How do you train territorial aggression?

Focus on basic obedience, recall, the “quiet” command, and reducing anxiety. Basic obedience lays the groundwork for troubleshooting problem behaviour, and basic commands can be incredibly useful in a tense situation. Recall, or coming when called, is among the most important things you can teach your dog, and for a territorial dog, it’s a key command to keep her out of trouble. You can and should work on recall anywhere, but if your dog is especially territorial in the garden, start indoors. Once your dog has mastered the basics, you can reinforce good behaviour by practicing “Nothing in Life is Free” training. If your dog tends to bark when she senses a threat to her territory, teach her a command that means “be quiet.” Reduce your dog’s anxiety by closing the curtains, feeding in a private place, and gating your dog away from the front door when guests are expected. After you’ve spent some time working on the other training steps, you can gradually introduce desensitisation and counter-conditioning to change your dog’s reactions to triggers. Slowly and patiently introduce your dog to territorial triggers, never pushing them, and provide rewards when they behave as you expect.

A positive trainer will work with you to change your dog’s reaction to triggers that set off the aggressive response, whether those triggers are a dog, human, or other stimulus approaching your dog’s environment. Give you workable management strategies to ensure your dog remains under threshold, is safe, and does not feel threatened when someone comes onto your property or walks by your car. A trainer will guide you through the appropriate management, training, and behavior modification methods needed to address all the contributing factors. Develop a plan that teaches appropriate behaviors in response to your guidance. Help your dog stay calm when a dog or person approaches or enters the home, garden or yard, and give tips on how to keep your dog and guests safe when they come onto your property or walk by your car. If your dog is aggressively protecting objects, people or territory, it is crucial to get the help of a qualified positive trainer as these behaviors can be very dangerous.