Well-behaved dogs are a joy to be around. They provide unmatched companionship. When dogs are aggressive, though, it can be difficult, and even dangerous, to be around them. Unfortunately, aggression in dogs is a leading factor of pets being returned to animal shelters. Addressing aggressive behavior in dogs is essential to correcting the behavior and helping them safely interact with humans and other animals.
Classifying Aggressive Behavior in Dogs
There are many different reasons that a dog might exhibit aggressive behaviors. Before you address them, you must figure out what is triggering this response. Different reasons for aggressive behavior in dogs can include:
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- Fear Aggression: This occurs when a dog feels fearful of someone or something in the vicinity. This type of aggression generally stems from a lack of exposure or socialization.
- Territorial Aggression: Some dogs become aggressive when they feel like someone is entering their territory. This can occur when a stranger is in your house, or another animal approaches their human.
- Idiopathic Aggression: This form of aggression has no obvious trigger, which makes it the most unpredictable, and therefore the most dangerous. When you don’t know what is causing your dog to react aggressively, you can’t remove the trigger. This type of dog aggression will normally require help from professionals.
- Intra-Household Aggression: This kind of aggression occurs when two dogs live in a household and they both want to be the dominant canine. Problems can occur during feeding time, when one dog is seemingly getting more attention, or when the animals are too close to each other.
- Resource Guarding Aggression: If a dog gets severely territorial over food, toys, beds, or even humans, they might display resource guarding aggression.
Rule Out Medical Factors
It’s important to talk to your veterinarian about aggressive behavior in dogs. Your vet can perform tests to determine if there is a medical issue that might be affecting your dog’s behavior. Certain conditions like orthopedic problems, seizure disorders, or cognitive disorders can affect your dog’s personality. Sometimes solving a medical issue can significantly decrease the amount of aggressive episodes in dogs.
Work with a Behavioral Expert
Since aggression in dogs can become dangerous quickly, it is important to work with professionals to address this behavior. Professional dog trainers and behavioral experts can hone in on what is causing your dog to display aggression. The professional will take a detailed history of your dog’s health and lifestyle and develop a treatment plan that caters to his or her needs. The trainer can also give you exercises to work on at home with the dog. They will be able to determine next steps to provide the safest outcome for everyone involved. Sometimes medical intervention is also needed. We can help you learn the best ways to manage these issues.
If you are dealing with aggressive behavior in dogs, turn to the experts at Union Lake Pet Services. Our professional dog trainers and behaviorist doctor and technicians can work on behavior modification to teach your dog different ways to deal with emotions that lead to aggression. We use positive techniques to create an environment that feels safe for dogs so they can relax enough to learn. Call (248) 363-6262 to learn more about our services.