Dog Aggression Problems Solved
including 7 Tips for Staying Safe Around Dogs
Dog Aggression Problems and their Solutions: Summary
- Dog aggression and canine aggressive behaviours such as biting and growling are undesirable in our community.
- Management of this undesirable and potential dangerous behaviour is important. Keep your dog under control using leads, fences or crates and never leave them unsupervised when people or other animals are around.
- Long term solutions involve understanding the cause of the aggression, understanding your dog’s needs and seeking professional help to implement effective training to reduce unwanted aggressive behaviours.
Why dogs display aggressive behaviour
Does your dog growl at you or other people of animals? Have they bitten someone? Or have you felt threatened by a dog?
Some aggressive behaviour may be natural in the animal world, to defend your young or to keep hold of precious food but dogs who bite or attack are feared in our society. We need ot learn how to prevent ot stop this behaviour.
Causes of dog aggressive behaviour
There are many reasons that dogs may be aggressive including
Negative experiences can cause dog aggression
Some dogs may be aggressive because of negative experiences in the past. Often these traumatising events have occurred during puppyhood and the dog reacts with aggression.
Pain and illness may contribute to canine aggression
Medical conditions such as thyroid disorders, neurological problems, brain tumours and seizures can all be responsible for aggressive behaviour in dogs. These are impossible to diagnose at home, so must be ruled out at your vet clinic prior to any behavioural therapy taking place.
Limited resources may cause resource guarding aggression
When resources are in short supply, demand increases. Dogs tend to value resources that they need to survive. Resources such as food, shelter and companionship are very valuable commodities and some dogs may try to guard them. Read more about resource guarding aggression.
Redirected aggression
A common cause of injury in canine aggression situations is redirected aggression, where the object of the dog’s aggression is not the intended recipient. Aggression is often redirected towards owners when a dog fight is interrupted.
Understand the cause of your dog’s aggression to find a solution. Read about how we suggest handling and solving your pet’s behaviour issue.
Management of the aggression problem
These may not solve the aggression problem in the long term but they may help protect you and others around you…
Stay safe around dogs
Keep all people and animals, that your dog comes into contact with, safe. Using a collar and a lead may be the simplest solution to dog bite prevention.
Never offer a challenge to a potentially aggressive dog. A challenge can be something as simple as making eye contact. Crossing the street and/or turning and walking in the opposite direction may also help with dogs that are dog aggressive.
Anti-aggression devices such as a muzzle will not solve an aggression problem but they will prevent a dog bite happening so may be useful in the short term.
The dog growl
Many owners want to punish their dog for growling. Punishment is not generally an effective management tool for dealing with dogs, especially those that show aggression. Eventually the dog is likely to retaliate with aggression towards the handler.
Instead we should actually thank you the dog for growling. This is our warning. A warning that more serious aggression may occur if we do not get the dog out of the situation as soon as possible. Please seek professional help for dogs who feel threatened in particular situations. Read Dr Jo’s book for more tips on managing canine aggression.
Vet check for aggressive dogs
It is wise to have a vet check on a dog that has become aggressive. There are many medical conditions that can contribute towards a dog aggression problem and these should be discussed with your vet.
Does your dog guard particular items. Learn more about resource guarding aggression.
Solutions for dog aggression problems
Treatment for canine aggression includes desensitising your dog to the object of their aggression. This is not without danger so must be done with extreme care. Effective training by the owner is also extremely important.
Dog aggression problems are often the result of fear. The dog usually will attempt to get away from the fearful stimulus e.g. an approaching child, but when they cannot, they turn to aggression to make the object of their fear retreat. If your dog is fearful, stressed or anxious in certain situations, you should always handle them with care, as the result could be a dog bite.
Dog Aggression Problems Solved
Solutions for aggressive dogs are given in Dr Jo’s ebook Dog Aggression Problems Solved. Our dog behaviour ebooks are available at Amazon.
Frequently asked questions about aggressive dog behaviour
Are all dogs aggressive?
Every dog has the potential to show aggression. Aggressive behaviour is a normal part of an animal’s life but we want to minimise our dog’s need to display it.
Will my dog bite me?
If your dog is displaying aggressive behaviours, this will escalate if the perceived threat does not go away. You should seek help for your dog if you are worried.
My dog is aggressive towards other dogs. Will this turn into aggression towards our family?
Dogs are unlikely to generalise aggressive behaviours towards everything, so a dog who is dog-aggressive is not more likely to show aggression towards humans. If a dog has fear of dogs and humans, however, they may display aggression towards both, if they feel threatened.
How do I stop my dog growling?
You should not stop your dog growling. Instead you should thank them for showing you that they are upset. Try to remove your dog from the situation that they are growling and in to a less threatening environment.
How can I ensure my dog will not be aggressive towards children?
Prevention is the best way to ensure your dog is not aggressive. Socialising them when young, introducing them to children in a non-threatening, friendly manner will help. Always supervise interactions between children and dogs and teach your children how to behave around dogs and to read a dog’s body language.
7 Tips for Staying Safe Around Dogs
While most dogs are friendly, all are capable of using their teeth when they feel threatened. Learn how to avoid being on the receiving end of those sharp weapons with these 7 tips for staying safe around dogs…
- Understand dog body language and stay away from dogs who are scared or angry. Both may bite. Be prepared for a dog’s behaviour to change at any point.
- When we approach friendly dogs, do so in a non-threatening manner ie. approach from the side where the dog can see you, never make direct eye contact and let the dog sniff you.
- When we touch dogs, especially those we don’t know, do so non-threateningly by letting the dog sniff your hand and then, if still friendly, pat them on the chest and under the chin. Keep your face away from a dog’s face.
- Socialise puppies adequately and continue to socialise your dog throughout life.
- Train your dog and ensure your dog fits into your lifestyle. Reward your dog for good behaviour.
- If you suspect your dog may become aggressive, seek help to solve this problem. Take care not to put anyone else in danger.
- If your dog is dangerous ie. has bitten or threatened a person or animal, take every precaution to ensure the safety of the community.
By keeping these 7 tips for staying safe around dogs in your mind, hopefully you can prevent a dog bite or attack on you or on others. Stay safe!
About the author: Dr Jo Righetti
Dr Jo Righetti is an animal behaviourist, helping people with pets. With a PhD in behaviour, a diploma in counselling and over 20 years experience in business Pet Problems Solved, Dr Jo understand pets and communicates here knowledge in a motivational manner.
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