Aggressive dog behavior
Aggressive dog attacks, whether against people or other dogs, can be one of the worst problems with owning a dog. Dog aggression is a common behavior and comes from the fact that the dog is a pack animal and its normal instinct is to compete, from birth.
You have to compete for food (even from the first days you breastfeed the mother), you have to compete for status and respect. When the dog joins a human family, it still regards it as a pack and will try to establish its position in that hierarchy. If the dog is allowed, or even encouraged to believe that he is the Alpha Dog, then you have Problems!
In most cases, this is the fault of the owner, especially if the dog is acquired as a puppy. A puppy cannot dominate its owner or the house, only if dangerous and aggressive behavior is tolerated or even encouraged during adolescence, aggression in the adult dog is ended. Your dog should respect you, trust you, and love you, in that order!
Reasons for the dog’s aggression.
It is very important to understand that there are several different reasons for dog aggression. It can be difficult to determine what the real reason is. One of the most misunderstood is aggression out of fear or anxiety. The dog does not seek trouble, it feels that it is defending itself from some perceived threat or danger.
The dog may be exhibiting territorial aggression. This is more common in certain breeds, which have been bred as guard dogs or herding dogs for centuries and have a strong genetic instinct to protect their territory and family.
Mistreatment or abuse by previous owners may be a factor in the case of an adult dog, adopted from a Rescue Center. These dogs need a careful balance between kindness and discipline. You should definitely be the alpha dog in this situation (as in any other situation).
When a normally calm dog suddenly becomes aggressive, this may be due to a painful ailment or medical condition and the dog is nervous from increased pain if handled or disturbed. Veterinary advice is essential if pain or illness is suspected to be the cause of the unusual and dangerous behavior.
Overly aggressive dog breeds.
The topic of the most aggressive dog breeds causes a lot of controversy and noisy debate. Owners of Rottweilers, Dobermans, Pit Bull Terriers, and German Shepherds jump to the defense of their pets, emphasizing how affectionate, dependable, and trustworthy they are. When properly trained, socialized, and integrated with family, friends, and other dogs, this is usually true. However, these breeds have been bred and used for many years for the express purpose of safeguarding and protecting property, family, and livestock. This strong protective instinct is in your genes and is therefore more likely to result in aggressive behavior.
These breeds suffer from two more disadvantages with respect to their reputation for aggression towards people and other dogs. Because of the jobs they were originally bred for, they are large, strong, and athletic dogs, so when attacks do occur, the damage they inflict is severe. These dogs kill more young children than all other breeds combined. Public perception being what it is, people often give the wrong signals to these races, and their body language shows signs of fear and submission.
It is important to note that dogs that display aggressive behavior towards dogs do not necessarily display aggressive behavior towards humans. The two types of aggression are not necessarily related and do not always occur in the same animal.
Food aggression
Remember the wolf pack in nature. The alpha male and female get the first portions and the rest of the pack compete for what they can get. It is ingrained in the nature of the dog that he has to protect his food and show a certain amount of aggression, otherwise he will starve.
Even in the normal domestic situation, food is important to your dog. Mealtime is one of the highlights of your day. This is a double-edged situation. It is your ideal opportunity to show your dog who The Boss is. You can’t use a can opener, you can’t operate the microwave, you can’t take out a bowl of water. He is totally dependent on you for his food (and all other necessities).
At mealtime, insist that he sit or lie down a few feet away. If it doesn’t, save the food and leave it. It won’t take long to get the message: food comes, only when you sit down and wait for it. Ideally, this routine should be practiced when the dog is a puppy, so it will be normal behavior when he grows up. If your dog is already adult and aggressive, then there are more reasons to implement this control method.