Dealing With Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

Of all of the undesirable behaviors a dog can exhibit, this one is certainly the most disturbing and the most unacceptable. Aggressiveness can be directed toward other dogs or toward other species, including humans. Certainly dogs harboring an uncontrollable inherent aggressiveness towards the latter pose special problems to their owners in terms of liability as well.

The following are potential causes of this behavior:

Dominance

This certainly plays an important role in canine aggressiveness. Some dogs refuse to submit to authority and will lash out at anyone or anything that attempts to exert such. In many instances, these dogs were not properly socialized and/or trained when they were young. In others, sex hormones, namely testosterone, can exert a strong influence as well.

Treatment for such aggressiveness consists of a return to basic command and obedience training. In addition, exercises designed to re-establish dominance should be performed as well. If the aggression is directed towards a particular person in general, he/she too should be included in these exercises. Remember: Extreme caution and a good, strong muzzle are both advised before any attempts at such dominance assertion are made! For domineering male dogs, neutering is recommended prior to any attempts at re-training.

Fear and Pain

These are the two other common causes of aggressive showings in canines. If a dog feels threatened or overwhelmingly fearful, it naturally experiences a "fight or flight" syndrome, and might choose the former option over the latter, depending upon how it perceives its situation. In addition, dogs have been known to naturally lash out in fear at humans or other animals upon being startled, or more frequently, when they are experiencing pain. For this reason, sudden aggressive changes in personality with or without other signs of illness warrant a complete check-up by your veterinarian.

Treating fear-induced aggression is aimed at reducing the threat you or others pose to your pet. If fear aggression is induced by some outside stimulus, such as thunder, then proper restraint and isolation is recommended while the stimulus lasts.

If a dog suffers from a vision or hearing deficit, attempts should be made to capture the dog's attention prior to approach. Also, remember that not only is physical punishment a useless tool for training, it can in itself lead to natural, aggressive backlashes due to pain (and fear). This is just one more reason why such punishment should be avoided.

Finally, for those dogs suffering from injuries or illnesses, owners should remember to always approach and handle them with caution, for although they might not mean to, they could exhibit aggressive tendencies due to the pain associated with the disease.

Territorial Defense

Dogs, male or female, will certainly defend that property they deem theirs, and they might not hesitate to fight for it. Territorial aggressiveness toward unwelcome animals or people is not uncommon, as any utility-meter reader would attest to! Such aggressive behavior can be just as easily sparked by a perceived encroachment while the dog is eating, or while it is playing with its favorite toy. Many bite wounds to humans have been inflicted because of such actions.

Again, a return to the basics of command training should help curb some of the territorial aggressiveness that might be exhibited by some canines. Certainly, showing some respect for a dog's "private property" (toys, bowls, etc.) and its eating privacy is a common-sense way to avoid this type of aggressive behavior. It is important to impress this concept upon children, too, because they are often the most frequent violators of this rule.

If a dog seems particularly possessive over toys, bones, etc., then the number of these objects should be reduced to all but one or two items. Also, consider feeding the dog in an isolated area of the house, free from interruptions.

"Mean Streaks"

Certain breeds and canine family lines can have inherent "mean streaks" in them. For instance, chow chows are notorious among veterinary circles for their aggressiveness towards strangers. In addition, pit bull terriers, because of selective breeding, pose a real threat to any other dog that might cross their paths.

In many instances, this inherent aggressiveness can be harnessed by way of proper socialization and by strict command training. Neutering can be of assistance as well in select instances.

The Best Treatment

The best treatment for most types of aggression is prevention. By adhering to the principles of proper socialization and by proper command training, most behavioral problems related to aggressiveness can be controlled or avoided altogether.

However, for any dog exhibiting aggressiveness, a thorough physical examination and consultation with a veterinarian is warranted. Ruling out underlying medical causes is certainly one reason for this; the other is that your veterinarian might choose to prescribe medications to assist in re-training efforts or as a direct attempt to curb the psychological aspects of your dog's aggressiveness.

Anti-anxiety medications and behavior modification drugs are now commonly used in veterinary medicine to help assist in the correction of many behavioral problems, including aggressiveness. Don't hesitate to ask your veterinarian for more details.