According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 800,000 people seek medical treatment for dog bite wounds each year.
Half of them are children. Since dogs are man’s best friend, this statistic begs the question:
What causes the dogs implicated in these attacks to become aggressive in the first place?
Is the aggressive tendency an avoidable trait that is bred into these individuals or is it conditioned behavior?
Are dogs a product of their environment or are some of them just born to bite?
Can we prevent canine aggression?
And, what can be done to rehabilitate an already aggressive dog?” That said there are characteristics of certain breeds of dogs (and the predominant lineage of a mixed breed) that lend themselves toward aggressive behavior when mishandled.
.jpg "Aggressive Dogs")
These traits are the inherent instincts of feral canines that we have bred into our dogs for particular purposes, such as herding livestock and hunting games.
Eye contact with prey is a favorable dominant quality of shepherd dogs and pointers. However, eye contact from a small child may be interpreted as a challenge to an un-socialized dog and may provoke the dog to establish its dominance.
Therefore, certain qualities may cause a dog to be more prone to aggression than others.
What Makes a Dog Aggressive?
In a comprehensive study conducted by the University of Helsinki in 2021, data from 13,715 dogs, including 1,791 exhibiting frequent aggressive behavior, revealed several key factors contributing to aggression:
Fearfulness: The most significant contributor to aggressive behavior was identified as fear, surpassing the influence of breed or other factors.
Age: Older dogs exhibited a higher likelihood of aggression, potentially attributed to the increased pain from chronic illnesses, making them less patient with humans.
Gender: Male dogs demonstrated higher levels of aggression compared to females, and sterilization did not appear to have a significant impact on reducing aggressiveness.
Size: Contrary to expectation, small dogs displayed more aggression than larger breeds, possibly due to increased fearfulness towards humans and animals of greater size.
Owner Experience: Dogs owned by first-time dog owners were more prone to aggression, emphasizing the role of owner experience in a dog's behavior.
Socialization: Dogs lacking canine companionship showed a higher tendency to be aggressive toward people, highlighting the importance of socialization in minimizing aggressive behavior.
Breed: While dog breed played a role in aggression, its influence was not overpowering. The training was identified as a valuable factor in fostering positive interactions for dogs from more aggressive breeds with both humans and other animals.
This study sheds light on the multifaceted nature of dog aggression, underlining the significance of fear, age, gender, size, owner experience, socialization, and breed as contributing factors.
Recognizing these elements is essential for implementing effective training strategies and creating environments conducive to minimizing aggressive behavior in dogs.
Signs That Your Dog May Become Aggressive
Dogs, regardless of breed, can exhibit signs of aggression, and being attentive to certain warning signals is crucial. Look out for patterns that may indicate potential aggression, such as:
- Growling and snapping
- A rigid body and rapidly wagging tail
- Lip licking or yawning
- Averting gaze
- Raised fur
- Cowering and tail tucking
- Visible whites of the eyes
It's important to note that not all dogs displaying these behaviors are inherently aggressive.
Many of these warning signs can also signify anxiety or fear in dogs. Understanding these signals can help owners differentiate between aggression and other emotional states, facilitating appropriate responses and interventions.
How can we deter aggression and ensure the safety of family members?
Ensuring safety and preventing bites is the primary and crucial initial step in both safeguarding family members and initiating the behavior modification process.
Begin by identifying all potential situations that might trigger aggression, and take measures to prevent the dog's access to these circumstances (such as caging, confinement, muzzling, or environmental adjustments).
Alternatively, control the dog when facing potentially confrontational situations, utilizing tools like leash and head halter control or tie-downs. It's crucial to avoid these situations to prevent further injuries and reinforce positive behavior.
Although the ultimate goal is to reduce or eliminate aggression potential in these scenarios, each new aggressive episode could lead to harm and exacerbate the issue.
Employing a head collar and leash is an effective means of controlling and preventing aggression, even within the home.
In some situations, a properly fitted basket muzzle can be even more effective at preventing bites.
etraining is essential for the dog to change its behavior, and the dog learns from each opportunity to practice aggression.
Therefore, limiting the dog's exposure to additional aggressive encounters is vital (refer to Aggression – Getting Started – Safety and Management).
Once a family decides to embark on a behavior modification program for aggression, their ability to maintain safety and prevent aggressive episodes must be continually reassessed.
.jpg "aggressive dog")
If safety lapses occur frequently, accidental bites transpire, or new bites manifest in unforeseen circumstances, the decision to keep and treat the dog must be reevaluated.
The bottom line is that we can
predict most aggression, and avoid it if we are paying attention to the
needs and unspoken language of our canine companions.
Spaying and neutering not only prevents unwanted litters of puppies, it also reduces aggressive tendencies.
Hormones are powerful signals to become territorial, possessive, and dominant.
The dog should also be taught to allow treatment of sensitive areas before any illness occurs. While a puppy, the feet should be handled, the coat brushed, and the ears cleaned.
This will desensitize the pet and gain its trust that it need not be defensive.
The puppy should always relinquish food. Many bites occur when a dog is guarding food. This instinct keeps wild canines from starving when the pack competes for a meal.
At the first sign of any aggressive behavior, professional help should be sought.
Aggression is amplified over time. Every time a situation occurs, it reinforces the inappropriate response.
A canine behaviorist can give an unbiased opinion to help an owner see what is going wrong.
Many problems stem from the fact that our human nature causes us to see the dog’s actions as human emotions. We misinterpret uniquely canine signals.