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Dog AggressionThe Resource for Everything About Dogs |
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Dog Aggressionby Eric Hartwell
We may have encountered or have heard stories from other people with regards to the aggressive behavior of dogs. It may have frightened or scared some of us especially if we have children knowing that our kids spend a great deal playing with their pets. There may have been cases when the dogs not only growled violently but came to a point of even attacking and biting its master. It is because of aggressive behavior that many pets end up being abandoned in animal shelters without their pet owners even trying to grasp an understanding of why their pet reacted in such a manner. We have to understand that dogs communicate in a language that may be unknown to us. We need to at least exert some effort to understand their behavior and communicate effectively with them to prevent untoward incidents of possible attack. There are several types of dog aggressive behavior and they will be tackled below. Dominant Aggression This type of behavior actually occurs when a dog?s position in the pack is challenged by another dog or by a human. You have to remember that dog are pack animals and for every pack there is always a conceived pack leader. It is very important that early on you try to establish yourself as the leader of the pack otherwise your dog might think he is the dominant one. You will sense a dog to having a dominant behavior especially when it gets angry or it growls at you when you try to move it while it is sleeping in its favorite chair or spot. When a dog approaches you for a pat or for petting, establish dominance by rubbing behind his ears as well as the neck. Fear Aggression A dog may bite or project an aggressive behavior because it feels that it is in grave danger. This is actually a defensive action on its part. A perfect example would be when you would raise your arms in an attempt to throw a ball to your pooch. It might perceive this action to be a threat like maybe you trying to give him a spank. Territorial Aggression This is the type of behavior displayed by a dog when it wants to protect its property or area as well as the members of its pack. Usually a dog tries to mark its territory by urinating in it. A dog?s territory may not only be confined to the home but even to the entire neighborhood as well. Related to this type of aggression would be protective aggression wherein a dog displays an aggressive behavior when it perceives the member of its pack to be threatened in any manner by other dogs or human beings. A dog may also display possessive behavior with regards to its toys, food, bed and the like. Redirected Aggression This type of aggression occurs when a dog is prevented from attacking. This is the type of behavior that most dog owners usually get confused about. A perfect example for this would be when you try to break the fight between two dogs. Quite often, the human who disrupts or breaks the fight ends up getting bitten by one of the dogs. It is advisable that you start to train your puppy while they are still young to prevent them from developing aggressive behavior. It is also important that you carefully observe and try to communicate with your pet so that both of you will have a clear understanding of where each of you stands in the pack. If you find your dog to be exhibiting an aggressive behavior which may be way beyond your control, I strongly suggest that you seek the help of your vet or a dog trainer in correcting your dog?s undesirable behavior.
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