Aggression in Dogs

Aggression in dogs can cover a wide variety of behaviors, and there is always an influence or motivation behind it. Aggression can be shown by barking, snarling, biting and more. This behavior usually starts with a warning signal from your dog and can culminate in a combative action. Once the motivating factor is removed, the aggressive action does not take place. When you make the decision to delve into the reasons for your pet’s aggressive behavior, start with a visit to the veterinarian in order to rule out a medical cause.

As a pet owner, it must be understood that your dog is showing aggression because he feels threatened. Dogs will start with an aggressive behavior that may seem submissive, but in reality it is the dog’s way of trying to reduce the threat before taking action.

Submissive Signs

• Licking of lips
• Crouching or rolling on back
• Tucking the tail
• Averting gaze
• Lowering ears

If the threat is not removed, your dog may continue with more advanced symptoms of feeling in danger. These are much more obvious, and occur because your pet feels the earlier signs of communication were not effective.

Active Signs

• Growling which progresses to a threatening bark
• Baring teeth
• Curling the lip
• Raising the hair on the neck
• Lunging towards the threatening animal, dog or person
• Nipping and eventually biting

It is not always easy to discern the telltale signs of aggression. Some pet owners feel that their pet is showing aggression in a situation without warning, when, in fact, they did not clearly see the early signs.

Causes for combative behavior may be as listed below:

• Medical condition such as adrenal dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction, thyroid abnormality or seizure disorder
• Dogs in the geriatric stage of life can feel insecure
• A diet that is unsuitable can bring on aggression
• Acute pain
• Some medications can have adverse personality effects

Depending on the situation, it's not rare for a dog to act in an unfriendly manner towards other dogs or human strangers. The good news, it is less common for canines to act hostile to other pets in the home, or to family members.

Types

It is always best to try and evaluate the reasons why your dog might be acting in an aggressive manner. There are multiple types of aggression within dogs, one of which may be the case for your pet:

• Protective - may appear at one to three years of age in a male or female dog and becomes an issue when the dog feels he needs to protect a human, or animal friend or family member.
• Territorial - this happens when the canine feels the need to protect the home boundaries and can materialize as your dog grows into adolescence or adulthood.
• Fear - a dog may be afraid of a person, dog or animal and feel the only option is to attack.
• Social - a complex aggression (behavior used to remind others of pack order) that is more common in males than in females.
• Genetic - dogs in the past had roles such as hunting and fighting, and though they are rarely used for these purposes today, there may be a genetic predisposition (Note: one should never judge a dog by his breed).
• Pain - a dog that is in pain may act in an aggressive manner as an attempt to avoid further pain.

Other types such as learned, frustration or predatory aggression, among others, must be understood in order to be effectively treated.

Taking your dog to the veterinarian, or if you've ruled out certain medical conditions, a qualified dog trainer, should be one of the first things you do if you have a dog that is exhibiting aggressive tendencies. This way a medical diagnosis can be ruled out. The veterinarian may take blood tests and perform a urinalysis to rule out an underlying illness that may account for the behavior. If a medical problem is discovered, then a therapeutic approach may take care of the aggression.

If the veterinarian is unable to find a medical reason for your pet’s demeanor, she may refer you to a veterinary behaviorist. If this is the chosen route, you may want to seriously consider the amount of time and money you can invest in the dog.

A professional dog behavior counselor will ask you for all of the details and experiences you can describe in regards to your dog’s aggression. Each type of behavior, along with other factors will be investigated carefully in order to offer you and your dog a good treatment plan. Some factors that will be considered are:

• Can you avoid some of the instances that cause your dog to act aggressively?
• Is your dog unpredictable with his aggressive behavior?
• A large dog who is aggressive will be harder to control than a small dog
• Younger dogs are thought to be easier to retrain against aggression than older dogs
• How severe are the aggressive actions (snarling versus biting for example)?
• Does your dog enjoy rewards (may be used as a retraining tool)?

As your pet is being retrained by a professional using behavior modification techniques, it is recommended to avoid visitors, do not allow petting, and keep him on a leash at all times when outside. Do not punish him for his behavior; remove him from the situation instead. These measures will help to avert further incidents while your dog is being treated for aggression.

It is known that the behavior of an aggressive dog can never be completely corrected. Some types of aggression can be reduced or eliminated, but the careful observance of your pet in situations around humans, other dogs and animals must always be a part of your pet ownership. The best solution to give your dog success in this area is not to expose him to situations that can trigger emotions that can bring on an aggressive act.