A Dog Owner’s Guide to Canine Aggression
The stories are all too familiar. A beloved family pet suddenly maims another animal, attacks a child or mauls a neighbor possibly causing serious injury or death. Dog owners often give up on aggressive dogs chaining them up in the back yard, or having them destroyed.
Aggression can arise from any breed of dog, due to lack of socialization, disease, unpleasant past experiences, abuse, improper training and a host of other situations. In the following article we are going to explore some of the more common instances of dog aggression and their signs. We will also cover some suggestions for handling an aggressive canine and how you can ward off these tendencies in your pet.
Dominance Aggression
A canine who wants to be in control of situations and uses force to maintain control is dominant aggressive. He is characterized by extreme confidence. His tail will be high and his shoulders back, in a stiff posture. The fur on his back may stand up as his lips curl and he lets out a low-pitched growl. This dog will stare down other dogs or humans and may react by attacking the perceived challenger. Dominant-aggressive dogs do not like to follow commands. They will react with aggression when removed from areas that they believe are theirs, such as a bed or sofa. At times their aggressive behavior may be seen as playful by the owner, such as ?hugging.? Giving in to their demands will only further their aggressive nature.
Fear Aggression
Dogs may show fearful aggression when they are cornered and see no other way out. Often an event that a dog viewed as traumatic may induce future aggression if it?s repeated. A fearful dog may portray signs such as slinking, putting his tail between his legs, snarling, growling and barking excessively, uncontrollable urination or an exorbitant amount of salivation. Additionally, the ears may be back and his hackles may be up. Any attempts that you make to reassure the fearful dog will only reinforce this behavior, allowing them to believe that they have a reason to be fearful.
Territorial and Protective Aggression
A canine who believes that his ?possessions,? whether the house, yard, or people are under threat is exhibiting territorial or protective aggression when he responds to the perceived threat in an over the top manner. In a dogs mind, pizza delivery persons, postal carriers, and next door neighbors may be at your home to cause some unknown harm. As the protector, your dog may lunge, growl and defend his territory to save what he values. He may attack windows, or jump fences when trying to reach the ?intruder?. A canine dealing with these issues may also come to the defense of a family member if it believes that another family member is harming her (such as with horseplay or bear hugs).
How to Control or Relieve Aggressive Tendencies
Several things that may seem like they would fix the aggression, may actually worsen the condition. Do not physically punish your dog. A dominant aggressive dog will see this as a challenge and may react in kind. First, it is vitally important that you protect your family and neighborhood by never leaving an aggressive dog alone with children or free to roam the streets. Second, do not ignore the behavior, believing it will go away on its own. Dogs who exhibit any form of aggression should be seen by a veterinarian to rule out sickness. A dog behavior expert should be contacted for help in devising further steps to help your dog correct his demeanor. Until you can receive help from qualified individuals, it?s best to keep your dog out of situations that provoke the aggressions.