No matter where you live, you may run into dog aggression, and it may be caused by your dog. Sometimes it is between two dogs, whether neighbors or dogs in the same household. Sometimes it involves a dog attacking or biting a human, all too often a child. This article will give you three things you can do if you are dealing with an aggressive dog in your family. It will also provide you with a link to a resource that has much more information on this stressful situation.

First, arrange your dog's living quarters so he and everyone around him is safe. This means the dog, of course, but it also means all the humans and pets in your family, as well as any other dogs or people that the dog might encounter.

Crating your dog is an excellent way to increase safety. However, if he doesn't like being crated or simply isn't used to it, you will have to take it slowly, step by step, using food treats or toys — a Kong is excellent. Only leave him in the crate for amounts of time that he accepts willingly, or he may injure himself or the crate in his attempt to escape. Do not put him in the crate for long hours, unless he is used to sleeping in it overnight, for example.

If you are not using a crate, consider enclosing the dog in some part of your home, whether a dog kennel in your yard or a less-used room in your house. This is a good plan in addition to a crate, as well. If your problem is between two dogs you own, at least at first you will want to have them well separated. One door between them may be okay, but two doors makes it much easier for you to get around.

Second, get your dog to your veterinarian for a thorough check-up. Many times, the cause of aggression in a dog is pain. Veterinarians can find many possible causes that you might never think of, such as dental pain. If this is the case, once the pain is gone, the dog will be a much happier camper and the aggression may go away completely.

Third, keep a log of what incidents and near-misses occur. It is very easy for details to get jumbled in our memories, particularly around stressful matters like this. A small notebook, or just a paper and pencil kept handy, will come in very useful as you move into longer-term management and training routines.

And that is what you will want to do next. Research shows that when the owner of a dog who shows aggression takes an active role in managing the situation, the outlook is far, far better for the dog and those who love him.