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PAWS ACROSS BORDERS- Dog Rescue

 

"Aggression is not breed specific as this picture of a Terrier shows"  -Picture courtesy of Pet Behaviour Centre

Aggression

What is Aggression?

Aggression can be roughly defined as a dog's intent to do harm, for one reason or another, to either a person, another dog, or any other animal.  Aggression is a serious problem, no matter how hard a dog's owner tries to downplay the threat.  There are primarily two different types of aggression, and there is a different cure for each type.  Sometimes, aggression has been left to fester for so long that it is incredibly difficult to break.  Understanding the causes of the aggression are essential in determining what is the best course of action to remedy the behaviour.  Often, a dog has a mix of more than one type of aggression, which further complicates the issue.  It should be noted that aggression can occur in ANY breed and is more commonly found in toys and small terriers than the so-called "Aggressive breeds" like Pitbull-ish dogs, Rottweilers or German Shepherds. 

Dominance Aggression:

Perhaps the most common form of aggression, dominance aggression is a result of a dog thinking they are in charge of the family and the household.  This leads a dog to believe that every item in the house is his, as well as thinking that everyone or anything in the house is on *his* turf.  This results in possession aggression (the dog growling at the owner when trying to take away a toy), food aggression (the dog growling when someone comes near his food or tries to take it away), or territorial aggression (the dog growls when someone comes near his property i.e. the yard). 

What causes dominance aggression? 

1.  "Spoiling" the dog.  Spoiling a dog is virtually the same as spoiling a child.  Owners rarely discipline a dog, often let the dog do whatever it wants, and if the dog does show any form of aggression i.e. baring the teeth or growling, the owner will back away and do nothing.  This allows the dog to think that it is in charge and in effect it is because the owner caters to the dog and will never stand up to him.    

2.  Breeding.  Some dogs are simply born with the opinion that they are better than everyone else.  These dogs are more stubborn in training, and they may also try to establish their dominance over any dogs they run across.  If left unchecked, this can lead to dog on dog aggression. 

3.  Lack of food/water.  Some dogs who haven't had the greatest life have had, at one time or another, a difficult time finding food or adequate water.  These dogs can often become quite possessive of resources and strongly defend their foodbowls and territory.

4.  Thyroid disorder or Hypoglycaemic.  Sometimes a dog may develop a thyroid disorder that leads to a hormonal imbalance which causes a dog to be "moody."  Blood sugar crashing can also lead to weird, seemingly unprovoked aggression.  All other behavioural causes should be ruled out before looking to medical problems as the cause. 

Solutions:

1.  Obedience training (without treats).  Obedience training is by far the best way to establish oneself over a dog.  This should be done without treats, since training with treats teaches the dog a command but it doesn't garner any respect from a dog.  Treat training is based on bribing the dog to do a particular behaviour.  You may be buying the dog's love, but you aren't gaining any respect. 

2.  Correcting the aggression.  The aggression must be corrected when it happens.  The corrections must be done consistently, so that anytime a dog is aggressive it is shown that it is not behaving properly.  Dogs will understand better if there is no grey areas; he is praised if he is good, and corrected if he is bad.

3.  Change the daily routine and micro-factors of the dog's life.  There are several things that must be done to ensure the aggression does not come back.  Every dog is different, so these solutions can vary greatly.

4.  Exercise.  A thoroughly exercised dog is not so tightly wound.  Thus, he will be happier.

Fear Aggression:

Fear aggression is a result of a dog acting out of fear of an event or another dog.  Fear aggression is typically more difficult to break than dominance aggression because of the complexities of the causes.  Suffice to say, one should approach fear aggression quite carefully, as dogs can be quite unpredictable when acting out of fear. 

What causes fear aggression?

1.  Poor socialization.  If owners did not properly socialize their dog when he was a pup, he may be shy or nervous around a whole slew of things.  That nervousness can lead to aggression.

2.  Poor breeding.  Some dogs, regardless of breed, can be born with "weak nerves" that make a dog more predisposed towards nervous behaviour.  When working with a dog who has these weak nerves, progress can be made, however patience is a virtue.  It can take a long time for a dog who is fearful of everything to come around.

3.  Traumatic event.  Sometimes a dog may be attacked when he is young and that may leave a lasting impression on him.  This is often the case with pups who were attacked by other dogs.  Intense socialization is often needed to help this dog recover (see Molly's "Tail")  

4.  Abuse.  Sometimes dogs are aggressive out of fear of humans.  This occurs most commonly in rescue dogs who have been saved from an abusive home.  Anything could trigger the fear, whether it be a particular scent, noise, or even an article of clothing that someone wears. 

Solutions:

1.  Socializing.  Whatever the dog is fearful of, steady, progressive socialization is the most important part of the cure. 

2.  Obedience Training.  Obedience training helps build confidence in a dog as well as a lasting respect and deep trust for the owner.  This helps a dog immensely in overcoming his fear.

3.  Exercise.  Exercise always helps!  Regular exercise depletes some of the dog's nervous energy.     

*IMPORTANT:  Medication is only recommended as a LAST RESORT.  Medicating a dog tends to create more problems than it cures.  Please read the article on behaviour problems for more information. 

Miscellaneous Types of Aggression

Small Animal Aggression:

Some dogs have such a heightened prey drive that they often cannot resist trying to kill small animals, including small puppies.  This needs to be worked on immediately and dealt with in a similar manner as dominance aggression.

Livestock Aggression:

Sometimes dogs just feel like chasing horses and cows.  This is most common in herding dogs like German Shepherds and Border Collies.  This can be corrected, but it needs to be dealt with very consistently, and quite possibly with a remote shock collar.  Both livestock and dog can be hurt or killed by this type of aggression. 

"A few weeks before this photo was taken, Rosie wanted to kill them.  Now she just watches them graze"

 

 

Website created in December, 2004. Produced and Maintained by Dan Ross - updated January 2010