Territorial dogs will not let anyone into their yard until the dog trainer walks in

Dealing with an aggressive or territorial dog can be frustrating if you don’t have the right tools. The longer behavioral issues are ignored, the more work it takes to fix the problem. So that’s why trainers like Cesar Millan specialize in helping aggressive dogs. There is a lot of demand for it.

In an episode of one of Millan’s shows, Cesar 911, he works with an aggressive German Shepherd named Ovechkin. Ovechkin has such strict territorial control over the house and his people that it becomes dangerous for anyone who visits the house. But Millan was up for the challenge.

The “angry” dog protects his house

Trish has been raising Ovechkin since he was a 4-month-old puppy. German Shepherds have a reputation for being loyal and protective, but without proper training, they can go too far. Since Trish appears to be soft-spoken and emotional, Ovechkin’s territorial acts quickly spiral out of control.

When Ovechkin bit Trish’s sister, Trish knew she needed professional training. She was in love with Ovechkin and didn’t want to part with him, so she contacted Millan because he was known as a breeder of difficult dogs.

Millan’s first meeting with Ovechkin did not go well. As suspected, the dog chased Millan in the yard and repeatedly tried to bite him. Millan used tennis rackets and other objects as shields to protect himself. Despite the dog’s insistence on biting Millan, Millan remained calm and determined.

Later, Millan brought some of his own “alpha dogs” to meet Ovechkin. The dogs are calm and assertive like Millan, and they stand around his human to protect him. Along with the other dogs in the yard, Ovechkin backed off a little and stopped plunging at Millan, but he remained angry.

progress hint

With the help of his group, Millan was able to corner Ovechkin to tie him up. Then he put his muzzle on to make sure no one was bitten. He walks Ovechkin with his other dogs, which helps the stressed German Shepherd to act more submissively.

Millan also worked with Trish to find a way to calm Ovechkin’s anger. He encourages Trish to be assertive with her orders so that Ovechkin will listen. Some of the tactics worked, but in the end, Millan knew that training needed to continue to stay away from the triggers. So he took Ovechkin out of his home and people to do coaching in a neutral space.

RELATED: 7 Reasons Dogs Behave Aggressively towards Other Dogs

Sure enough, at Millan’s house, Ovechkin didn’t try to attack. Millan removed the German Shepherd’s muzzle, and the dog remained much calmer than it would have been in his territory.

Millan said: “Ovechkin was no longer in his territory, so when I took his muzzle off, he didn’t attack. “But I need him to surrender to me so I can start rehabilitating him.”

Ovechkin’s true personality shows

Without the things that trigger Ovechkin’s behavior (his territory and people), he began to show progress in training. Millan used a variety of tactics to get Ovechkin to listen and stay calm in different contexts. Ovechkin is not an angry dog ​​at all, he just never learned to handle his protective instincts.

“This is also what you want when he’s in front of people: to be comfortable, to create space. It was the only way for him to be re-introduced to his family without people getting too scared,” Millan said.

After some time away from Ovechkin’s employer, Millan invited Trish to the facility to work with her furry friend. Trish still struggles to appear confident and assertive with her dog, but Ovechkin is clearly making some progress. Millan was determined to continue working with him and find training methods that worked for both Ovechkin and Trish.

Millan’s videos prove that aggressive dogs aren’t as mean and angry as they seem. They just need patience and the right tools to thrive.

Watch Clips from Ovechkin’s training sessions here:

Featured pictures: YouTube