Aggression in dogs can be due to guarding territory, resources, or a family member; fear; frustration; prey drive; or pain. In all of these situations, a dog may be pushed too far and can transition quickly from reactive, fearful, or guarding behaviors to being aggressive.
The most common causes include conflict aggression, fear-based, defensive aggression, status related aggression, possessive aggression, food guarding aggression and redirected aggression.
Types of dog aggression include:
Fear Aggression. Territorial Aggression. Idiopathic Aggression.
A reactive dog is usually a fearful dog. Causes can be genetic, but they are more likely due to a lack of socialization, prior bad experiences or a lack of training. Aggressive dogs show similar signs but are determined to cause harm and destruction.
While protective dogs get the measure of possible threats present in certain situations, aggressive dogs will consider everything as a threat. Aggressive dogs do not have any monitoring or reasoning behaviors and can go full-on aggressive mode immediately that may eventually lead to violence.
Aggressive dogs try to look large and threatening. Fearful dogs try to look small and invisible. A scared dog will usually: Tuck his tail instead of standing straight and rigid.
Certain breeds seem more prone to suffer from rage syndrome, including Cocker and Springer Spaniels (hence the once-common terms – Spaniel rage, Cocker rage, and Springer rage), Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Lhasa Apsos.
Is training an aggressive dog possible? Yes. Aggression in dogs, whether it be toward a dog's owner or other dogs, is a serious behavior that should be adjusted with the help of a professional dog trainer.
Aggressive dogs can certainly be a reflection of their owners, but there are often many other issues that can factor into whether a dog is abnormally aggressive. According to researchers from Michigan State University, dogs with aggressive or anxious temperaments often have owners with negative personality traits.
Fear- or anxiety-related aggression may be confusing as the dog might display defensive or offensive body language. "Fear or anxiety related aggression is perhaps the most common form of aggression in dogs."
If your dog has bitten someone, it's natural to question whether you can ever trust them again. The good news is that in many situations, a dog that's bitten can go on to live a long and happy life with no other incidents.
It's important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as a cure for aggression. Aggressive behaviors are managed and reduced through proper treatment with a veterinary behavioral professional. It's also essential to understand that aggression is a behavioral problem, not an issue of obedience.
To ensure there is not a medical reason for the behavior, your vet will perform a physical or neurological exam and may order blood tests, a urinalysis, or imaging techniques to look for any abnormalities, such as organ dysfunction or tumors. Abnormal EEG results can help to confirm a diagnosis of rage syndrome.
The sudden onset of the rage episodes occurs between 1 – 3 years old. The dog may demonstrate a glazed or possessed look in its eyes just prior to the episode. They may also seem confused.
Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a behavioral syndrome that affects old dogs. Dogs with CCD show behavioral alterations such as disorientation, altered interactions with owners, other pets and the environment, sleep-wake cycle disturbance, house-soiling and changes in activity [14].
Aggression can be direct behaviors such as hitting, kicking, biting, and pushing to name a few. Additionally, aggression can take on an indirect form like teasing, bullying, spreading rumors, name-calling, or ignoring someone.
Aggression can be verbal or physical. There are four types of aggressive behavior: accidental, expressive, instrumental, and hostile.
The causes of aggression include instinct, hormonal imbalance, genetics, temperament, nurture, and stress. If there are excessively aggressive people in your life, like a loved one or coworker, you can learn to cope or deal with their behavior effectively.
An aggressive dog poses a danger to us and other humans. It tells us the dog is unhappy. Even in a mild form or in a small dog, aggression typically signals the dog is tense and not enjoying his life at that moment – or, sometimes, not at all.
Will my dog outgrow the aggression? Puppies may go through a biting phase that they will often outgrow. Unfortunately in most cases, true dog aggression often escalates as the dog ages. While it may be natural to make excuses, all dogs are capable of causing serious harm.
Dogs that have a history of acting aggressively towards people should not be re-homed. Even if the dog acts aggressively towards children but does well with older people, the dog should not be rehomed for the simple fact that it is a liability.