My Pet World: Dog needs specialized training to overcome aggressive reactions to people

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Jan 17, 2024

It's worth noting that communities are cracking down on owners with aggressive dogs, from high fines to jail time, depending on what the dog has done. So, it’s important that your family find a trainer who specializes in training aggressive dogs.

A trainer will teach them positive and progressive behavior modification techniques to recondition her reactions to people. For example, this dog should never walk on a leash ahead of her owners, a position that only triggers protective behaviors. Instead, she should learn to heel on a leash right by her owner's side. It’s this specialized and individualized training that addresses the many things that can trigger an overprotective dog.

Reconditioning can take months, but it’s worth it to have a non-reactive dog. I recommend the training.

Dear Cathy,

I lost a cat a few years ago with a microchip but no collar. Why didn't my cat have a collar? You don't want them to be too tight, so the cat can't wriggle out of them if they get caught on something. But if I put them on the cat loose enough so that he can wriggle out of them if he needs to, the collar does not stay on the cat. He does figure out how to get it off, and in a few days, I find the collar on the floor. Please comment on how to fix this problem.

— Elizabeth, Garden City, New York

Dear Elizabeth,

While keeping a collar on a cat can be challenging, it's not impossible. According to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, 73% of the 538 cats they followed were still wearing collars six months later.

I highly recommend collars, even for indoor cats who could bolt out an open door. The added benefit of a collar and I.D. tag is that a cat is immediately identifiable as an owned pet, not a stray, so someone is likelier to pick up a cat to find their owner.

For those Houdini cats who wriggle out of their collars, use a breakaway collar and fit it so two fingers fit comfortably between collar and neck. This technique should help keep the collar on. The breakaway aspect of the collar will ensure her safety should the collar get hung up on something.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)