Those who share life with a dog know how worrying it is to observe aggressiveness in it. Until recently, training techniques claimed that the only way to "dominate" a dog was to submit it. Fortunately this has changed for the good of dogs and owners.
In many situations we can observe "aggressive" (or reactive) dogs, and the truth is that dominance rarely has to do with it, we are used to reading that for a dog to respect us and we can teach it we must be "the dominant ones". The truth is that it is not necessary to dominate any dog to listen to us. The key is communication.
First of all, we must bear in mind that dogs are a completely different species from us and have a different way of seeing the world. In this article on our site we will explain everything you need to know about canine aggression and give you the best tips for an aggressive dog
Why are dogs aggressive?
You will probably find it strange to talk about survival considering that your dog does not have to make any effort to survive. However, you must remember that the life of a dog is much less stimulating than ours. For him a plate of food or a bed can be a world. What does survival mean to a dog?
- feeding
- avoid predation
- reproduction
- territory
Dogs can be aggressive towards people, other dogs or the environment on various occasions. Especially if they haven't learned to inhibit their bite, they may be more likely to bite. The most common situations occur when we invade something that the dog considers "his" or especially to her liking
The dog may bite to protect its territory (bed, cushions, resting place) or to protect its food. This is called resource protection. However, the dog can also bite when attacked or handled incorrectly. In this case it would be a natural defense of the dog.
On the other hand, dogs can also be aggressive towards others of their own species: fear, insecurity or females in heat can provoke a negative reaction in your dog, which responds with hostility.
All these reactions can occur in people or dogs, depending on the dog and the education received so far. Below we will detail some of the most common problems and we will give you useful advice to prevent aggression or know how to act in the face of it.
Aggressiveness towards people
Resource Protection
Resource protection is often related to the dog's bed, food or toys. The dog usually shows a hostile attitude when we approach one of these objects, growling to alert and biting if we get too far.
This type of behavior is difficult to modify once it is ingrained in the dog. The ideal in these cases is to work so that the dog understands that we do not intend to take away his most precious objects using positive reinforcement.
In order for our dog to stop behaving aggressively when his possessions are close by, you must:
- The system with food is the easiest to work with: the dog tends to protect its resources for fear that we will take them away, for this reason we will offer treats or snacks directly from the hand (we can also throw them on the ground) and we will feed him once or twice a day in which the dog witnesses that we are the ones who offer him the food. You can, for example, approach his feed dish when he is eating with a small amount of extra food. In this way, the dog understands that you are the one who provides the food and stops acting that way.
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To deal with other objects we have to apply another technique. In this case we must maintain a relaxed and respectful attitude with the animal. We should not force him to offer us his favorite toy if he does not want it, rather we should encourage him to offer it to us (or at least let it go). To solve this situation we need a much more appetizing food than the dog's need to protect a certain resource. Bits of frankfurter usually work wondersTo do this we are going to approach the dog when he is with his toy or in his bed. Let him sniff the frankfurter and when he drops the toy or lets us near his bed, offer it to him. Then we will leave or return the toy to you. What are we doing? We are communicating with the dog indicating that he should be calm and relaxed and that we are not trying to take anything away from him. Giving him back the toy helps him understand that we don't mean to take anything away from him.
The ideal in the protection of resources is to be patient and try not to dominate our dog. Precisely this type of behavior fosters a hostile and aggressive attitude in our best friend, let's avoid it.
Redirected aggressiveness
Redirected aggression usually occurs when the dog, faced with stress or a moment of significant fear, tries to bite the stimulus causing the situation. Unable to do so, unconsciously bites what is around him, probably your leg.
This type of act is more common than one thinks and is directly related to animal welfare. Promoting a dignified and quality life for our best friend is essential to avoid these situations. On the other hand, when dealing with dogs with serious emotional problems, we recommend drastically reducing their exposure to fear and trying to promote calm.
Aggressiveness due to fear
If we attack or handle our dog in the wrong way, it is completely understandable that the animal becomes irritated and even scared. However, the fact that it bites directly is clear evidence that the animal has not been educated in bite inhibition and therefore it is an aspect that we must work on Maintaining a positive, respectful attitude and understanding our dog's personality is essential. For this, we recommend going to a canine educator who will give us the appropriate guidelines for our case.
On the other hand, there is the fear of dogs that have not been properly socialized. The main problem is that in their puppy stage they were not completely used to contact with people. That is when fear and signs of aggressiveness arise. It is a behavior that should be treated by an ethologist. These types of situations can be very serious, we must make sure that our dog is safe and that other people are too. The use of a muzzle if necessary on walks is recommended.
Aggressiveness towards objects and/or environment
In its first months of life, the dog begins its socialization process. At this stage, the puppy learns to identify the objects and places that it will find in its day to day: furniture, parks, bicycles, cars… Teaching it to know these elements is essential so that it does not suffer from fear in the future.
However, whether due to poor socialization or other causes, the dog may begin to generate fear of certain objects. This can happen in very old animals or in dogs suffering from mental problems.
To solve this situation, it would be ideal to contact an ethologist or a canine educator who could provide guidelines for our particular case. However, there are some tips to make it more bearable:
- Try to avoid fearful stimuli as much as possible for at least 5-10 days. We will try to relieve the dog's stress and anxiety.
- To do this, walk your dog during the quietest hours of the day and go to parks or gardens that provide a new environment to investigate. This will promote relaxation.
- Provide constant care and affection. Finding a best friend in you will be very positive for the dog.
- Begins to get closer to the objects or the place that makes him afraid. Whenever he is calm, reward him.
- Follow this process gradually and without any pressure. You must allow the dog to feel comfortable or not. Walk away if you see that he is very afraid
- Practice calling your dog (or other obedience commands) whenever you are near your dog's fear to distract him and make him more comfortable
The tips mentioned above are a small guide to promote relaxation and well-being in our animal. This will help your perception of the environment to be more positive. However, don't forget that the key to this process is knowing what your fear is and working daily with rewards and obedience with a positive attitude. Dogs with these deep-seated behaviors can take a long time to recover, and some never do. If you have doubts to identify its cause or you do not know how to apply these tricks, do not hesitate to go to a professional. Only he will give you unique advice for your case and as a result of your dog's behavior.
Aggressiveness towards other dogs
Illness
There are many causes that can lead to aggressive behavior but before considering other causes, we must observe our dog and assess whether it suffers from any type of disease. Physical pain and even stress can cause a totally sociable dog to change his character by becoming a hostile dog. Go to the vet to rule out any problems.
Resource Protection
As happens between the dog and human relationship, the dog with a possessive behavior with toys, can be aggressive with other dogs when he believes that they take away his possessions. We must try to avoid competitive situations so that conflicts do not arise between the dogs. Bringing multiple balls to the park or just playing in private can help a lot.
Working on the protection of a dog's resources with others is complicated and must be done by a professional. We can encourage the dog's natural behavior by rewarding attitudes that please us.
Aggressiveness due to fear
Aggressiveness or asocial behavior usually always have a cause, in this case we can speak of fear if we are dealing with a dog that has not been socialized, mistreated or has been the victim of sparring, for example.
If we haven't taught our dog from puppyhood what the outside world is like, he will probably be afraid. It also occurs with abused dogs and dogs that have had traumatic experiences in their lives.
Many people who have a fearful adopted dog go through this situation. We must try to make the dog feel comfortable and calm, relieving his stress levels, and we will never force him to interact if he does not want to. Rewarding social behaviors even if it's just staying close to another dog without barking can go a long way. Going to a professional ethologist for appropriate guidelines for our case will be very useful.
Aggressiveness due to hormonal factors
The bitches in heat and an excess of males are a very dangerous combination that can undoubtedly end up in a fight if the case arises. However, this is not the only hormonal factor that can cause our dog to become aggressive: conflicts between dogs of the same and opposite sex can occur for many different reasons. Discover on our site the advantages of sterilizing a dog.
Territorial Defense
Dogs are animals of customs and territory. It has probably happened to you at some point: meeting your dog in the pipi-can and having it bark non-stop at all the dogs that are outside of it. It's totally normal. Dogs have a strong territorial instinct, especially those that are not neutered and also suffer from fear or other problems.
This type of behavior is very difficult to treat since, once acquired, it is usually very difficult to avoid. On the one hand, there are dogs that get along well when they are in the same enclosure (although until 5 minutes ago they barked), others do not. This second group should be treated with patience, positive reinforcement, and ideally also by a professional.
Maternity aggression
New mothers often develop hostile behavior after giving birth, especially if their puppies are nearby. Avoid this type of situation.
Others
There are countless causes that could explain a dog's aggressiveness, here we leave you with some more:
- Learned Behaviors: Some dogs can't help being aggressive if it's a behavior they've been taught from early childhood. This type of learning is the most difficult of all to eradicate, however, with patience and affection, reinforcing the behaviors that we like and promoting animal welfare, it can be done. Consultation with the specialist.
- Playing: Some people are startled when their dogs playfully bare their teeth and engage in "fighting" behavior with each other. Remember that the dog is a social animal and that growling is part of its natural communication. Pay attention to his actions to avoid a fight, but don't worry too much.
- Predatory: When a dog tries to hunt another dog, we must go seriously to a specialist. It usually occurs in cases of famine or deep-rooted learned behavior. Put a muzzle on your dog and make sure you take the appropriate security measures. As we have suggested before, it is vitally important that you go to a professional, this type of behavior can lead to much more serious behavior.
