Aggression in dogs is natural behavior; however, excessive aggression can threaten to disrupt their ethogram. Aggression may stem from motivations like territorialism, fear and possessiveness or could even be targeted toward strangers (stranger-directed), owners (owner-directed), or dogs themselves (target-directed).
Determining the causes for your dog’s aggressive behaviors will allow you to prioritize how best to address them. Behavior modification has proven itself as the most successful solution to eliminating such aggressiveness in canines.
Inter-Dog Aggression
Dominance-related aggression among household dogs is all too prevalent. Fights between dogs of the same gender often revolve around dominance battles and can take place either when meeting unsupervised, or after becoming socially mature (usually between 18 to 36 months for most domesticated breeds).
Testosterone levels play a central role in inter-dog aggression: intact male dogs tend to react quickly and aggressively; fight frequently; and require longer to calm down after getting worked up. Castration has proven extremely successful at decreasing fighting, urine marking, roaming between dogs in most instances.
Inter-dog aggression resulting from normal social or distance increasing signaling has an excellent prognosis if owners follow safety recommendations, avoid triggers, and employ behavioral modification techniques such as reinforcement-based training and classical conditioning. In cases involving aggressive dogs that display confidence or assertiveness however, using head halters or secure leashes may be necessary in order to prevent escalated incidents from developing further and injuries occurring; medication may also help control anxiety or impulsivity levels in these dogs.
Canine-Human Aggression
Dogs’ natural behavior includes some aggression (territory, fear and possessiveness-related), but excessive aggression disrupts human-dog relationships. Aggression should be seen as a symptom of an issue and must be dealt with accordingly. [24,25] A dog that is aggressive towards its owner, stranger or another dog should be examined by a veterinarian in order to rule out medical conditions like cancer, vascular disease or hormone disorders that might contribute to it being aggressive.
Owners must recognize and manage the triggers that trigger their dog’s behaviour consistently, such as groomers, postmen or children who become aggressive towards your pup. If a person cannot effectively manage his/her dog and the behaviour becomes out-of-hand to others in public then professional help from a veterinarian, dog behaviourist or trainer should be sought immediately.
Canine-Animal Aggression
Dogs that show aggression to other canines can be treated, though their care must focus on control. That means ensuring they do not encounter other dogs and that any fights break up quickly and safely. Re-training techniques may also help teach their responses when hearing another bark without becoming aggressive themselves.
Owners should also be mindful of how their household’s social structure may contribute to aggression in their dog. Changes due to new dog arrival, changes in family member roles or health problems could trigger unstable hierarchies which lead to aggression in their canine.
Behavior from dogs that displays aggression towards other animals may be difficult for pet parents to comprehend, yet it is essential they realize when their dog growsls or displays aggressive body language that it’s trying to express discomfort with another person or animal. Punishing such displays of behavior will likely backfire and lead to greater aggression the next time around.
Canine-Inanimate Object Aggression
Canine-inanimate object aggression can occur when a dog responds aggressively toward inanimate objects like furniture, cars or yard equipment. Some dogs will only display such aggressive behaviors around certain items they have an emotional attachment to; typically these behaviors include growling, barking, lip lifting and lunging; while this type of aggression often includes displacement behaviors like crouching down low with eyes closed, licking lips, tucking tail and gazing away.
Fear aggression in dogs is a natural, instinctual reaction to any perceived threat or situation which they perceive to be frightening, such as actual threats or perceived fears. Avoidance and escape are generally effective means for mitigating this form of aggression; however, some dogs learn that using aggressive methods to remove the feared stimuli (negative reinforcement) works instead and this behavior continues as reinforcement without learning alternative means to calm emotions – this makes working with an experienced behaviorist or trainer even more essential when confronted with fear-related aggression issues.https://www.youtube.com/embed/9JgUV6rEZ5Y