AGGRESSION IN DOGS

Dog aggression is a complex behavior encompassing any threatening or harmful action a dog displays towards another dog, person, or object. It is driven by various factors, and can range from subtle growling to severe biting.  

Addressing aggression uses a combination of management, training, counterconditioning and desensitization.  Each case of aggression is unique as well as each dog.  Specialized behavioral assessment of the dog, environment and situation is important when determining a behavior plan to proceed with.

Common causes of aggression are:

Fear and Anxiety

Territorialism

Possessiveness (resource guarding)

Pain or Illness

Redirected Aggression

Maternal or protective aggression

Play related aggression

Recognizing Aggression:

Body Language: signs include growling, snarling, baring teeth, lunging, snapping and biting.

Posture: Stiffening, raising hackles on the back, or flattening the ears can indicate aggression

Vocalizations: A guttural bark or growl can signal aggression

Managing Aggression:

The most common ways to manage aggression are:

Seek Professional Help:  Aggression requires the assistance of professional help whenever possible for the safety of the dog, owner and others involved.  Seek help from a qualified dog training or veterinary behaviorist.

Early Intervention:  Addressing aggressive behaviors early on is crucial.  As a general rule aggression will increase over time making it more challenging to address.

Training & Behavior Modification: Training can help dogs learn alternative behaviors and reduce aggression through techniques like desensitization and counter-conditioning.

Environmental Management: Removing or modifying triggers that provoke aggression, such as restricting access to certain areas or individuals, can help manage aggressive behaviors.

Medication: In some cases, medication may be recommended to manage underlying anxiety or other medical conditions contributing to aggression.  Always have your dog checked out by a veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for aggression.

For more information or to request a Behavioral Assessment and Consultation contact us below or call (805) 978 6945.  

We provide your Behavioral Assessment and Consultation free of charge.  At the consultation we will discuss in detail with you what problem behaviors are occurring, what you would like to see happen for you and your dog as a result of training and will perform a Behavioral Assessment of your dog.  This will allow us to evaluate your needs, the current behavior of the dog, what you would like to see from the training and other variables in order to develop a Behavioral Training Plan specific to your dog and situation.