Aggression in dogs is all too common. And, sadly, the advice from the so called experts is to kill them. However, there are ways to heal this tendency completely.

All behaviour in anyone - dog, elephant, human - is based on their life experiences as well as their species and instincts. Leaving the latter two areas aside for the moment, let’s focus on experiences.

Epigenetics, a rapidly growing science, understands the importance of life experiences, especially in the young. They shape a being far more than their genetic make up does.

How a youngster experiences their environment will create habits that can last a life time. However, the habits that a youngster learns to protect themselves from, say abuse or neglect, is no longer needed when they mature and are more in control of their lives themselves.

Everyone adapts and their experiences may not be as dramatic as those sited above, but will still have influence.

Prior to this, the mother’s pregnancy, treatment of the parents, the diet of the parents (father’s diet before conception) can all have significant effect on the being. As can the medical treatment.

Whenever we adopt a puppy or a mature dog, they invariably come with some baggage. And one of the main triggers can be too early removal from the mother, who would naturally keep them much longer, teaching them stategies that equip them for life.

We don’t know anything about the parents treatment.
Usually the diet is terrible.

And the vet treatment can have a lasting negative impact on the puppy.

Adopting a mature dog can add to the baggage.

I tend to adopt ‘unwanted’ animals.

Luna was one such dog. An energetic, stocky two year old who had received no training and was so over excited, she was almost unmanageable. And she was out to get the cats and neighbouring dogs. Her hunting instinct was strong.

Her early history included abuse and neglect.

It is essential to train dogs, at the very least to ensure they understand where their position is in the family. They are hierarchial animals, and without understanding their position, in their terms, not ours, can lead to anxiety, followed by depression or aggression.

The first thing I did was to apply Jan Fennell’s training methods detailed in her first book 'The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation'. 

They are easy to understand and apply. They are respectful and kind, but firm. Basically, they teach us to act like an alpha dog. Dogs totally get this.

I could see an immediate response, all-be-it small.

My priority was to keep everyone safe while I worked out how to tame this happy, but aggressive dog. So, reluctantly, I bought an electronic collar, which I only used when she went into her attack mode. Eventually she realised the cats ‘bit’ her.

Not before she had attacked a cat. Happily the cat fully recovered thanks to homeopathy. She even moved on past the incident, becoming more friendly and more assertive, as can happen with the right homeopathic treatment.

Slowly, I worked out who she was. Once I had, I was perplexed I hadn’t seen it earlier, as it was so obvious. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Now I understood which homeopathic remedy she needed.

The shift in energy was palpable. The cats started to interact with her, cautiously at first.

I had been very strict with her initially, not allowing her to get away with anything. As she adapted to the house rules, so I was less strict.

After a few weeks of the homeopathic treatment, without any planning, she was roaming the house freely. The cats rubbed up against her in greeting, tails up, defences down.

The training is ongoing and essential. The collar helped initially, but was stopped when I could see she understood the rules of the house. However, it wasn’t until the homeopathic treatment that the real change came and I could begin to trust her.

Aggression in dogs does not have to be a death sentence for them. However, thinking outside the square is needed. Patience, dedication, keeping everyone safe, the right training and help from a professional homeopath can be life changing and life saving.

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