Dog aggression is an overloaded word.
It can mean anything from staring, jumping, showing teeth, lunging, growling, barking, or the terrible B-word – biting.
Usually, aggression is used to describe dogs that overact to a stimuli (e.g. another dog, a stranger, food).
Reactivity is a new, perhaps less negative term, coined to describe the same behavior. Some trainers use aggression to describe dogs that overact as a result of dominance and reactivity to describe dogs that overact as a result of fear.
These terms, however, are just labels, and it is not useful to overly focus on which label to use.
The important thing is to recognize extreme behavior in our dogs, which causes us to lose control.
What constitutes extreme behavior varies from person to person, and is dependent on context. Mouthing and showing teeth in one context may just be play (top and right), while in another, it may be dangerous.
A problem only arises when the human/owner is not in control of the situation.
If your dog is biting you and causing puncture wounds, it is best to seek help from a professional dog trainer.
My Experiences with Dog Aggression
I was very embarrassed, shocked, and worried when my Shiba first showed signs of aggression. It happened four days after we brought him home (at 10 weeks old), when we took him to the vet.
The vet was very afraid of him and had to muzzle him to do an examination. She later recommended that we return him to the breeder. I never visited with this poor vet again, but at the time it was very difficult not to be embarrassed, and try to show that we were good dog parents by scolding and punishing our Shiba.
Many of my neighbors also gave us the ‘you are such a bad dog parent‘ look.
Because I was so embarrassed I made some very bad mistakes. The worst was using alpha rolls and other aversive techniques including leash jerks with him. My embarrassment also caused me to get angry, and frustrated with my dog.
I was jealous and hurt when my dog would behave better with other people. After all, I feed him and take care of him most of the time, why should he misbehave most with me?
Although it is very natural to have such feelings, they are very detrimental to helping a dog with his reactivity or aggression issues.
Dog Aggression and Love
Remember that your dog’s behavior is a result of behavior conditioning, and not from lack of love
It is natural for us to place our own, very human values and expectations upon our dogs but that is not the way they think.
Dogs respond to conditioning (classical and operant). Dogs will repeat behaviors that have good results and reduce behaviors that have bad results.
What constitutes a good or bad result can sometimes vary from dog to dog. If your dog is showing aggressive behaviors that are continuing to escalate, then he is inadvertently being rewarded for that bad behavior.
- Does he get to go on a walk when he jumps up on you and makes a pest of himself?
- Does he get to smell the other dog by whining loudly and lunging?
- Does nail clipping stop when he mouths or bites you?
- Do you back away when he growls and shows teeth?
If so, then your dog is getting what he wants through aggressive behaviors and will continue those behaviors.
Once we accept that our dogs are not acting out of hate, jealousy, or some other human emotion, we can move on and start reshaping their behavior by changing the consequences of their actions.
Dog Aggression and Other People
Do not worry about what strangers think. Your dog’s welfare is a lot more important.
Actively watch out for feelings of embarrassment, anger and frustration and try to redirect yourself to a more positive frame of mind. Rather than focus on the judgment of strangers –
- Think about the fun you had with your dog just this morning and how cute he looked with cheese bits all over his muzzle and his tongue hanging out in a goofy smile.
- Carry some happy pictures of your dog with you to help redirect your negative feelings.
- Remove yourself and your dog from the unpleasant stimulus as soon as possible.
Dog Aggression and Breed
Some dog breeds may be more prone to reactive or aggressive behaviors. Breeds that are strong-willed, stubborn, and independent will have a higher propensity for challenging you, and displaying aggression in that process.
Breeds that have a strong prey drive may easily become over-excited when they spot prey (e.g. squirrels, cats) and redirect that energy onto you if you thwart their instinct to chase.
Similarly, a strong protective drive may result in using aggression to guard territory, food, toys, or other resources.
More primitive dog breeds often have a lower reactivity threshold. I.e., they may easily go rear-brained when excited, stressed, or fearful.
Make sure to take your dog’s temperament and natural breed instinct into account while retraining his aggressive behaviors.
Dog Aggression – What to Expect
Dealing with dog aggression can be difficult, and may take a long time to fix, but …
- The rewards are well worth the trouble.
The journey will reveal many things not just about your dog, but also about youself. In the process, you will develop a special relationship and strong bond with your dog – and that in itself is priceless. - Things will get better.
Many dog owners are going through the same thing, and their dog’s behavior has and continue to improve. - Your dog will challenge you less as he matures.
… but he may keep challenging you. That is one of the joys of dog ownership š
When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~~[ Author Unknown ]
If you are having aggression issues with your dog, know that you are not alone. I had many aggression issues with my Shiba Inu.
There are also many touching stories from the Toronto Shiba Meetup and Dogster about dealing with dog aggression.
More on Aggression
- Aggression: The Humane Society of the United States
- Behavioral View on Dog Aggression
- Desensitizing your Dog with Clicker Training
Canine Body Language
- Calming Signals: An article about Turid Rugaas.
- How to Interpret Your Dog’s Body Language, Facial Expressions and Vocalizations
I was a dog trainer,and breeder of Ridge backs for over thirty years,and there is one truth.No dog,regardless of breed, is born aggressive or mean. I have trained dogs of all breeds,many with bad reps. dobermans German shepherds ,pit bulls,chows, rotties,you name it,as well as mutts. In my experience,a dog is only as mean,aggressive,anti social and nasty,as the people it lives with. Viciousness ie taught,either through training,or abuse. It is just like disrespectful children. They are products of the parents. The problem is that word,’owner.’ Far too many people treat their pets as if they were property(although legally they are) like furniture or a stove or a car,instead of like family. I have yet to encounter any dog that cannot be rehabilitated with love and respect. So,if you have ever been attacked by a dog,do not blame the dog,blame the “owner” who taught it.
Hi could you help me please I have a 5 year old staff and just recently whenever I want him to do something he growls and shows his teeth it’s getting quite scary now as I feel I have no control over him and I have young children around to visit me and he just refuses to listen what can I do
How long have you had him? What training is he used to? What is his daily routine like? What is the surrounding context for the growling behavior – what was he doing before, what did you do, are there toys or food around, etc. When exactly did this behavior start and how was his behavior before? Did he just follow all commands before?
Dog behavior is very context dependent, and there is too little context here. This is why in cases of dog aggression, it is usually best and safest to get help from a good professional trainer/behaviorist. This is especially important when there are young children around.
When I had issues with my Shiba Inu, we got help from several trainers and it was helpful to have them meet Sephy, read his body language, and observe his behavior within the context of his environment and routine.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
More on how I deal with bad dog behavior.
Hello,
I got a husky puppy she is 2 months old, she is like a daughter to me, I have no children its just me and my fiance. We give her all the love attention food everything she needs. She is way to aggressive, even when she tries to kiss us she will show her teeth and kiss/bite kinda thing, she will never lets me pet her or play with her without hurting me. I tried everything from the can with coins to saying no ouch crying, walking away ; ignoring her , creating her. She pulls my hair bites my face when I try to kiss her and if I say no! She barks at me and bites anything she has near her.
She has destroyed everything home from my couch and carpet ; she digs holes and destroys everything. I really don’t care about the stuff, but I feel she doesn’t love me. Im scared she is going to be a big aggressive husky. Please help!! There is no way im giving her away im not giving up on her.
Today I tried to teach her not to bite and we played with a toy she put her teeth really deep in my hand and I pulled really hard that bleed alot.
I cryed and she didn’t care she just continue bitting….
is she just teething? When does it stop? Obedience school?
Im really depressed because i feel if cant make a puppy love me, im never going to be a future good mother.
thanks
I had a similar experience with my Shiba Inu, Sephy. He would mouth all over me, jump on me, and even hump my leg. It was not a good time. Even worse, he responded much better to other people, even though I was the one to feed him, walk him, give him affection, etc. There were two key reasons for Sephy’s behavior –
1. My energy was really bad.
I was stressed out, nervous, frustrated, and unhappy. Sephy is very sensitive to the energy of the people around him, so he would quickly pick up on my unbalanced energy, get even more stressed out, and his behavior would worsen. It got so bad that as soon as I held his leash, he would start his crazy jumping mouthy behavior.
After I changed my own energy, Sephy’s behavior also improved. More on what I did with Sephy.
2. I did not have the information to properly train Sephy.
In dog training, timing, consistency, energy, and technique are all very important. I needed to know what to do, at the right time, based on Sephy’s temperament and his surrounding context. I learned that dog training is actually more about training myself rather than about training Sephy.
I had to learn how to properly communicate with Sephy, how to read his body language, how to set up a fixed routine and consistent structure, how to time my rewards and punishment, and more.
During Sephy’s difficult period, we visited with several professional trainers. We did individual lessons so that we could focus on Sephy’s more serious problem behaviors. A good trainer can give me guidance on how to read Sephy’s body language, could help me with my timing, technique, etc.
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
It is important to note that dog behavior is very context dependent, therefore each dog and each situation is different. This is why I visited with several trainers who could observe Sephy, within the context of his home environment, routine, and more. However, finding a good trainer is not easy because there is a lot of misinformation in the field, and the training area is not well regulated. Therefore, I also read up a lot on dog behavior, so that I could filter out the bad trainers. Sadly, there are many of those around.
Reading up on dog psychology and dog behavior also allowed me to better interact with Sephy, and provide him with a good, stress free environment, where he can be successful.
Where I get my dog training information.
Sephy acted badly *not* because he didn’t love me, but because I had bad energy and because I did not know how to communicate and positively interact with him.
More on my puppy training and biting experiences-
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-i-trained-my-husky-puppy
http://shibashake.com/dog/puppy-biting-tips-solutions
I do not use a crate for timeouts because I want my dogs to associate their crates with positive experiences. I use crates for transportation, management, and more, so it is important that my dogs be comfortable and relaxed during crate-time.
More on how I do time-outs.
More on how I bond with my dogs.
More on my difficult beginning with Sephy.
I just got a 3 month old Shiba-Inu and him having the same problems. I felt as depress and helpless as you did. I cried so much cause I felt like he hated me. He is and I can’t even play with him without him biting hard, What I do know is bark at him when he bites I bark really loud on his face and he stops biting. when I’m playing with him and he tried to bite I put his toy on his mouth so he bites that. Also Bitter apple spray helps too I put it on my hands and he stops biting cause dogs hate that taste and if he bites the carpet or anything else I say “No!” Show him the bottle and spray now whenever he sees the bottle he stops biting things. Good luck I’m going to start puppy classes cause I’m a first time dog parent they can help you a lot.
First I want to say great post.
I am having a bit of an issue with my male 3 1/2 Siberian Husky I have had him since he was 8 weeks old not neutered . He recently bit me hard and threw blood and I had to go into the Emergency room.
He never showed aggression like that before the most was when leash pulling when being corrected. I took him to Obedience training and leash training onsite for a few days and it dramatically improved this was prior the bite.
The bite was out of the blue and very unexpected. Me and the family where having a picnic in the park and having a great time running around and playing with the ball and eating everlasting was picture perfect.
The rest of the family was eating and he lays down next to me when I hear the Nylon leash snap he did have a choke prong leash and a body harness .
I suddenly realized this in a park full of kids and family since he super energetic I hand my sister the broken leash and tell her go get the other leash before he decide to take of or something.
While I reach the for the top of the body harness just in case he decides to take off in a park full of kids.
He was still laying down and not looking when all of a sudden he turns into a demon possessed dog which I have never seen him do.
He just starts to go berserk and chop down on my right arm I get scared and feel a sense of like what the hell is going on. I start to call his name try to calm him down and I quickly stand up and fend off with my left and he bites me again.
I didn’t realize I was bleeding until my sister pointed it out. He never got up on an all out attack mode. But still was showing teeth my sister threw water at him and he snapped out of it.
When my moms husband went to put on the leash onto the body harness he tried to snap at him.
He never got up on all fours just lay there.
So I went to the Er my mom and family took him in to their home . She said he acted up a few times on the way back.
Sorry for the long story but not sure what to do at this point.
So I have not been able to get back to work due to the pain in my wrist from the dog bite. I have been staying with the dog and my family at my parents house. Hes been more stubborn then ever ,but we have played with him pet him and even belly rubs no signs of the aggression.
But.. Still a bit hesitant with him . My family is scared as well. Throughout the week hes been good except on Friday night we have been putting him in the kitchen when we would go to sleep as a precaution due to children in the house and fear of getting bit again.
But Friday night came and he wasn’t having it he did not want to go into the kitchen ,he is very smart and caught on quick.
He refuse to come into the kitchen we would throw treat call him over nicely and nothing he just went back to the living room and lay down on the floor .
So I went to approach him as regular non aggressive he saw me coming and in a low tone of voice “come lets go” I went to grab his collar and he bit me again on the left hand no blood no penetration.
My mom got scared and started to shake the kids where scared and ran back into the room.
That when she told me he has to go, I told her I cant even move him at this time. So she said call animal control or 911. Just to get him out.
This has been one of the hardest decision in my life , I don’t know what to do , Just so confused . I feel Betrayed in fear that he will do it again to my family or someone else.
The cops came and took him and he is being held for a 10 day observation, at this point I am being asked if i want to surrender him ,or reclaim him.
There is also a very sad chance of him being euthanize.
I am not sure what to do at this point, is there hope my family is in fear of him doing it again even worse and so am I .
I lost trust in him but I also know how far I have gotten with him and how smart and a fast learner he is.
Thanks for taking the time out to read this.
Have you experienced anything like this ? Any help or suggestions would be gladly appreciated,
His rabies shots were not up to date just by two weeks, so as a precaution I was given rabies shots.
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so it depends a lot on the dog’s temperament, his past experiences, his physical health, training, surrounding context, and everything else.
For serious cases of aggression, I would get help from a good professional trainer, and use management equipment as necessary (gates, muzzles, etc.) so that everyone stays safe, including our dog. For muzzles, I prefer to use a basket muzzle because it still allows my dog to pant. I desensitize my dog to the muzzle first before using it, which is something that a trainer can provide guidance on.
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Sudden changes in behavior can also be the result of physical issues, e.g. if the dog is ill, hurt, or feeling pain. Being un-neutered may also be a factor.
More on dog aggression.
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-aggression-what-does-it-mean/comment-page-1#comment-232717
My Shiba Inu was very reactive when he was young. He never really broke skin, but I still went through a period where I was very stressed out and somewhat afraid of what he might do. Unfortunately, he would quickly pick up on my nervousness and fear, get stressed out himself, and his behavior would worsen.
To help Sephy, I had to control my own energy. The first step that I took, is to carefully manage him and to use proper management equipment, so that he does not hurt me, anyone else, other dogs, or himself. I also make sure not to expose him to people with nervous or unbalanced energy.
In addition, I stopped using the prong collar and other pain-based techniques, because it only made Sephy’s behavior more erratic. Here is more on my rough start with Sephy.
Note though, that dog behavior is very context dependent. Aggressive behavior can be the result of many different things, so with Sephy, we got help from several professional trainers. We did private lessons, and I picked trainers with experience, and who are used to dealing with reactive dogs.
I also read up a lot on dog behavior so that I could better read Sephy’s body language, and understand what things were triggering his behaviors. This also allowed me to catch things a lot earlier, so that I could deal with the problems early on, before they developed into larger problems.
Where I get my dog information.
How I went about looking for a trainer.
I am just starting at the worst point of my life with my alaskan mal boy who is 4, I just wanted to say as much as I now realise we need help, I felt a bad owner and I had failed him and felt so embarrassed. But you have made me realise you can be a good owner really easily when all is fine but the really really good owners are those like us looking for the answers to make life better for our dogs. Thank you so much for making me realise I am not alone
Hello Gail,
I am glad that you liked the article. I went through some really tough times with Sephy, my Shiba Inu. One of the things that really helped with Sephy is to come up with a detailed plan and list of tasks. There were many issues initially, so I picked the most important ones and came up with a plan for those first. Once I had a plan and tasks, I could start focusing on something positive, which made it easier to ignore all the other stuff, including negative energy from others.
Once my energy improved, Sephy’s behavior also got better. It is quite amazing how sensitive my dogs are to my energy. Because of them, I have learned to control my temper and to just let unimportant things go. There is this great line from the movie “As Good As It Gets”, where Jack Nicholson says to Helen Hunt, “You make me want to be a better man.”
That is how I feel about my dogs. š Big hugs to you and your boy.
A few more things that I learned from Sephy-
http://shibashake.com/dog/zen-dog-training-tips
Hi,
I’m at my wits ends, I hope someone can help. Ok, so my hubby & I have 2 sons (18 & 11) we have a 5yr old black chow mix (with Welsh Corgi I think) he’s a rescue. We rescued him when he was barely 10-14 days old. He’s always been super sweet, playful, loving etc…now we discovered a neighbor was abusing a puppy (maybe 2montys old, maybe lab mix but not sure). We called police, they came out, removed the puppy, checked him out in the guys driveway, then cops just drove off leaving this defenseless puppy to roam the streets. I was horrified, grabbed my dogs leash, ran across the street & took him in (right before we had a severe thunderstorm). This puppy was so very happy, was all skin & bones. Weve now had him for 3 days & from the moment he came in our home our 5yr old runs for holy hell when thus puppy goes anywhere near him. All the puppy wants is to play. My dog acts petrified of him &if he goes into the corner & the puppy follows, he’ll start growling, showin teeth & even bark a time or 2. How long does it take for my 5yr old to get used to the puppy? Is this normal? Should I be worried, should I get rid of the puppy? Sorry for the long letter but I’m desperate for help. Thank you in advance for any advice., Jessy
Hello Jessy,
When I got my second Husky puppy, my Shiba Inu (about 5 years old at the time) also did not get along with puppy initially. I set up a fixed schedule and clear dog-to-dog interaction rules for my puppy. I also supervised all puppy interactions with my adult dogs, so that I can slowly teach my new puppy what the interaction rules are. I made sure my adult dogs always have a place to go to for rest, away from my pestering puppy. Often, energizer puppy is too much for them. š
In this way, I create certainty for everyone. My adult dogs know exactly what to expect from my puppy, and my puppy knows what to expect from the other dogs, from me, as well as what I expect from her. The fixed schedule also makes sure that puppy has scheduled nap time. I stop puppy from pestering my adult dogs if they just want to rest. I also try to create as many positive interactions between my puppy and Shiba Inu as I can.
In general, I want to maximize positive, calm, successful interactions. The more such interactions that they had, the more they learned to relax around each other. The opposite is also true, so I want to minimize negative encounters as well.
More on how I introduced a new puppy to my existing dogs.
Hi,
I hope you can give me some insight to why my 3 year old Doberman has suddenly gone crazy towards me only. He has matted with our Rottweiler several times over the past year, she had a titter of 9 4 months ago.
Last time she was on heat the Doberman was showing some aggression towards me. Now he has gone crazy snarling showing teeth trying to get me through the window. Towards my wife he is soft and gentle.
I don’t want to put him down, but he has become a real danger to me.
At the moment I have to keep him in a pen in our garden.
Thanks Paul J
Does he only show this behavior when the Rottie is in heat? How is his behavior towards you when the female is not in heat?
Given the seriousness of the behavior, it may also help to consult with a good professional trainer.
http://www.apdt.co.uk/dog-owners/choosing-a-trainer
Thanks for the advice.
My Doberman also waits at our back gate for a stray bitch who I believe is on heat, do I lock him away at night ?
he has not eaten a full meal for over 10 days or so.
hi! so i have a belgian malenois puppy. she does this thing where she suddenly runs back and forth around our garden. and suddenly charges/jumps on me and bites me although my skin isnt really torn or bitten in to just a red mark. what caused her to do this?? whats wrong with her???
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so it is difficult to say without seeing the dog, her environment, etc.
My young Husky Lara likes running around in the backyard when she is excited. She charges and jumps at my other dogs when she is trying to initiate play. She usually also does play-bows with that. She does not charge or jump at me because I have trained her not to.
What I did to train my Husky puppy.
Lara is a very energetic dog so we do daily walks, play games, and she works for all of her food (Nothing in Life is Free program). In this way, she has several positive outlets to direct her excited energy.
What is your puppy’s routine like? How old is she? What type of training has she had?
she’s 4 months old and she knows the basic sit and down command. we usually feed her in the morning and at night. we play and walk her during the afternoon
Our last dog was a Belgian malinois mix. When she died, we rescued a catahoula mix. Both showed the behavior you describe…that sudden change in facial expression, then off running at top speed in crazy circles around the yard.
I never figured out “why.” I stopped trying. Seems to be for sheer joy & fun. Maybe it’s a herding breed thing?
Anyhow, I add that particular running style into a training routine. When outside, I wiggle the fingers of both hands at once, and dog does his crazy-thing. I’m able to add other training commands into the activity flow, because he’s paying attention to me. Because I started him running & enjoying himself in the first place. It becomes another game.
But, it ENDS if he lays teeth on me. Even accidentally. The threat of fun ending was enough to change toothy behavior. Jumping seemed to take longer to redirect into a sit. Because jumping is so fun & the way dogs play together.
I agree with shibashake that a dog’s behavior can have many reasons, for different situations. I’m no expert. I’m just relating my own experience. Good luck & enjoy your new friend.
Hello I was wondering if you could help me, my one year old male staff has just suddenly started growling and snapping at people who he doesn’t really know. He has always had different people around him so I can’t understand why he’s starting doing it now. He a very loving dog but has been spoilt since he was a puppy. It mainly happens when a new person comes in to the room he starts growling and runs over to snap at them iv smacked him and told him no but he keeps doing it. He used to run over to new people and wee with excitement but he’s totally different now can you help? Thank you
I do desensitization exercises to help my dog stay calm around people. I help him to enjoy the company of people by starting small, going at a pace that he is comfortable with, and pairing the appearance of people with rewards and positive experiences. The more successful positive experiences my dog has, the more confidence he gains, and the more calm he gets. Similarly, the more negative experiences my dog has, the more he learns to fear people and/or see them as a threat.
More on how I do desensitization exercises with my dog.
Consistency, routine, and timing are all very important while training my dog.
More on how I deal with bad dog behavior.
More on how I train my dog.
More on how dogs learn.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent, so it depends a lot on the temperament of the dog, his routine, environment, and more. For this reason and for safety, it is usually a good idea to get help from a good professional trainer, especially in cases of aggression.
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
My 3 month old dachshund growls and bites my feet when i make a leash correction. He wont allow anybody to touch him because when you touch him he bites. IS this mouthing or fear biting. And if i take his food bowl away he wont growl but if i try to take a toy away he will run away and growl from me. But when I go to pet him he will show submissive behaviour like cowering the head and rolling over and urinating.
I had some similar experiences with my Shiba Inu, and decided to stop using leash corrections and other pain based aversive techniques.
How I train my puppy now.
More on what I do to create structure and discourage puppy biting.
My early aversive training experiences with Sephy.
It is not possible to say without seeing and meeting the dog. Dog behavior is very context dependent, and puppies may mouth for a variety of reasons.
More on why dogs get aggressive over food and toys.
My 13 Month old, 55 LB Black Lab – Shiba mix gets violent when the gas fireplace lights. The first time he was about 5 months old. I thought he was going to bite me in the face. Now this just started. If I ask him “do you want (to go out)” I only say the “Do you want” and he gets violent. When I take him to the park or the beach he is very social with people and other dogs. Everyone says how great he is, he listens and does tricks. He is also very playful with the other dogs. He only seems to get.. shall we say pushy with me, showing his teeth and snapping his teeth together. He has not drawn blood but sometimes he scares the dickens out of me. He is also very aggressive when he has to poop. 2 Vets tell me there is no physical problem. When he gets like this I shun him from the room I am in or put him in his cage. What else can I do to stop this?
That is interesting. I also had a lot of problems with my Shiba, in the beginning, during poop time. I think initially, he got a bit over-excited after pooping, and tried to run around crazily. Later on he progressed to jumping on me and biting my jacket sleeve. It was pretty scary.
The thing tho is that the more stressed I got, the worse Sephy behaved. He is very sensitive to my energy and to the energy of the people around him. If I get even a little bit stressed or nervous, he would pick up on that, get stressed out himself, and act even more crazy.
Here is more on my experiences with Sephy and some of the things that helped make things better with him-
http://shibashake.com/dog/pack-leader-to-an-aggressive-dog
http://shibashake.com/dog/afraid-of-your-dog
More on how I do timeouts.
More on what I do to change my dog’s undesirable behaviors.
We also visited with several professional trainers during Sephy’s difficult period. Dog behavior is very context dependent, so what works in one situation may not work as well in another. In cases of aggression, it is especially important to start on the right foot, so it was helpful for me to have a professional come over, observe Sephy and his environment, observe the people around him, and give me pointers on how things can be improved in a safe and effective manner.
It was not easy to find a good trainer, and we went through a few of them. In the end, I started doing a lot of reading on dog behavior, and this was not only helpful in my trainer search but also helped me better understand Sephy.
http://shibashake.com/dog/where-to-get-dog-training-and-dog-behavior-information
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/