understanding aggression in dogs

Understanding Aggression in DogsRalf Weber, CDT IACP

• How Dogs Become Aggressive• 17 Types of Aggression in Dogs• How to Resolve Aggression (in general)• Q&A

How Dogs Become Aggressive

The two most common causes of aggression in dogs are poor pack structure, which can lead to dominance aggression.

And second, aggression based in the fight/flight response of the defensive drive, which leads to fear aggression.

17 Types of Aggression in Dogs

1. Dominance aggression2. Fear aggression3. Possessive aggression4. Territorial aggression5. Predatory aggression6. Play aggression7. Inter-male aggression8. Inter-female aggression9. Animal aggression

10.Pain-elicited aggression11.Punishment aggression12.Redirected aggression13.Maternal aggression14.Medical aggression15.Displaced aggression16.Genetic aggression17.Defensive aggression (aka fight

drive)

Dominance Aggression

Dogs are pack-oriented animals that see themselves in relationship to others—a hierarchy.

A dog has no other way of relating to his family pack. The requirement for rank and order are a matter of survival and anchored in the pack drive.

A dog who views itself as higher-ranking than some or all family members can act aggressively to assert its position when things don’t go its way. This is referred to as poor pack structure.

A dog should never be allowed to rank above a human.

Dominance Aggression cont.Dominance can form in several ways:

• Genetic predisposition for dominance at birth.

• Adding or removing dogs to or from a home, require the adult family pack to re-establish the hierarchy.

• A dog that only respects one family member can create a false sense of safely in their presence.

• Moving with dogs requires them to re-establish the pack hierarchy at the new location.

Dominance Aggression cont.Dominance aggression is mostly caused by poor pack structure.

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Correction-centered counter-conditioning approach

Fear AggressionFear-based aggression is the most common form of aggression. It is based in the fight or flight response of the defensive drive.Characteristics:• Weak nerves• Can’t handle stress• Dog learned that aggression is the best defense• Aggression escalates if successful• Dog is emboldened each time

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure to make the dog feel safe• Balanced counter-conditioning approach

Possessive AggressionSimilar to dominance aggression but more focused on objects or locations. I.e. food bowls, toys, furniture, beds, or crates.

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Correction-centered counter-conditioning approach (negative punishment)

Characteristics:• Object guarding• Dog growls and shows teeth when approached while guarding• Dog bites when trying to claim objects from it.

Territorial AggressionUsually observed with dominant dogs or dogs with fear-based aggression.

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Counter-conditioning approach depends on root cause

Characteristics:• Strong pack drive• Unfamiliar people or animals are not welcome in the pack.• Responds to intrusion with aggression• Dogs consider every area they regularly pass through their territory—not just

the home or yard

Predatory AggressionCommonly directed towards smaller animals or small children and babies in motion.

Characteristics:• High prey drive• Genetic predisposition to chase and bite things that move quickly

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Balanced counter-conditioning approach

Play AggressionPart of dominance aggression. Play can escalate, become too rough and turn into aggression.

Characteristics:• Never play tug games with a play aggressive dog unless you can control it

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure

Inter-Male AggressionPart of dominance aggression and directed towards other male dogs.

Characteristics:• Such dogs are often comfortable with female dogs. • Neutering can help but only leads to noticeable improvements about 40% of

the time.

Resolution Approach:• Neutering between 6 and 8 months—before the dog reaches sexual maturity.• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Correction-centered counter-conditioning approach

Inter-Female AggressionPart of dominance aggression and directed towards other female dogs. Considered the worst kind of dog aggression.

Characteristics:• Significantly higher levels of brutality and determination than with inter-male

aggression.• Such dogs are usually comfortable with male dogs.• Often triggered by hormones when one of the females enters the heat cycle.• Spaying can make the aggression issues more severe.

Resolution Approach:• Spaying between 6 and 8 months—before the dog reaches sexual maturity.• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure• Correction-centered counter-conditioning approach

Animal AggressionSuch dogs get along with other members of their own species—male and female—but attack other animals.

Characteristics:• Attack non-canine animals like chickens, cats, horses, cattle and so forth.


Pain-elicited AggressionDogs in pain can show aggression upon touch by the owner or a veterinarian.

Characteristics:• Preventable by building strong trust and respect.• Can also occur through improper use of remote collars by inexperienced

handlers.

Resolution Approach:• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure

Punishment-elicited AggressionDogs with serious dominance problems can bite their handler when receiving strong corrections during training.

Characteristics:• Tends to occur only with hard temperament dogs—i.e. police dog candidates


Redirected AggressionOccurs when a dog is highly excited by an external stimulus and the handler or another dog gets to close.

Characteristics:• High-energy and excitement• The bite is a reflex


Maternal AggressionMaternal aggression is observed in female dogs protecting their puppies.

Characteristics:• Some female dogs become highly aggressive after a litter is born and attack

anyone coming near the puppies• Tends to resolves itself within one week and disappears completely once the

puppies are weaned from the mother.

Resolution Approach:• n/a – just be patient• Somewhat preventable by a good pack structure, trust and respect

Medical AggressionSome aggression has medical issues. I.e. thyroid malfunction, brain tumors and some auto immune disease medication.Characteristics:• Sudden onset of unexplainable aggression without any changes in the dogs

lifestyle.• NO build-up of aggressive behaviors over time.

Resolution Approach:• Medical treatment

Displaced AggressionCan occur in under-exercised or under-stimulated dogs

Characteristics:• Random attacks on other dogs, people or objects.• Can be triggered by loud noises or surprises

Resolution Approach:• Provide sufficient exercise and mental stimulation• Strong leadership and proper pack-structure

Genetic AggressionSome people believe certain breeds are genetically programmed to be aggressive. There is NO evidence for this belief.

Characteristics:• However, within a breed, certain families of dogs can genetically be predisposed

to be dominant or aggressive.

Resolution Approach:• Problems preventable with strong leadership and proper pack-structure

Defensive Aggression (aka fight drive)

• View a human opponent as a challenge to be defeated.• Don’t fear humans in any way and attack when

challenged.• Losing against a human is not something such dogs think

is possible.• Not territorially restricted. Will fight a human anywhere.• Only present in mature dogs with the right temperament

and training.• This is a trained behavior and doesn’t occur with family

pets.

These are characteristics of a good police service dog.

How To Resolve Aggression in Dogs• Establish proper pack structure—people first. This is

accomplished by controlling a dogs environment and life to 100% with crates and leashes for a period of time (usually 3-4 months).

• Teach dog leadership skills. Dog owners must become pack leaders.

• Counter-condition adopted behaviors to break the automatic fight response.

Q & A

Any questions?

Contact Information for Ralf Weber:Web: HappyDogTraining.info

Email: [email protected]

Office: (951) 444-8640

understanding aggression in dogs

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