Kim Campbell Thornton - Aggression: Aggression

Nick Clemente, Special Consultant

Karla Austin, Director of Operations and Product Development

Ruth Strother, Editor-at-Large

Michelle Martinez, Editor

Michael Vincent Capozzi, Designer

Copyright 2003 by I-5 Press

Illustrations copyright 2003 by Buck Jones

The dogs in this book are referred to as he and she in alternating chapters.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

The Library of Congress has cataloged an earlier printing as follows:

Thornton, Kim Campbell.

Simple solutions : aggression / by Kim Campbell Thornton ;

illustrations by Buck Jones.

p. cm.

ISBN-10: 1-889540-83-8 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN-13: 978-1-889540-83-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)

eISBN-13: 978-1-620080-63-4

1. Dogs--Behavior. 2. Dogs--Training. I. Title.

SF433.T54 2003

636.7'0887--dc21

2003004491

I-5 Press

A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC

3 Burroughs

Irvine, California 92618

Printed and Bound in Singapore

10 09 08 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Contents

Aggression

Aggression is the most common problem canine behaviorists see. Why is it so common? The reason is simple: aggression is a normal behavior for dogs. One of the many ways dogs communicate is through actions, including threats and attacks, directed toward people or other animals. Problems with aggression occur when theres miscommunication between people and dogsnot surprising, since we dont speak the same language.

Can any dog be aggressive? Yes, from toy breeds to terriers, any dog has the potential for aggression. But like it or not, some breeds are more likely than others to have aggressive tendencies. Terriers, for instance, have all been bred for aggression toward small, furry prey animals such as moles, badgers, and rats. When the terriers natural prey is unavailable, this aggressive tendency can easily be turned toward cats or pocket pets such as hamsters and gerbils. Dogs who are bred to guard property or livestock have a genetic tendency toward aggression. Its a normal part of being a guard dog. Because theres genetic variability within each breed, some dogs within a breed can have a higher genetic tendency to be aggressive than others of the same breed. Because aggression is heritable, dogs who show inappropriate aggressive behavior should be spayed or neutered so they dont pass on the tendency to their offspring.

Even though aggression is a normal behavior for dogs, it doesnt mean it should be permitted. Dogs live in a human environment, and they need to learn to behave properly in that setting. Its important to understand that a dogs perceptions influence his aggressive behavior, but its also important for dogs to be able to adjust to their living situation. In the following chapters, well see how to identify aggression, recognize and prevent different types of aggression, and seek solutions to aggression problems.

What Does Aggression Look Like?

Some people bring their dog to a behaviorist for being aggressive when the dogs merely jumping up on people. Jumping up is bad manners, but its not necessarily an aggressive behavior unless the behavior is accompanied by another physical sign. An aggressive dog gives threat signals by curling her lips, baring her teeth, growling, barking threateningly, snapping, or biting. These behaviors can be directed toward people or other animals. When a dog is jumping up on someone and displaying one or more of these signals, then you have an aggressive dog.

Canine body language isnt always clear. For instance, dogs often bare their teeth in a smile or growl in play. How can you tell the difference between playing and aggressive posturing? Look at the dogs body language. If the dogs lip retracts upward (vertically) and her body is stiff and quivering, watch out! If the lip retracts horizontally and the dogs tail is wagging, its generally a friendly smile.

The same is true of play growls. A puppy who lifts her lip and growls while staring at you isnt showing any intent to play. On the other hand, if shes in a play bow (rear up in the air, tail wagging, head down, smiling up at you) with a happy face, you can be reasonably sure the pup is inviting you to join in on a game. Playful growls or excited barking often accompany the play bow. Once you learn how to watch dogs, you can see a clear difference between play and aggression with intent to harm. Think of it this way: if the behavior makes you want to back away from the dogits aggression.

Bully Boy or Fearful Fido?

Aggression can be placed in three broad categories: aggression toward owners, aggression toward strangers, and aggression toward other animals. Each has a variety of potential causes, although when you get right down to it, the main motivation for all is some form of fear.

Dogs may be aggressive toward their people because they dont understand their place in the family pack or theyre afraid a new family member such as a baby or a new spouse threatens their place in the pack. This is often called dominance aggression, although some behaviorists are moving away from that term. Instead, they refer to it as conflict aggression because many dogs who are described as dominant also show fear. When we use the term dominant, it makes us more likely to punish a dog, which is counterproductive.

A dog with conflict aggression often hasnt learned that you and other family members are in charge and therefore tries to claim the role of leader of the pack. He might growl if asked to move off the furniture or if any attempt is made to restrain him. This dog doesnt like having his head patted because he views it as an aggressive move. You should suspect this type of aggression if your dog displays body language such as standing tall and staring at you or snarling. Other signs of conflict aggression include guarding food or favorite toys; snarling or snapping when told no! or when being handled for any reason; and being overprotective of a particular family member. Conflict aggression usually appears during adolescence and young adulthood, which ranges from one to three years of age.

Other dogs may show aggression toward their owners because theyre afraid or they associate the owner with a frightening experienceone the owner might not even be aware of. A fearful dog is often this way because he wasnt socialized properly as a puppy. Its easy to tell if a dog is fearful by reading his body language. Fearful dogs slink, crouch, shake, or cower. Dont be fooled by this behavior! If you reach for a dog and he feels cornered, he may bite. Punishment for this behavior can make a dog become even more fearful, continuing the cycle of aggression.