Dogs are instinctively an aggressive kind of animal. They evolved as pack animals who used their aggressive instincts to hunt for their prey and to protect their den and pack mates from danger. Of course the evolution of dogs necessitated their aggressive instincts, but in today’s world a dog with aggression problems must be controlled. Once you know the cause for your dog’s type of aggression problem, you can pick the right method to correct the problem.
I have written a list of the six most common reasons behind a dog’s aggression.
- Dominance Aggression: Each time 2 dogs greet each other, they figure out which one is submissive and which is dominant. Because dogs live in a pack society, it is necessary for them to establish a pecking order, so that every dog knows his place in the pack. Most of the time, this process is figured out quickly and without any friction or aggression between the dogs. If one of the dogs refuses to submit to the other dog it is possible for a dog fight to soon occur.
- Fear Aggression: The next type of aggression, fear aggression is caused by very different reasons than dominance aggression. When a dog is suffering strongly from fear aggression it is common for it to lash out at whatever is close by. For example, a dog that had been abused by a former master, will likely show fear aggression towards certain people-especially if that person is doing something to agitate the poor dog. A dog suffering from fear aggression shows it by cringing low down with his tail up between his legs and agaisnt his stomach; he will also whine and moan and may snap and lunge to bite at the source of his torment; It will be baring all its teeth while snarling, whining and moaning. Be sure not to try to offer comfort to a dog in the throes of fear aggression, because they sometimes lash out and bite anything nearby-like your hand.
- Territorial Aggression: Territorial aggression is a very common form of aggressive behavior. This type of aggression originated when dogs needed to defend their families and their dens from predators-nowadays they want to protect your family and home instead. However, if your dog is overly protective and becomes too aggressive, it is possible that he may even bite visitors (especially strangers) and attack other dogs or animals nearby. If you see signs of territorial aggression with your dog you should take steps to take control. Teach your dog to calm down before his aggressive barking becomes actual biting.
- Redirected Aggression: This type of dog aggression can often be confused with other aggressive behavior. Sometimes a commotion may happen on the other side of your fence that stops your dogs from reaching it, and in their fury they may sometimes attack each other. Kind of like when sharks have a frenzy. The grip of the aggression got so strong that they even attacked their own buddy.
- Predatory Aggression: Predatory aggression is a natural instinct that all dogs have to some degree-they are born with it. Even though many of our pet dogs do not display this aggression, it is not uncommon to see predatory aggression quite frequently. When you see your dog chasing a cat or a bird you are seeing signs of predatory aggression. sometimes dogs enjoy something just for the fun of the chase and are not really aggressive in a predatory sense. On the other hand, sometimes they are very serious, so this too is a problem that needs to be corrected.
- Medical Reasons Causing Aggression: A very common example of a medical issue causing aggression is when a female dog is nursing or pregnant and becomes extra protective and bitchy. A dog that is feeling unwell may have something that is causing him to respond with aggression.If you notice your dog having unusual aggressive behavior for no understandable reason, make sure his health is fine with a visit to your vet. Some dogs just have some bad wiring, and have no one obvious reason for their aggression. I am sure you have met people like that too-it is just the way they are put together.
If you understand how to recognize and diagnose the reasons for your dog’s aggression problem, you can figure out the right method for correcting his aggressive behavior problem, and making him a better behaved pet who is much less likely to create any problems because of his aggression.
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