Dog stares are usually not a good thing unless you’ve trained your dog to stare at appropriate times. Staring means that something bad is about to happen. And you have only a moment to correct this behavior, so you must be quick.
When showing aggression, dogs assume a stiff posture and will stare at the object of their aggression seconds before they attack. Since stopping aggression once it has started is difficult, we have to stop the dog before it reaches that point.
Every dog, no matter what its size, should be obedience trained and we believe in positive training. A well-trained dog will respond to you and make for happier living together.
Learn to “read” your dog. Learn the length of the stare and reaction time – a second or two or almost immediately. Learn the distance between your dog and the object when your dog stares. Some dogs wait until they are very close while others begin their stare a good number of yards away when sighting another dog or person.
Always carry treats with you or a favorite toy to distract your dog. As soon as you see the aggressive behavior, turn and walk in the opposite direction. You can use this time to try some obedience training, teaching your dog to focus on you. When you feel your dog is ready, turn back, working gradually towards shortening the distance between him/her and the distraction, all the while trying to keep that focus.
As with most training, it may take some time. Be patient, be consistent and respond quickly before staring turns into unwanted aggression.
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