Do you have an aggressive dog that is out of control? Has he established dominance over you and other members of your family? Is he reserved and aggressive toward strangers? You do not want to give him up. But how do you train your aggressive dog to be more friendly and obedient to you, your family, and to strangers?

The most serious problem that can occur with an aggressive dog, even in the smallest of breeds, is that then they bite, it can cause serious harm. Other types of behaviors that an aggressive dog may demonstrate are growling, barking, baring of the teeth, and snapping or lunging.

Aggression starts when the dog stands very still and square with an alert expression on his face and raised hackles (hackles are a ridge of hair which rises from the nape of the neck and trails off down the spine).

It is common for a male dog that is not neutered to demonstrate aggressive behavior towards other dogs. You have to neuter your aggressive dog if you want him to have friendly interactions and socialize well with other dogs. It is ideal to neuter your aggressive dog before he reaches puberty.

Other reasons of aggressive behaviors are nervousness and fear. These often result from a previous cruelty or neglect. These types of aggressive behaviors are very dangerous because they are mostly directed at people. If your aggressive dog has attacked or bitten anyone before, whether it’s a family member or a stranger, you must take care of the problem right away. Consult the problem with your vet, he may recommend you to the right animal behaviorist who specializes in this type of unhealthy behavior.

Training your puppy correctly at an early age can prevent him from becoming an aggressive dog. You have to slowly establish yourself as the leader of the pack by handling him. Perform certain exercises such as taking food away from him and returning it with praise. This will prevent him from being aggressive during mealtimes. You can also do the same exercise with his favorite toy or bone.

You can also approach him while he’s sleeping, waking him up slowly so he can learn not to be upset when he is most vulnerable. Get him used to strangers and other dogs as soon as possible. Socializing your dog early on will make him feel more at ease with strangers in the future and less likely to be aggressive.

Last but certainly not least, you should never punish or reprimand your aggressive dog; this will only make the situation worse. Instead, be firm when saying NO with a disapproving and stern look.

If you love the sleek, muscled appearance of the Doberman Pinscher, but you don’t want a big dog, you may want to consider a Miniature Pinscher. These dogs are very similar in appearance to Dobermans, but are almost one hundred pounds lighter.

The Miniature Pinscher may look like a miniature Doberman, but these dogs are not actually directly related. In fact, the Miniature Pinscher was developed long before the Doberman. The Miniature Pinscher was created by breeding the German Pinscher to a smaller breed. The American Kennel Club classifies the Miniature Pinscher as a part of the Toy Group, but these dogs are not cute little lapdogs. The Miniature Pinscher was bred to be a tough, aggressive ratter. The Min Pin weighs in at 8 to 10 pounds and stands 10 to 12 inches high.

Miniature Pinschers have a compact, muscular frame. Their intelligent eyes are so dark brown that they look black. The Min Pin’s short coat can be red, stag red, black and rust, or chocolate and rust. This breed’s tails are docked. In addition, some people crop their Miniature Pinscher’s ears, but this is not necessary. Most of these dogs develop pricked ears as they mature.

The high energy Miniature Pinscher does well in apartment settings, as long as you are willing to go for a long walk once a day. Of course, the Min Pin also enjoys the freedom of a fenced yard. These dogs have a tendency to roam and they will search for ways to escape, so be sure your yard has a securely fenced exercise area. If you live in an area with busy streets, your dog’s escape could prove fatal, since the Miniature Pinscher is too small to be easily seen from a moving car.

Miniature Pinschers are very loyal dogs, and are deeply devoted to their owners, but that loyalty does not always extend to small children. This breed has a tendency to be nippy with babies and toddlers. If you have family members with children who visit frequently, you may want to crate your dog while your guests are there to avoid problems. In addition, some of these dogs are quite high strung and will become aggressive to adults, especially mail carriers and deliverymen.

While Miniature Pinschers are small, most of them are a bit stubborn and hard to control. Your puppy should attend obedience classes and you should be careful to follow up on every command. These dogs enjoy agility training and attending competitions gives them a chance to shine. The Min Pin was bred to work and takes vermin seriously. If a mouse gets into your house, your dog will not rest until it is caught.

Miniature Pinschers can have several serious health problems, such as heart conditions, thyroid conditions, and epilepsy. In addition, these dogs are prone to hip dysplasia, which is a rare thing in small breeds.

Miniature Pinschers do not consume huge quantities of food, but they have a tendency to be a bit gluttonous. You may need to switch to a food that controls weight gain if you notice your sleek Miniature Pinscher is starting to resemble a blowfish with legs.

Min Pins require little grooming, but they do have problems with overgrown nails. Be sure to check your dog’s nails frequently.

The Miniature Pinscher is not for everyone, but if you want a dog who is completely loyal to you, you may want to consider this breed.

It may not be a good idea to get a new puppy on a whim just because you happen to see one that you thought was too cute and irresistible to pass up. Why? Because without having properly researched what type of dog that new puppy will grow up to be, you will be taking a risk of whether the dog will be the ideal companion for you or not.

When you first look at any puppy, regardless of what type it is, it is so easy to overlook the fact in a few months they will start to become the size and type of whatever breed that they came from. In other words, although the puppy is small and seems easy to handle now, you need to make sure of the future size the dog will become and also if it will have characteristics suitable to your home and family.

If you pick a puppy and bring it home, you do not want to be unhappy with the results. If this cute little puppy grows up to be a an extremely large and over-dominating in your small house or apartment then you would have wished to research your choices better. And it will not be the puppy’s fault that you did not carefully give some thought to the fully grown adult dog that the pup would grow.

It all boils down to getting the puppy that will best grow up into the right dog for you. In choosing a dog, you must be able to visualize what you would like the dog to grow into physically and also behaviorally. For example, if you are a person who will be very content with small, slow-moving dog like a Bassett, then you will be pretty frustrated when your pup grows up to be a super high energy dog like a terrier.

Think of your new puppy as a sort of life-mate. This dog will be with you and your family until the very end. And it would obviously make sense to make your choice wisely. In order to do this then you have sit down and seriously reflect on your lifestyle and personality and see if there is a dog that will fit in perfectly with you.