Dog Aggression - Behavior All
Owners Need To Be Aware Of
Dog Aggression - Behavior All Owners Need To Be Aware Of
By Colin Pederson
Aggression in dogs can be found in a variety of different behaviors and
personality traits. Most dog owners only focus on the common aggressive
dog behaviors such as barking, biting, growling etc... But it vital that
you get to know your dog, that you can distinguish all types of dog
aggression. Aggression and dominant behavior are natural instinct for
pack animals such as dogs, they play an important role in the survival
of wild dogs, giving each member of the pack a place in the hierarchy,
using aggression to defend against predators, to hunt, and to assert
dominance.
The level of aggression your dog demonstrates is determined by how much
of a threat the individual or animal is seen to be. We class these as
low and high level aggression. Low level aggression is the everyday
aggression most dogs display. This is generally passive aggression,
giving the other dog or person a warning that your dog is aggressive and
in control of the situation. Low level aggressive behaviors include
1. Growling
2. Ignoring owners commands
3. Pushing and leaning into people
4. Jumping up on people or animals to intimidate
5. Aggressive stance
You will notice your dog displaying this lower level aggression when he
or she begins to feel threatened. A common time to observe your dog in
'low level aggressive' mode is when he or she is introduced to another
dog for the first time. Both dogs will take a stiff stance, observing
and keeping their head up, tails up, and ears pointed. This is intended
to make themselves appear dominant, and to look as tall as possible.
After getting a good observation of the other dog and getting comfortable with the situation, one dog will generally back away, and you will notice the aggression begins to die, and the two dogs will start to become familiar with each other.
Generally speaking, a spayed female will usually be the first to back down, followed by a neutered male, then an intact female, and last to back down will be an intact male.
The build and stature of a dog is often irrelevant when it comes to
introductions and this first aggressive encounter. The exception to this
hierarchy is in instances when neither dog backs down, the aggression
then builds as the battle for dominance begins. This will often lead to
an extremely loud vocal display and often physical interaction.
When dogs meet a human for the first time, aggression will be shown
through jumping up, pushing or leaning until the person becomes unstable
and looses their footing, or growling with an intense stare. With
smaller dogs and young puppies this behavior can often be portrayed as
cute behavior and go unnoticed.
Failure to identify and deal with this behavior can lead to more
serious when the puppy has grown to be a larger dog, it can become
dangerous and difficult to train. Whether your dog is a new/small puppy
or a larger dog, it is important to deal with these aggression issues as
early as possible, so your dog's 'low level aggression' doesn't become a
problem in years to come.
If your dogs passive (low level) aggressive behavior is ineffective, it
will escalate to higher levels of aggression in an attempt to recover
dominance. Higher level dog aggression includes:
1. Snarling and snapping viciously
2. Biting
3. Jumping up and barking in an aggressive manner
4. Nipping at heels or legs
5. Staring and displaying teeth
Higher level aggressive behavior means business, your dog is still
feeling threatened or non-dominant and your dog will move on to actual
physical aggression, fighting, biting or attempting to bite. This is
where things get serious and potentially dangerous.
If you notice your dog's behavior escalating to high aggression
levels, you must look into behavior modification training immediately.
It is your responsibility to keep the public, other dogs, children and
visitors to your home safe by isolating or sufficiently restraining your
dog.
Aggression is a natural instinct for dogs, and it is essential that the
owner is in control of the dog's aggression. Through early socialization
and a firm understanding of the dog-owner relationship, your dog should
not show aggressive behavior. If aggression does become a problem it is
important to deal with the issue immediately. Re-training using positive
methods works much better than punishment, but often professional
assistance is needed.
Neutering a dog will control the hormonal causes of aggression, but not
all aggression is hormonally caused. Spaying and neutering dogs does not
guarantee that they will be docile, and breeds that are bred as watch
dogs or herding animals will need specific training on being
non-aggressive. Some dogs are not good with other animals or dogs, just
like some breeds are less tolerant of children.
It is important to understand the natural aggressive tendencies of the breed of dog that you are considering obtaining to make sure you get a good match for you and your family.
Colin Pederson is a self-confessed 'Dog Fanatic' residing in
California with his wife and black Lab Casey. Colin runs 'Dog Obedience
Advice,' offering free advice on dealing with Dog Aggression, and other
issues all dog owners face.
Source