A dog’s aggression is not a laughing matter and it needs to be stopped as soon as possible before it gets worse. A young puppy can show signs of aggression and it doesn’t matter what the breed is. There are plenty of chihuahuas, yorkies, and other small breeds that have the Napoleon complex, where they show no fear and think they are bigger and stronger than larger dogs with more strength.
Different kinds of aggression:
Dominance aggression occurs when the dog is challenging the family to try to be the alpha or leader of the pack. For example, if the dog is sleeping in a certain area and you wake the dog up to move him or her, the dog will growl or even try to bite. I have met owners who allow their dog to sleep in bed with them but if they try to move to get comfortable their dog will try to bite them. The amazing thing is that the owners do not do anything about it and allow the dog to continue to sleep with them.
Another sign of dominant aggression is when you grab the dog’s collar to put the leash on and the dog turns to try to bite you. It is extremely unacceptable to allow this behavior. You have to train your dog and figure out different techniques to show the dog that you are more dominant. Also, keeping the leash on your dog will give you more control because your leash is your tool. When the dog doesn’t have the leash on, they know they can get away with so much more.
Prey aggression and protective aggression are very different. When a dog has prey aggression, it is usually toward other smaller animals or other dogs. This is very serious because the dog is looking to kill. The dog bites and doesn’t let go. You need to beware of this and have control of your dog. By taking the precautions needed to keep your dog, another dog, or another animal safe, you will save yourself so much added stress, heartache, fines and court costs, and the worst could be loosing your dog. You must train, socialize, and if needed, muzzle your dog.
If your dog has a strong prey drive and has not been socialized with plenty of people when they were a puppy, your dog can be very aggressive with people, which is very dangerous. No matter what kind of dog you get, try to get them as a puppy and PLEASE socialize them with plenty of people, kids, dogs, and animals. The more socialized the dog is, the more adaptable they are in all situations. Even if they are older, training and socializing will help their aggression even though it will take a long time but please do not give your dog away. Patience and practice makes perfect!
Protective aggression occurs when the dog is protecting their family or owner. The best example is when an owner gets very sick and has the dog as their companion to bond with and pass the time while bed ridden. Once the person
gets better, the dog automatically feels compelled to protect the owner so much more and most likely, the dog is the dominant alpha that gets away with everything.
If the owner is walking on the sidewalk and someone runs by, the dog lunges after the person and nips or bites the person’s heel or hand. The dog does not bite and hold on, he or she just gives a warning bite, to let the person know not to get so close to their owner.
Possessive aggression is a common problem in households. The dogs can be possessive with bones, toys, food, or items that they steal, like socks. There are too many owners who think it is funny or cute when the dog is young and growling but it is not!!! Once it starts it will only get worse. There are different problem solving techniques that will help. Also, if there is a specific toy or bone that causes the aggression, just take it away and give them something else.
Fear based aggression occurs when a dog has been abused as a puppy. Everything that happens to them within 4 – 9 weeks of their life is engrained into their mind. If a dog has been abused by a tall man with a baseball hat, then anytime that they see a tall man with a hat, they automatically become aggressive because they think they will get hit. Socialize, socialize, socialize!!!!
When a dog is hit, the dog will either become hand shy and shy away from people when they go to pet them or hand aggressive, when the dog bites people’s hands as they go to pet them on the top of the head. Always approach a dog to pet them with your palm out. Let the dog smell your hand, and then pet them under the chin.
Never approach any dog and assume they are friendly and are willing to get pet. You never know. Always ask the owner first if the dog is friendly and if you can pet it. It is the responsibility of the owner to know how the dog is going to react and to have control of the dog if it does react. As I said in the beginning, training will teach you how to gain control of your dog and training takes mental stimulation, so it gets them more tired then just playing and running around.
Please do not rule out a medical pain that could be causing your dog’s aggression. Observe how the dog is acting and if you believe the dog is sick, please take them to the vet to get checked out.
