rules and Boundaries:
  • Inconsistent rule enforcement allows the dog to revert to dominant behaviors.
  • Mixed signals confuse the dog and undermine training efforts.
  • All family members must adhere to the same rules and boundaries.
• No Proper Training in Place:
  • A lack of early, structured training can lead to significant dominance issues.
  • Realizing the need for leadership too late makes correction more challenging.
  • A reliable training program, potentially with professional guidance, is essential for prevention.

Dog Aggressive Stance: Learn How to Handle Dominant Dog Behavior with the Dog Calming Code

Training your dog to see you as the gentle, trustworthy of your pack requires you do things right.

Why? Because there are so many small, seemingly insignificant mistakes that can mess up your training.

If you want a training guide for dominant dogs, I encourage you to check out The Dog Calming Code.

I made sure the training instructions are simple for even new dog owners to understand but POWERFUL enough to cover the issues that lead to dog aggression.

Because I believe that dominant, bossy dogs — when trained right — will happily switch off and pass the baton of leadership to you.

And every dog deserves to switch off, relax, and feel “I am not the leader here. I don't need to fight with other dogs. I don't need to be brave and alert all the time. I can absolutely chill!”

And every dog deserves to switch off, relax, and feel “I am not the leader here. I don't need to fight with other dogs. I don't need to be brave and alert all the time. I can absolutely chill!”

That's an absolute gift to your pet.

If you want to learn about the Dog Calming Code, you can check it out here.

~Doggy Dan