Types of Aggression In Dogs
We’ve all seen excessive aggression in dogs. It can strike fear into small children and even adults. Some breeds are more inclined to aggression than others but there are usually underlying reasons for excessive aggression in dogs and your training efforts will be more effective if you take these underlying causes into consideration. A well-behaved dog that you can trust in most situations is something that most pet owners prefer.
Sometimes excessive aggression is because your dog wants to establish dominance. Dogs are pack animals and there is always a hierarchy to the pack. The alpha dog is the leader and the other dogs follow suit. Appropriate training will establish you as the alpha dog or the leader. Do not allow your dog to think of himself as the leader or you will constantlyencounter problems. Even so your dog may still try to establish his dominance over other dogs or animals and this may be the reason for his dominance aggression.
Another common type of aggression in dogs is territorial aggression. Your dog will fiercely protect everything that he considers to be “his” including yourself, your home and your family. While this can be a good thing if you are threatened at some point, it can cause many problems in ordinary circumstances. It is seldom that a family is truly threatened and if your dog’s territorial aggression is out of control it can cause issues with visitors and neighbors. Excessive territorial aggression is unacceptable behavior.
Fear can cause a dog to act out aggressively. Something happens that frightens him and he does the only thing he knows how to do which is to start growling, pull his ears back, tuck his tail between his legs and act mean. This is just a protective mechanism that is often misunderstood as being direct aggression but the truth is that something instigated the fear, which in turn started the aggressive behavior.
Aggressive behavior can sometimes happen for no obvious reason. However this aggression is usually misdirected. Something happens that triggers anxiety within the dog but he is unable to react to the actual reason so he takes it out on something else. This may be a reason for some inexplicable dog fights between 2 or more animals. The dog is just not able to act on the real cause.
There can also be biological issues for aggression. Many times a female dog can be aggressive when they are nursing a new litter of pups. This type of aggression is understandable as she is protecting her litter from any perceived hazards. There is also always a cconsideration of a medical problem if your dog is overly aggressive so taking your dog to the vet for a thorough examination is always suggested.
Getting your female dog spayed and your male dog neutered can curb aggressive tendencies. This can also contribute greatly to the good health of your dog. If you are not in the profession of breeding dogs it is just the responsible thing to do and it will make your aggression training easier.
If you consider the reasons why your dog may be acting aggressively you can tailor your training efforts and curb the aggression. You can work with your dog’s own specific needs and have more success.
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