Bedlington Terriers and Aggression Problems
What quite a few people may be worried about with Bedlington terriers
, especially around children, would be aggression problems. Now while these problems are common to all dogs, it's something that is a little more evident with terriers, since these proud little canines are quite independent, and were bred to be less dependent on humans than other dogs are.So while a breed like retrievers, for example, are inherently able to work closely with humans, the terriers can work on their own, acting more like cats, let's say, than the usual dog.
Now, where could these aggression problems stem from? Primarily they come from the dogs wanting to protect their territory, which could include the adult humans that care for them. So if a child comes up to pet the Bedlington dog while the alpha "dog" or the adult human is petting it, it can bark aggressively or even snap. And that's very dangerous around a toddler.
If your Bedlington terrier is the possessor of such behaviour, then you will want to bring it to a canine behaviour expert for professional evaluation. There is no need to punish the dog for such behaviour as it is normal for them. It's merely getting the dog to understand that such behaviour is unacceptable. And that is the crux of Bedlington terrier training.
First of all, make sure that your Bedlington dog can have a safe place to retreat. While it's not a very small dog, a child is small enough to be looked upon as a threat. It's important to give your dog a safety zone for itself and at the same time let your child understand that he or she needs to be safe while your dog is undergoing behaviour modification. So, install child-proof gates, have your dog exercise freely in its own exercise pen or outdoor kennel, and bring it for regular walks.
Keep the mood positive by giving your Bedlington terrier treats whilst your child is about. Only reward your dog when it exhibits positive behaviour as the child approaches. Over a period of time, decrease the distance between your dog and your child, keeping your dog on a tether while you do so. After a while, you will be able to have your child hand the dog the treats, which will allow it to think of your child as another master and not as a threat.
Keep up the positive behaviour through training your terrier with positive behaviour. This works for everything, not just with aggression. To enforce the fact that you (and your child) are the masters in this household, you'll want to do so with proper training, not with fear and threats.
Allow your terrier to understand that it must perform positive behaviour first before it gets rewarded. For example, never allow the terrier to go outside or to eat its food before it sits down and waits for you to allow it to do so. If it want to play, then it must be relaxed with the child before it does.
Just remember that it's not magic; the Bedlington terrier is an animal with feelings that must be convinced, and not forced. It can only be accomplished slowly, with plenty of rewards and petting, using baby steps the whole time.
Bedlington Terriers and Aggression Problems
By: James Lord How To Create A Fearless Dog Risk Appetite Increases following Fed QE Dog Grooming Shears in Stores Dog Grooming Tools – The Curved Shears Dog Grooming – Using Thinning Shears Competa Fiesta Beta the best natural choice for your dog Petroleo Y Perforaciones Dog Shock Collar - How it Works Marin 2 Mk1 Thalassa Watch by Peter Speake Marin Doggie Lack Of Control Difficulties Come From A Variety Of Causes Pet Air Purifiers - 4 Reasons To Avoid Those With Washable Filters Immortal Series Book 1-Runes by Em Petrova