Dog aggression

Dog aggression is a term used by dog owners and breeders to describe canine-to-canine antipathy.

Aggression itself is usually defined by canine behaviorists as "the intent to do harm". Many dogs will show "displays of aggression" such as barking, growling, or snapping in the air without actually having any aggressive intent. Some dog-aggressive dogs display aggression that is mainly defensive, and they will actually harm another dog only if they perceive that they have no other option. These dogs are normally termed "fear aggressive". Other dogs may attack due to a desire to gain status or resources, or because of personality traits that prompt them to dominate other dogs. Yet other dogs may develop dog-aggressive behaviour due to medical reasons, such as hormonal imbalances.

Dog aggression is a common dog behavior, and can be seen in all breeds of dogs, although some dog breeds have a predisposition to display such aggression. The breed standard usually spells out whether dog aggression is common in the breed and to what degree it is allowed. Most of the terrier breeds and the bull breeds have a higher likelihood of developing dominance-based dog aggression upon reaching maturity. Individual dogs may or may not display the level of aggression that their breed standard suggests.

As well as breeding, a dog's experiences may affect his chance of developing dog aggression. A dog that is attacked as a puppy may develop fear-based dog aggression towards all dogs, or perhaps only towards dogs that resemble the dog that attacked him.

It is important to note that dogs that display dog-aggressive behaviour do not necessarily show aggressive behaviour towards humans. The two types of aggression are not necessarily related, and do not always occur in the same animal.

Factors contributing to aggression

Factors contributing to the likelihood of the development of dog aggression include (in no particular order):

• Lack of exercise, which contributes to the dogs high energy and unstable state of mind
• Lack of discipline
• Insecurity in the dog, which is often a result of a traumatic experience
• Breed predisposition
• A non-existent pack leader, or non-dominant owner (for example, an owner may not establish him or herself as the leader and dominant one), which would result in the dog become the "owner" of its surroundings, and it establishing itself as the dominant leader -- this would result in aggressive behaviour (submissive or non-dominant dogs do not let out aggression)
• Living as part of a multidog household
• Lack of proper exposure to other dogs during the critical socialization period
• Lack of exposure to other dogs in general, which would result in the dog being insecure and also, unsure how to socialize
• Early imprinting by an aggressive or nervous dam
• Being raised as part of a large litter (more than 5 puppies)
• A traumatic experience associated with other dogs, such as being attacked or having seen a fight
• Lack of abundant resources (food, water, sex, etc.) in the environment
• Thyroid malfunction or other medical conditions

Dog aggression does not usually become a serious behavior in most dogs until they reach the age of 1.5 - 3 years. Prior to that age, most dogs show only the seeds of developing aggression, such as fear and/or nervousness around other dogs, displays of aggression only under certain circumstances (while on leash, in the presence of food, in the presence of the owner, etc.), or most commonly, over-the-top play behavior. Play behavior such as tackling, chasing, mouthing, nipping, pawing, and wrestling are all normal canine behaviors that serve the evolutionary function of preparing the young dog for later combat and hunting. Young dogs that engage in excessive amounts of these behaviors are much more likely to develop dog aggression as they age.

Dog aggression should not be confused with human aggression, which is allowed in some breed standards as well, as long as the aggression springs from a desire to defend the dog's owner or territory.

Curing Dog Aggression

The form that treatment for dog aggression takes depends on the underlying cause of the aggression, and an accurate diagnosis is therefore essential. Most reputable trainers will recommend that a dog has a vet check to screen for medical changes that may be the cause of the dog aggression before attempting any form of behavioural modification.

Dogs that are aggressive from fear can be that way either from genetic predisposition ("weak nerves"), or from a traumatic experience. With these dogs, a programme of gradual desensitisation is often used in order to reduce the dog's reactivity to other dogs. The fearful dog may be praised or rewarded for non-aggressive behaviour, with bad behaviour being ignored.

However, there are some behavourists who rehabillitate dogs in a more direct, and dominant approach (see Cesar Millan) which involves a three step process; by exercising the dog first, so as to lose its energy and make it easier to handle, and then, to apply discipline to the dog; that is, instead of ignoring bad behaviour and ignoring the good, the dog behaviourist would simply punish or correct the bad behaviour before it is allowed to escalate. Also, part of the discipline involves establishing to the dog that the owner is the dominant one and the leader. For example, before enganging in a walk, the owner may open the door but wait until the dog sits and shows signs of being calm and submissive. Then, the owner proceeds out the door -- the owner is the one who leads, not the dog. The third step, after exercising and discipline (the discipline depends on the source of the aggression), is affection; although, only shown at the right time (when the dog shows signs of being calm, and submissive). So, this new approach to correcting dog aggression is not simply to ignore the bad and reward the good, but to establish dominance and to correct and sometimes punish the "bad", and to reward the good (although the latter is less stressed upon).

True dominance based dog aggression is less common than fear aggression. Dominance aggression is influenced by several factors. Male dogs (especially entire males) are more likely to display this type of aggression than female dogs are, and several terrier breeds are particularly prone to developing this type of aggression. Dogs with mild dominance aggression may respond to the same treatment as fear aggressive dogs. However, dogs with moderate to severe dominance aggression will find fighting too rewarding to be fully rehabilitated. With these dogs, trainers may resort to the use of punishment (for example, the Alpha roll) in order to make the aggressive behaviour less appealing, or exploit the use of a dog's other drives in order to keep the dog's attention in the presence of other dogs. Extremely rank aggressive dogs may have to spend their lives separated from other dogs. However, there are many behaviourists who believe no dog is impossible to be rehabilitated; but the process requires a great understanding of dog psychology. Older dogs are harder to rehabilitate.

United States

The United States has the highest reported incidence of dog aggression problems of any country in the world. One of the major contributing factors to the development of dog aggression is living as part of a multidog (more than one) household. More than a third of dogs in the United States—a higher percentage than any other country in the world—live as part of multidog households.

External links

• Leerburg Dominant & Aggressive Dog Articles articles on how to solve aggressive dog problems