Aggression in Toy Breeds

For many dogs, use of aggression for aggression simply compounds the problem. Corrections do not work, this includes displays of dominance. It doesn't work in fear aggressive dogs at all and only causes additional fear and thus aggression. This is fairly typical in small dogs that only their attitudes to protect them. "You might get me, so I'll get you first!" is their motto. Not a great motto, but one that can be worked around.

What has worked for me with toy breeds is to pick up the dog and hoist it into the air, face level, but not in your face. If your hands are around it's chest, behind it's elbows, it can't get at you to bite. It can try all it wants. You simply hold it in the air, saying nothing, allowing it to squeal and fight all it wants. When it calms down and relaxes, you can then lower it to your lap and praise. "Good dog, this is how you're supposed to act!"

Allowing the dog to display it's temper tantrum with no adverse affects, then praising the calm that follows lets it know that it is free to fight all it wants, but it won't get it anywhere. To be calm will earn the dog its freedom. If something aversive happens when it throws the temper tantrum then the dog is reinforced in its belief that someone is out to "get" him. It will just be more alert to this danger in the future.

For dogs who believe that they are Lord over all they see, remove the source whenever needed. If laying in a particular place precipitates the behavior then they lay there no more. They can have their own space, but until they can share space properly they aren't allowed. It helps tremendously if the dog knows the name of its space, go crate, go to bed, whatever. If it growls in a joint space then it must retreat to it's own space. No sharing!