Aggressive dog behavior has been linked to diet following a study done by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Massachusettes.

Aggressive dog behavior can be a major problem for dog owners. In some cases, their dogs are so aggressive and threatening that they are afraid of their own pets. Dogs can sense when someone is afraid and this only magnifies the problem.

Such behavior has led to many heartbreaks through injuries, loss of life and loss of a pet. The ones that end up in shelters are frequently put down as they are considered too dangerous to put up for adoption. This is unfair to the dog because there could be another reason for his aggression.

Diets that are high in protein content contribute to this problem, as indicated during the study. Many members of the study group switched their dogs to a low protein diet and saw significant improvement in their dog’s behavior. The tests proved that switching to a low protein diet works.

One of the problems with some commercial dog foods is that they contain too much protein for most dogs. Dog owners think that high-protein is good, but that is only true if the dog is under one year old, pregnant, nursing or is a working dog. In these circumstances, a high-protein diet provides many benefits that those dogs need. For example, puppies require protein to help their bodies to grow properly. Too little protein can lead to serious problems.

Working dogs need a lot of energy to do what they do and for this, they require protein that will provide the energy and help them stay healthy and fit. With insufficient protein intake, the dog will get its energy from the body itself instead of from the food, which would be an unhealthy situation.

According to the study, puppies under one year need a diet of 28% protein content. High-performance dogs can benefit from 32% protein diets.

Dogs are instinctively territorial, and to protect it they need some degree of aggression. If he didn’t intruders can kill their young, steal their food and take over their shelter. The difference between a dog protecting his territory in the wild and a domesticated dog is the degree of aggression. If it is excessive, it must be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent injury to their owners and others.

Switching to a low protein diet might be all that is required. Of course, some dogs have behavior problems that are more extensive and require a different kind of treatment. Dogs that have been abused, isolated or malnourished are likely to have issues that acquire a dog behavior specialist to overcome them.

Your first step, then, is to change to a low protein diet to see if you notice any improvement. Make sure you give the test sufficient time and that you can repeat the results. For instance, put your dog on a low protein diet for a week to see if there is any change. If there is improvement, put him back on the old diet for a week and see if he reverts to his previous aggressive behavior.

You will soon be able to tell whether diet is the cause of the aggressive dog behavior. If it appears not to be, then your dog might need the help of a dog behavior specialist who can offer other solutions.

Humans are supposed to be in charge of their dogs.  They are supposed to be the leader of the pack in their relationship.  The human dominates the dog, and the dog is meant to obey the human, or be submissive to the human.  This is the nature of the human/dog relationship.  When the dog is dominant in the relationship, it is contrary to what it is meant to be.  When this happens, you need to take necessary steps to correct aggressive dog behavior.

An aggressive dog is not a happy, well adjusted dog.  He can also cause you a lot of stress and embarrassment.  Aggressive dogs are hard to take to the park or even for a walk without creating trouble.  They are a nuisance when you have people over, as they might jump on them and become very annoying.  In short, you are putting up with a lot of behavior that is stressful and embarrassing at least, and which can also become a huge problem if the dog acted out and injured someone.

All aggressive dogs don’t necessarily have the most obvious signs of aggression, such as biting and growling.  But they might be demonstrating some more subtle signs. Aggressive dog behavior tends to escalate with time.  You should become aware of any minor signs of aggression, which could in time become a real problem.

There are many demonstrations of dog aggression which sometimes go unnoticed or unattended.  Some of these behaviors include:

• Jumping or putting their paws on you
• Barking or “talking” to you when they want something
• Pulling you on the lead and “taking you for a walk”
• Demanding and nudging you to pet him or play with him

Small dogs get away with even more aggressive behavior because of their size and weight.  They are not perceived as harmful when they pull you or jump on you or sleep on your pillow.  These are all signs of aggression.  In the dog world, they may be small, but they are still aggressive, and still a potential problem for you.

So what are your options?

You could hire a trainer.  Besides being expensive he would only solve half of the problem, as he would only train the dog.  You see, both the dog and you need training.  You need to learn how to become the leader and take charge, so that the dog will obey you.  There will be things you will need to learn how to lead effectively.

You should stop aggressive dog behavior so you can enjoy your dog a lot more and have a much better relationship with him.  You will both be happier if you learn to be his leader.  You will also put an end to the stress and embarrassment of having an aggressive dog who could potentially also harm someone.

Here is the #1 recommended method of dog training which has helped hundreds of thousands with their dog’s aggressive behavior.

This method is guaranteed to help you and your dog with his aggressive dog behavior.

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