Essential Dog Care Tips for Caring Owners in Dealing With Canine Aggression

Aggressive behavior tops the list of pet-related problems that dog owners have to face. Canine aggression can be a serious problem, indeed. Amongst dogs, this behavior is just another means of communicating intention. However, in the presence of humans, these behaviors are largely unacceptable, especially if they are already becoming disruptive and affect the household and the community.

Although some dog breeds are by nature made of stronger, sterner stuff there are no conclusive reports showing evidence that one breed is more likely to present with aggressive behavior than all the others are. The likelihood of developing aggression depends mostly on the temperament of the individual dog and the environmental factors that influence its day-to-day activities.

The nature of canine aggression

There is no definitive solution for dog aggression simply because the behavior is very complex. As a communication tool, the wrong response from the dog's human companions could lead to physical harm. Aggression has different manifestations, including excessive barking, snarling, biting, snapping, and baring teeth. Animal behavior specialists have differing opinions with regard to canine aggression. Nevertheless, they agree that it is important to sort out the possible causes first in order for the behavior to be dealt with effectively.

Types of aggressive behavior amongst dogs

There are different types of aggression, and it is imperative for the members of the household to have a clear idea as to the motivation and intention behind the aggression.

One of the most common types is possessive or territorial aggression, which involves an attitude of defensiveness toward a specific property, location, or territory. Dogs that are usually walked around the neighborhood may consider the entire street its "territory." If there are other animals or people whom the dog thinks is invading its space, it becomes possessive and eventually aggressive and considers "others" as a threat. The same possessive aggression may manifest towards a specific toy or object that the dog feels attached toward.

A similar defensive response is behind another type of aggression. Although there are fundamental similarities between territorial aggression and aggression that is motivated by fear, the latter is mostly attached to the assumption of the animal that there are threats to its well-being. In some dogs, this reaction is elicited by the presence of other dogs, especially canines that are bigger or meaner-looking. Some harmless actions performed by humans may be perceived as potentially harmful by dogs. These may lead to fear-motivated aggression as well.

Another type of aggression is known amongst dog behavioralists as redirected aggression. The animal that is provoked may not respond directly to the source of the stimulus. Instead, it might redirect the aggressive response to another person or another object. In this regard, some dogs have a low threshold. These dogs are most likely to bite the hands that feed them.