Aggression is one of the main reasons why dog owners take their four-legged companions to professional trainers. If your dog often growls, snaps at people, or is prone to biting, it can lead to serious problems. And this isn’t limited to the so-called dangerous breeds. A dog can become aggressive regardless of its breed or size.
The aggression also doesn’t necessarily have to be aimed at people. Some dogs tend to get aggressive only with other dogs, some with cats but not dogs, while others only become aggressive towards inanimate objects such as anything with wheels.
Aggressive behavior in dogs extends to any sort of behavior related to an attack – snarling, growling, baring teeth, becoming rigid and ready to lunge, lunging, nipping, and biting.
The worst thing your dog can do is bite someone since this has legal consequences, and your dog might be declared dangerous and be taken away from you as a result. The victim can also launch a civil suit against you so they can get compensation for medical expenses and other damages. From a legal standpoint, you are responsible for your dog’s behavior in public. Suppose you do find yourself in such a difficult situation. In that case, it’s better to look for experienced personal injury attorneys who can advise you since liability for dog bite injuries vary from one state to another.
But aggressive behavior and its consequences can be prevented. It may not happen overnight, but once you understand the causes, you can come up with a plan that will help you change your dog’s behavior, so you can keep both yourself and other people safe around them.
Why Do Dogs Become Aggressive?
Dogs can become aggressive for a number of reasons. They might be territorial, so they’re simply defending their space from what they see as intruders. They might feel like they’re protecting you from threats as a member of their pack. Dogs can also get aggressive over objects that have value to them, such as chew toys or food.
Most aggressive responses come out of fear whenever the dog feels threatened in some way. Some will try to retreat, while others will feel corned and attack.
If dogs are not socialized properly, they can become aggressive with other dogs.
They can also become aggressive from lack of stimulation. If they’re fenced in all the time and don’t get to exercise and play, they can start acting out.
In some cases, unfortunately, dogs can become aggressive simply because of their predatory instincts when they’re chasing something. This is especially dangerous when they play chase with children. It might start innocently until the dog’s predatory instincts kick in.
Lastly, dogs can become aggressive because they’re not feeling well. They’re either sick or in pain.
How to Handle Aggression
You’ll first want to take note of when and in what circumstances your dog gets aggressive since this will help you determine the cause.
The behavior might also be a symptom of an underlying problem such as an injury, neurological disorder, or hypothyroidisms, so it’s best to take your dog to the vet to rule out these conditions.
If that’s not the case, your vet can also recommend a trainer that can help you. They’ll usually change behavior through positive reinforcement. For example, let’s say your dog becomes aggressive towards strangers, so they’ll ask you to stand with your dog far away enough that they don’t start to growl at the person they don’t know. They’ll have you reward your dog with treats and praise for not becoming aggressive, then gradually reduce the distance. In time, the dog will start associating approaching strangers and remaining calm with something positive, so they’ll figure out this is a desired behavior that gets them praise.
You should avoid punishment because this does the opposite, and it increases aggression. The dog starts to associate approaching strangers with getting punished, so they’ll become even more hostile towards them.