Part I, Reality Bites: Tips On Preventing and Managing Dog Aggression
Developing empathy for for a common misconception.
This dog is protecting her personal space from an approaching dog while sitting on her owner's lap. She is otherwise sweet and docile.
Photos (3)
Photos
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of presenting a lecture on dog aggression at The Pet Pantry Warehouse in Greenwich, Ct. During my talk, there were several happy “ah-ha” moments. It was really gratifying to watch my audience go from anxious concern to confident understanding.
I brought my whole crew: two adult dogs and a rambunctious puppy. I always bring my dogs and I’m puzzled by trainers who don’t incorporate their own dogs into their lectures or events. After all, I am a dog trainer and if my dogs don’t know how to behave, then what message is it sending to people who might turn to me for help?
During my lecture, two points made the greatest impact on my audience, and I offer them to you for consideration. The more we know about another species, the better able we are to improve their overall existence and ultimately their behavior.
- Self-Protective Aggression. This is defined as a situation in which dogs show aggression towards strangers (dogs or people) who approach their personal space, either inside the home or when walking (often on leash) away from the home. While it often gets confused as territorial aggression, it is more fear-based and self-serving. Seeds of this fearful, reactive behavior can be seen early. When a young dog is approached by often well-intentioned admirers, he may misread this adoration as a predatory approach. As this same puppy matures, he may assume a more self-protective stance and self-protective aggression is the result. It is a common form of aggression. Ideally puppies are raised or dogs are taught to look to their people for reassurance, but unless owners are properly “trained” to watch for this reaction, it often goes unnoticed until it becomes more pronounced. Generic dog training should (though often doesn’t) teach owners how to “listen” to their dog’s behavior;
- Territorial Aggression A home is a dog’s den. It is a place where they should feel safe, nurtured and protected. The familiar areas outside a home are considered “territory” and dogs are prone to alert to all activities surrounding the territory. The dog that barks frenetically and runs the periphery of the territory is simply assuming the task of boarder patrol and responding to the consequent attentions of their people. If you yell at your dog for doing this, he will translate it into barking – he’ll think you’re backing him up. If you try to grab at or chase your dog when he runs at or chases another dog, you will heighten his awareness to the alarm and guarantee a repeat performance – often of escalating intensity. A more pronounced aggressive display often develops.
So how does one cope with these reactive behaviors or how can you arrest the tendencies in early puppyhood? The first step is empathy – to recognize your dog as a thinking, feeling, responsive being that will react in relatively predictable way due to a mix of genetic programming and human reinforcement.
Next you need to assume the role of the authority figure and teach them human language as you’d teach a foreigner English as a second language. Once you're heading down that road, every effort must be made to expose and link more positive reactions to overwhelming situations (rewards may be in the form of praise, food, or favored toys).
The two types of reactions listed above result from a puppy maturing with the perception that their reactions are acceptable and warranted: that unpredictable noises may bring chaos, and that unfamiliar people/dogs are dangerous. And further – and most importantly, that their behavior controls the intensity of the situation, keeping "danger" at bay.
The good news is that it is as easy to train most dogs to look to their person(s) for translation and to redirect the situation. In the end, all dogs are more relaxed and well mannered when they have a reassuring authority figure at the helm of their little lifeboat. Tune in next column for part two, and meet Toby – a live case study who arrived at the lecture and overcame his fears!
Are you experiencing trouble with dog aggression- either with your dog or one you know? Add your comments here!
Tell us in the comments.
Sarah Hodgson
9:38 pm on Sunday, January 29, 2012
Aggression is a huge closet issue- though it's far more common than people recognize. Aggressive behaviors, however, have no correlation to "dominance!" Instead they define behaviors (growling, biting, etc) used to resolve conflicts caused by frustration or fear. Fear or frustration!
Please share your stories and experiences in this open forum- or email me directly. A frustrated or fearful response is as normal in dogs as it is in humans. Though aggression towards people in unacceptable, it's not that uncommon. If you're having a problem with aggressive behavior with your dog, face it or get help before it spirals out of control. Living with an aggressive dog is like living with a crazy relative. Everyone deserves better!
Dan Seidel
12:22 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Make sure your homeowners insurance covers dog bites/attacks. They can be expensive - the bites. Check your policies.
Sarah Hodgson
8:41 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
Good point- I have to bring this up with each of my dog aggression cases. The dog bite law suits (of which I've often served an expert witness) are always in the range of 6 or 7 figures, and it's important to know where your insurance company stands on these issues.
Maureen
6:25 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
And while the dog owner gets an insurance policy should the rest of us should purchase a weapon? Apparently firing a shot into the air or, just to be on the safe side, into the ground is quite efffective.
http://nanuet.patch.com/articles/nyc-cop-fires-warning-shot-to-end-dog-attack-in-nanuet
Don't look for help from the Animal Control Officer in Clarkstown!
Sarah Hodgson
8:44 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
People have asked me if there are any dogs I'm afraid of, as I have a relatively steady composure around aggressive dogs--but the truth is yes, and there are dogs everyone should be afraid of. Often the best response (that is, if you're unarmed) is to curl into a ball on the ground with your hands laced over your neck. Motion elicits prey drive and shouting at an aggressive dogs escalates their perceived confrontation. I read about viscous dog attacks and my heart beats in fear for the victim and at the same time, is sadden by the negativity it spreads to all dogs, most of whom sooth the human spirit.
Robert Solari
7:15 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
How do I stop my standard poodle from peeing on my Teacup Cookies Wee Wee pad? He's three years old and he's let outside most of the day. He's gone pretty good at it that he doesn't miss.
Sarah Hodgson
9:00 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
A little off topic, but the message is quite clear: your teacup is your newest member and your Standards pee-commentary is more for her than for you...he's peeing to communicate his superiority. I liken adding another dog to the household, like my husband adding a new wife to our happy mix. No matter how he angled it I'd still be disgruntled.
By allowing your teacup to pee in your dog's domain is pushing the envelop as it's the scent of urine that stakes proprietorship, so by permitting the little and not the big you're upsetting the natural balance. Your Standard is rightful in his peeing however upset this makes you.
If he respects your "opinion" and will respond to "No" you may have some luck leading him up to the paper on leash and discouraging him or interrupting him when he strays near the pads, otherwise I would relocate the pads in the garage or outside the main home.
Or learn to live with it and train her outside in the spring. It could be far worse. Many dogs in the same situation would have begun marking the entire home in retaliation.
Get help if you need it. Having a professional in who can positively communicate to your dogs and translate their frustration--and ally your own is time and money very well spent. Dogs do infiltrate just about every waking second of your day. Harmony balance all species!
Chris Dentato-Nastasi
10:50 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
We adopted a rescue cocker/springer spaniel in December. he was 17 months old. We have four other dogs, three of whom are rescues (3 cocker spaniels and a cockalier). At first the others were afraid of Bud because he was unpredictable and larger then they are and we kept him in his playpen unless we were giving him close supervision. We have been able to successfully integrate him into our home with the other dogs but our problem is with the females in the house, myself and my two daughters. We are his third owners, the first owner had him for a year, he was found on the street and the owner was contacted and they didn't claim him, so he went to another family for four months, they brought him back and requested the shelter euthanize him because he tried to bite the woman of the house; that's when he went to rescue...and then here. He is not aggressive with my husband at all but he has jumped up and tried to bite myself and my daughters. This happens when he seems to be resting and we walk past him, or if you bend over him to pet him (because he's rolled over on his back and looks like he wants his tummy rubbed). He gives us no warning, I'm pretty sure it's our mannerism at that moment that is frightening him, and his prior experiences before we got him. Any ideas how I can make him feel less threathed?
Chris Dentato-Nastasi
11:01 am on Monday, January 30, 2012
I would like to add that he is generally very sweet, big dark eyes, fearful at times, his intake form at the shelter made note of that. He cries sometimes, especially if he's missed us while we are gone from the house for a long period of time..or just to get the mail. He is basically a good boy, who we have grown to love very much.
Sarah Hodgson
1:46 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
IT sounds like a real emotional split: where he is-- in the instant, replaying an old record of how he was mis-treated. In that split second you/your daughters stop being you and you become someone haunting and sinister to him. It's like a heckle and jeckle response. It is too serious a situation to comment on without through evaluation, as aggression this reactive can result in a serious
. While the advise to click and reward him every time you're near sounds simple enough it will not heal this condition. A dog with an emotional split will respond positive to treat interaction and yet still react aggressively weeks from now when the triggers are enough to prompt him. If you feel driven to work with him hire a professional to help you: however anyone who says they can cure aggressive tendencies should be avoided. You can only hope to manage his split self. You're a good soul to believe in him and try, but in the end your kids safety must be paramount.
Cathy Fischer
3:45 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
I had a dearly loved adopted cocker with that same problem. If startled from sleep or touched in a certain way, she could be nippy due to abuse from her past (she also had a broken rib on her side from where someone had kicked her, poor thing) I tried to just be patient with her and observant of what triggered the response and to try not to take her reaction personally. Gradually it got better as she really started understanding trust, but do be mindful of your body language, as she might perceive your leaning over her as being threatening in some way.
Sarah Hodgson
7:12 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
It always amazes me how some people can treat their dogs. We are judged by how we treat those who cannot speak. I judge you highly.
Carol
3:17 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Our family adopted a fantastic chocolate lab 2 years ago and I can not tell you how much love she has brought to us.. Molly is fantastic in our home ,a perfect guest in other homes as well as at the dog park but walking her is becoming difficult and embarrassing! While walking last spring another dog attacked her while both on leashes and although the fight lasted only a few seconds it seemed to have affected her and the negative behavior is increasing in severity! If we meet a dog while still in my driveway and she behaves badly I immediatly start walking back in the house to show her that we wont continue. But I am not sure what to do when we are already out and about, I try to turn and walk the other way or cross the street when she starts to bark etc but I do not think it is helping at all. She does not show the least bit of aggression to people.
Sarah Hodgson
9:25 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
You are right that that one incident prompted her leash-related reactivity. Kudos on the insightfulness. Molly sounds like an amazing dog! That said, she can't play this old record in her head every time she's on a leash. Use one of the conditioning collars mentioned in the comment below and teach her to look to you and walk next to you when out and about. This is a frustration I can solve in a single session: I'm here if you need me (or search out another training who can help you with this specific problem). If you can't solve it it will get worse as she ages. And really it is a simple quick fix.
joy
3:44 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Not aggression, but my adorable dog gets sassy with passerbys and cars sometimes. Most pass with ease and with no notice or a polite encounter, but even so often (every 10 humans that pass or so) she will pass them and, as soon as we go by, will turn around and lunge at them. No teeth showing, but she barks. I am usually between her and the people, so she never actually touches them. Never at dogs, sometimes at kids/elderly/grownups. But it freaks some people out, even if she is very sweet and never mouths anyone even. Bizarre, welcome to any ideas…
Sarah Hodgson
9:22 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Not so bizarre actually; I like most people I meet, but there is that 1-in -10 for me that just rub me the wrong way. Mind you I don't lunge or bark, but then again I'm not on leash. It's important that all dog learn to walk next to their people and routinely "reference" (i.e. look up to the person) when unpredicted or startling events occur. Her reaction is self directed and self-protective; in every case you want her to look to you for a read on the situation. Making personal recommendations without meeting her is not in anyones best interest, as what works for one dog can make their assertive reactions worse in another. Explore your different conditioning collar choices (no pull harness, or Gentle Leader) and continue keeping her behind you on a leash. For more tips check out WhenDogsTalk.com--if you plug aggression into the search bar you'll find more info. Next week my column will highlight just this type of situation. S
joy
9:43 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Thanks so very much!