As man’s best friend, the last thing any pet owner wants to deal with is an aggressive dog. Whether aggressive towards strangers or strange dogs, no one wants to have to deal with the consequences of an aggressive dog. There are different types of aggression in dogs and they have different causes. Whether you are concerned your dog may become aggressive or you are dealing with a dog that is already displaying aggressive tendencies, there is hope. Even dog breeds that are labels as ‘aggressive breeds’ are not aggressive by nature, and with proper care and training, this behavior can be avoided.
Common aggressive behavior include: barking, growling, lunging at someone or something, mouthing (or biting without using their teeth), snarling, and biting. There are even different kinds of bites that show different levels of aggression. While these behaviors may come up occasionally with an otherwise non-aggressive dog, recognizing when these habits become consistent is the biggest step in figuring out if a dog is aggressive. This is especially true of puppies, who often times do not know better.
When getting a new dog, whether it’s a puppy from a breeder, or an adult from a shelter, asking about it’s personal history and, if you can get it, it’s family history is a good starting point. While this should not be the decision maker, it can provide helpful hints towards the dog’s ability towards aggression.
Puppies and dogs differ in how much time you have to spend with them when you have just brought them home. Puppies, like babies, require almost constant supervision when they are younger. They crave attention and activity to stimulate their minds, and puppies that are left unattended too long can develop not only aggressive habits, but other unacceptable habits as well (such as soiling the carpet), so attention and training are equally important to prevent aggression in puppies.
With adult dogs, it is more often training that leads to aggressive tendencies towards strangers, and loneliness that leads towards aggressive tendencies towards family members. Dogs are pack animals are love spending time with their ‘pack’, pleasing them and doing what they can for them. Lack of training comes into play because with proper training and socialization; they understand that those habits are not acceptable in the pack. With this understanding, they seek to please you by not acting this way.
With aggression towards family members it usually presents in two ways: towards specific family members (especially ‘protecting’ a certain family member) or in general. When dogs are protective of a specific family member, it usually considers them their partner, rather than a more dominant member in the pack. It is that member of the family that must take the lead in training the dog to be a submissive pack member. With general aggression, this is more commonly frustration rather than actual aggression. This usual presents itself when the dog is left by itself for long periods of time (whether outside, on a chain, or even alone in the house). While some dog breeds do fine with being left alone, many breeds do not and their frustration, even their excitement, can be seen as aggression. The easiest way to prevent this is training; whether or not you keep your dog outside in a fenced yard or inside the house when you’re gone shouldn’t matter if they’re well trained.
Dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs are usually under socialized. Socialization should be started young, with every opportunity to introduce your dog to others, it will help it understand it’s place. Not only in your family, but in general. Dogs that are used to seeing new dogs will react with excitement, instead of fear. Fear, or protectiveness of their owner, are the main causes for dog aggression.
Now, if you’ve already gotten a dog and it is displaying aggressive tendencies that go beyond growling and barking; especially if this is your first dog, the best idea is to take them to a professional dog behaviorist, or a trainer before trying anything else. They are trained to find out the problem, and will help you set up a training regimen to get rid of the aggression. You may also consider taking them to a Veterinarian, as sometimes the problem is caused by other health problems and some medication might calm them down.
With dogs of any age, training is the most important step in controlling aggressive tendencies. While they are related to the wolf, dogs were the first ‘pet’ to be domesticated, and naturally act the farthest from their wild ancestors, and genetics have little to do with it. No matter the breed, any dog can be trained away from aggression. So keep in mind, with any dog, that aggression is a trait that can be controlled, even eliminated from all dogs. They’re man’s best friend, and they will try their best to keep their title.
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