Aggression

This is a huge subject to tackle but I hope to give you some insight into what aggression is, different types of aggression and why dogs are aggressive.  I will not show you how to deal with aggression on this site as that is better left to experienced canine behaviourists such as myself, as they will be able to quickly recognise the different types of aggression and will be able to advise you on all your options and the best and safest way to manage the dog.  It is important to know that aggression of any kind will not just magically fix itself, if anything it will only get worse.  Seek help immediately if your dog is in any way aggressive.  

What is aggression?

Every dog has the potential to be aggressive given the right circumstances and conditions.  There are no breeds that are immune from aggression, however the good news is that because dogs are social animals they have developed ways of living and communicating with others in a way that avoids getting into fights.

The truth is that aggression is actually a form of communication that is designed to avoid further conflict, not start it.  Most people think of aggressive behaviour as a bite, snap or a growl, in fact it can be as subtle as a raised lip, starring eyes, a stiff wagging tail, stiffened ears, wide eyes, a wide grin and a raised lip.  Many people miss these subtle signals that the dog is showing or miss-interpret them as being friendly - especially in the case of the stiff wagging tail and the grin.  This dog is telling you that he is uncomfortable and not to proceed, but you read a happy and friendly dog and continued to approach, as far as the dog is concerned he has asked you to leave him alone and has warned you that he will fight you if you continue.  You have approached him with the same body language, probably smiling (showing your teeth) and staring right at him, he thinks you intend to hurt him.  Is it any wonder that some dogs resort to biting and snapping?

Most aggression is caused by poor communication and poor socialisation (as in this example) and could be avoided if people were better educated when it comes to dog ownership.  

Inter-species aggression

Inter-species aggression refers to aggression that a dog may show to a prey animal.  This type of aggression can be seen in all breeds of dog but certain elements have been suppressed over the years through selective breeding.  For example, collie types still have the instinct to stalk and chase but have suppressed the instinct to kill the animal making them an excellent choice to work on a farm.  On the other hand, many Terrier types would quickly take chase on a rabbit and kill it.  This type of aggression is very different to any other type; it is quiet, clinical and functional.  Fights between dogs are often extremely noisy affairs in comparison. 

Intra-species aggression

This type of aggression occurs between animals of the same species.  In dogs, this aggression is often highly ritualised, even though it may not appear that way, and is usually related to the dogs status, although sexual rituals also come under this heading.  When two dogs meet they must very quickly establish each others status, they do this by shows of aggression that continue to escalate until one of them backs down and the other is declared the more dominant dog in which case they can be friends.  If two dogs of equal status meet, it is likely that neither will back down and the aggression will escalate into a fight between the two.  The fight will stop when one of the dogs submits to the other, these two dogs may still end up as good friends.  In most cases, however, the communication between the two is so subtle and quick that it is goes completely unnoticed.  

Resource Guarding

The reasons why dogs start to guard their resources include dominance and insecurity.  Resources can be anything and include food, toys, territory, furniture items and even members of the family.  Dominance plays a big part in this type of aggression as the pack leader will be responsible for all resources and is entitled to exclusive use of all of them, he decides what resources, if any, the other pack members are allowed to have and can take them back at any time.  If any member of his pack has the audacity to take them without permission they must be punished severely to ensure it never happens again.  If the dog is insecure, he may have been teased with food and toys in the past, he may also be starved and feel the need to guard every last morsel or he may have spent some time living off the streets in which case he will have learned to guard his food from others as a means of survival.  

Dominance aggression

Dominance aggression will occur when a dog has been allowed to take the position of pack leader.  As pack leader he is responsible for all members of his pack and their well being.  He will take exception to any member of his pack that has left the den without his permission, or who has taken food out of turn, he is responsible for deciding who is allowed into the den and will not appreciate lower ranking members giving access to anyone that he has not personally approved.  He will also take the best seat in the house - usually the sofa and the bed and will object to anyone telling him he should not use them.  All these offences will be punishable by the pack leader and a dog that has been given this position by his human pack will see no choice but to discipline his pack through means of aggression.

Fear aggression

Fear aggression is a common form of aggression and is often confused with dominance aggression.  Fear aggression can be directed at any other dog or person and can also be redirected onto other objects.  This type of aggression can be the result of a lack of socialisation, poor communication or a bad experience and is commonly directed at men, women, children, other dogs or objects such as hands, sticks or newspapers.  This type of aggression is dangerous as a fearful dog may bite without much warning, a frightened dog must be treated carefully and must never be made to face his fears directly without first going through a desensitisation programme.  If he is put into direct contact with his fear he is very likely to become stressed and the encounter will be of little value, or worse he will simply attack the object defensively or redirect his frustration elsewhere - usually onto the person that is making him face his fear.  You have been warned!

Poor communication and poor socialisation

Dogs and humans communicate very differently from each other and it is no wonder that from time to time we give off the wrong message and end up in a disagreement.  A well socialised dog will be familiar with our inability to communicate effectively and will learn to make allowances for our incompetence at an early age, he will also learn about all the  breed differences that make communication difficult such as dogs with spitz type tails may look like they are being aggressive as their tails are held high and stiff, a well socialised dog will have accepted this as no threat.  A particularly fluffy dog may look to another like he has raised his hackles; again this could be interpreted as aggression but a well socialised dog will take this into account when he communicates with this dog too.  If the dog was not used to seeing these characteristics in some breeds of dogs he may end up getting the wrong message and be constantly getting himself into fights.

Medical reasons for aggression

If a dog is showing aggression, before any behavioural advice is sought, he must first be thoroughly checked over by a vet.  There are many medical reasons as to why a dog may suddenly become aggressive.  Dogs, by nature are extremely good at hiding pain as that is considered a weakness and puts them at risk.  The dog must be checked for any sign of pain, any possible neurological problem and digestive problems among others to rule them out before behaviour advice is sought.

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