Aggressive Behavior in dogs

In our last post we discussed the use of counter conditioning to modify certain types of undesirable behavior in dogs. Aggressive behavior in dogs is one area where this type of therapy can be very helpful.

There are several different functional forms of canine aggression that fall into two broad classifications. Offensive aggression, where the dog attempts to get something at the expense of another is one class and defensive aggression where the dog perceives a threat and reacts accordingly, is the other.

Dominance of one animal over another is a good example of offensive aggression. Two male dogs trying to establish a hierarchy is something we've probably witnessed. Defensive aggression is more on the order of defending territory or food and can be directed at both dogs and humans.

You can see through these examples that some forms of aggression are normal canine behavior. For instance, certain breeds have been selectively bred for these traits. Herding dogs or guard dogs are good examples of defensive aggression and social hierarchy plays a role in the normal socialization process all dogs go through.

But, dogs with abnormal behavior can't differentiate between real threats and perceived threats. Any dog or any person creates anxiety and an inappropriate reaction from these dogs.

And taken to the extreme when your dog won't allow people to visit your house or your dog snaps at you when you reach for the food dish, some forms of aggressive behavior cannot be tolerated. Not only that, aggressive behavior can result in injury to other dogs or even people and that requires immediate intervention.

Some of this behavior has its roots in inappropriate reaction from the owner. An owner can accidentally  reinforce this behavior by physical punishment as we've discussed many times on the blog. Poor or non existent socialization can also lead to aggressive behavior.

There can be a history of a traumatic incident in the past that leads to aggressive behavior. Chaining a dog can create territorial aggression. Some medical conditions and even chronic pain in older pets can be contributing factors as well.

It's critical to understand that there is no cure for most of these problems. There are no magic bullets or special drugs that have been proven to be effective. We manage these problems through a combination of supervision, avoidance of triggers, pharmaceutical intervention and behavior modification. In some cases they cannot be successfully managed. The best bet is to work with an expert in this area and there are no better experts than board certified veterinary behaviorists.

Be wary of people that claim to be experts. Some trainers are very good working with dogs and owners if they have been well trained themselves. Some are worse than no help at all and can make matters worse and even create dangerous situations for owners making them more likely to be the victim of an aggressive dog. 

The best advice is to talk to your own veterinarian first. If they don't feel qualified to help ask them to refer you to a specialist.

Comments

[RGJ]

The restricted breeds on most lists are Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman, English Bull Terrier, Alsatian, Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

I think proper training is absolutely necessary to help ensure a healthy environment especially for dogs disposed to problems such as Pits.

I agree that training should include positive rewards. Owners should always have treats with them while walking their dogs to reward positive behavior at the time of the act.

A tired dog is a happy dog...