Most dog behavior problems are related to a dog's confusion about leadership or a lack of motivation. If you are your dog's leader, you can simply ask him to stop whatever he is doing or call him to you successfully at any time . Wouldn't it be great to be your dog's leader? The only behavior problem it wouldn't solve is one that occurs when you aren't there. Wow. Simple, yet so elusive. Well, if leadership is sounding attractive, you might want to read more about how domestic dogs evolved. You can't become the leader in one knock down, drag out fight, and hope it will stick. You will have to earn the leadership position. If you are ready to motivate your dog, read on....

THE PLAN
If you have had specific problems with aggression  involving dog bites, work with a professional trainer. Any dog with a mouth can bite, but a dog that has bitten a person has proven that he will do so. If your dog has bitten, she should wear a leash when you are home to supervise (leash can be a hazard on a dog left alone). You will be able to use the leash to move her off the sofa, out from under the bed or anything you may need to do that normally results in a confrontation in which you risk getting bitten. This not only keeps you safer but it will change your dog's mind about how you react to threats. You won't have to touch your dog to gain compliance when she is behaving in a threatening manner.

Establish a cue that your dog responds well to for a treat, such as "sit." If your dog does not respond to words reliably, start with our basic lesson. Once his response is reliable, begin asking him to sit before you feed him. Show him the food and ask once. If he does not obey, put the food away. Feel free to ask again in 5 or 10 minutes after you have done some other activity in another room. He will catch on quickly that you only ask once. If you are unable to get results the first day, be sure to leave food available without requesting anything while your dog is in another room. He will find it on his own. Start again the next day. Dogs do not learn well when they are worried about food and companionship.

Eventually, your dog will probably sit as soon as he sees you with his bowl. However, if he sits without being asked and you feed him then HE is training you. So, if he is already sitting at meal time, get him to follow you a short distance and then ask him to sit. Of course, you may use other words he knows such as "down" or "fetch. The point is that you must ask him for something before you give him anything. He must learn that all things he likes come from you.

Begin asking him to sit for any attention at all. Ask him to sit before a walk. If he does not, walk away. There will be plenty of chances to try again. If you can give him access to a small fenced area to eliminate rather than walking him, do so. If he loves the yard, then walk him in the yard on a leash--whichever is more rewarding should be withheld unless your dog is willing to do you a favor first. If he puts his head on your lap for attention or climbs up on the couch or bed, get up and change the TV channel or leave the room. The reason for this is two-fold. He absolutely cannot have the things he likes until after he does something you like. Second, you do not want him to learn to persistently bother you until you give in. This is definitely NOT going to make you the leader.

You will eventually notice that your dog sits beside the couch waiting to have attention or to climb up. Remember, if he sits without being asked make sure he does something extra before you allow him his reward. Ask him to give you his paw or bring you a toy. You may notice his behavior is changing for the better already.

It is important to remember this is not boot camp. Your dog can still have all the luxury and treats and attention he has always enjoyed, as long as he complies with simple requests. You should only ask once, but you can do some minor activity such as change rooms. Once he is NOT paying attention to you, ask again. It's that simple. Never withhold your dog’s usual care as a punishment. During this training period you may even want to offer extra attention in the form of extra walks and games of fetch -- even ice cream; AS LONG AS YOUR DOG complies with requests from you. Once you feel your dog responds reliably indoors when resources are involved, it's time to motivate him to learn more.  

A dog does not fear his leader, he trusts him as the source of all good things. A leader must demonstrate an ability to provide. You can control any dog's behavior quickly with a choke collar or loud voice but you will not be his leader.