What do you do with an Aggressive Dog?

Aggression in a dog is defined as a dog that has bitten or injured a human or another animal; it is a dog that growls, bares teeth, lunges or snaps at a person or another animal. This is a dog that is intent upon causing harm and will do so usually before you have time to react. It is therefore important that the pet owner understand that an attack is an attack; that aggression is aggression. An aggressive dog does not need an owner who makes excuses for this type of behavior.

Aggression in dogs manifests in several ways. With a defensive aggressive dog, the dog is anxious or fearful and will growl because it is unsure about the situation. If the dog becomes too fearful, or if the stimulus is perceived by the dog as imminently threatening, the dog will attack. The visual clues here would be a dog who crouches low and tucks his tail with ears pulled back against the head and raised hackles. There will be a wrinkled nose with slightly curled lips that expose teeth to communicate that the dog is about to attack.

Some dogs will simply get very still and quiet. They will become extremely focused on whatever is the stimulus and will make direct and constant eye contact. There may or may not be growling low in the throat prior to the attack. This behavior usually occurs in a dominant aggressive dog.

Oct 2, 2010 11:30 pm US/Central

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) %u2015

A Golden Valley woman's face will never look the same after she was violently attacked by her neighbor's dog.

She hopes her story will help others stay safe from dangerous dogs.

"You feel like they are a member of your family. They are still an animal and we need to keep that in our minds," said Charmaine Schodde.

A German Shepherd mauled her face Wednesday.

"When the dog came at me, I went down on the ground and I grabbed my face. I felt like my face was gone," said Schodde.

Schodde said it all happened so fast.

"All I was doing was just standing there, and the dog lunged out and attacked me," Schodde said.

Max, a 3-year-old German Shepherd she's known since he was a puppy, attacked her. His teeth ripped her lips out of place.

Schodde said she does not fault Max for attacking her.

"It breaks my heart when you hear of animals being put down because it's really not the animal's fault. It's our faults as humans for taking them in and not raising and training the animals appropriately," said Schodde.

Schodde believes lawmakers should create some sort of policy where people who want to own animals known to bite should be required to train and discipline them.

"I'm concerned that there are so many of these dogs, that so many are being bred and so many are being brought into these homes and we're treating them like they are just a dog, but they're not just a dog, they are an animal and they are a dangerous animal," she said.

Her biggest concern is the fact that Max is back home with his owner and three foster children.

"It upset me because after what happened, and there are three children in that house, and I just don't believe that it's safe for the children with Max right now," said Schodde.

Max is under quarantine inside his owner's home.

The dog's owner must follow certain stipulations, but there is no word on what, if anything, will happen with Max.

Schodde does not want to see the dog put down, but she wants its owner to be required to train the dog so that it doesn't bite again.

All dogs can be trained, but aggressive dogs are the biggest challenge and will require the most time and energy to get positive results. Any aggression in a dog should automatically be followed by a trip to the vet to rule out pain as a cause. The next thing is to try to identify what is really causing the aggressive behavior. Is the dog bored, or is it anxious, or is it trying to defend itself from real or imagined threat? Does the dog lack confidence? Does the dog startle easily?
Knowing where the aggression is coming from will go a long way to helping curb the behavior. If you can eliminate the source, there will be no need to display aggression.

Training is essential. Safety and management of the dog and the environment is necessary. There are many training programs that an aggressive dog can go through to learn appropriate behavior, but they all will require both time and money. There is no quick fix when it comes to aggressive dogs. They did not become aggressive overnight and will not stop being aggressive overnight. In the training process, the owner will be learning how to build the type of relationship with the dog that will promote security for the dog. The owner needs to establish dominance which will then allow the dog to display submission. The dog will be learning ways to manage its aggressive behaviors that are more socially acceptable manner.

As for trusting the dog, there must never be a "break" from the rules, or he may lapse back into aggressive behavior. Once aggression has been displayed, the dog must be managed with firm reinforcement--both positive and negative. Never use physical aggression, or hit the dog, but firm touch and strong tone of voice will give the dog direction. Appropriate use of praise will go far in changing the dog's behavior, as all dogs want to please. An aggressive dog must never be allowed to think it could ever be the alpha dog.

Your dog is always learning. The problem is, without your intervention, your dog will learn, but probably not what you want it to. Another problem is that dogs communicate very differently to us humans, so very frequently you are actually communicating the opposite of what you think you are telling your dog.

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Thanks to Secrets to Dog Training's powerful insider information, over 67,131 dog owners worldwide have been successful with their dog training, and solved their dog's behavior problems.
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These are just a few of the many wonderful books available to help you understand and deal with your dog and any aggression problems that may present themselves. As you will readily see, there are many ways to deal with dog behaviors. Surely one of these will work for you and your dog.

Causes Of Dog Aggression.

Generally gentle dogs are forced to be aggressive by specific circumstnces. Being familiar with what triggers dog aggression helps you deal with it effectively. Read on for factors that unleash a dog's aggressive tendencies:

1. Pain. This does not require an extensive discussion. Pain makes you to want to make it stop. No matter how mild, pain can trigger a dog's aggressive nature. It's amost like a reflex action; you want to take away what causes the pain. In case your dog meets a car accident and you're groping him for fractures, he'll be likely to bite aggressviely if your fingers touch a sore spot.

2. Fear. Anything strange - people, places or things - causes fear-induced aggression in dogs. The need for self-preservation surfaces in the face of fear and makes an otherwise calm dog unleash his wild side. Dogs who exhibit unfounded aggression toward others, including people, lack appropriate social skills. They regard new things or animals as threats to themselves.

3. Territorial Instinct. Dogs are programmed to be fierce protectors of whatever they consider their own. Anything your dog considers his, he won't hesitate to attack to protect it against strangers. This is exactly what many look for in their dogs.

4. Dominance. This is the kind of aggression seen when dogs want to prove themselves better than the rest of the pack to establish themselves in the hierarchy. This is a very common display of aggression seen in dogs who want to be the pack leader . Sensing a leadership weakness, dogs instinctively vie to fill the role. They won't hesitate to resort to aggression to land the top position. For the cohesiveness of the pack and survival of the species, this is essential. Left on their own in the wild, dominance aggression is basically how dogs put order in their society.

Strategies To Keep Control.

By Understanding these triggers, are you not in a better position to deal with dog aggression?

When your dog is in obvious pain, make him feel more comfortable; he won't think about biting if you help him. You are the leader of the pack and everyone at home is of a higher rank in the pack hierarchy; you have to make sure your dog accepts that. Demonstrating this authority line early on ensures your dog obeys you and respects everyone in the family. If your dog's aggression is obviously borne of unfounded fear, help him resolve the fear.

Pain may be the easiest of the aggression causes to deal with. Socialization and leadership take care of fear and dominance aggression. The best step is to begin as soon as you bring your new pet home. When dealing with aggression in adult dogs, don't be unwilling to consult professionals.

To read more>>click here

Dog aggression is a serious problem. Every year thousands of people are injured or killed in a dog attack. Millions of dollars are spent annually on treatment for dog bites from aggressive dogs. This article will give you information on how to avoid being bitten and what to do if you are bitten.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, $317.2 million was issued in claims for dog bites and dog attacks in the year 2005. That is a lot of money, but more importantly, that is a lot of trauma and pain.

Dog attacks and bites that are reported occur about 4.5 million times a year per reports of the CDC. That is a staggering figure, but there are approximately 75 million dogs in the US as pets so the number becomes more believable.

Here are some ways to prevent being a statistic and what to do if you become one.

Who are the most likely victims of a dog attack or other form of dog aggression?

Children are the primary victims in dog attacks. Unfortunately, small children don't understand that all dogs are not friendly. They also don't understand that quick, unpredictable movements can cause a dog bite.

Adults also can be the victims of attacks when they forget those two facts also. However, we adults believe that we "can handle" dogs so we show less fear and can forget that dogs are animals and will act like an animal when frightened, hurt, afraid, or hungry.

Women make up a large percentage of the number of dog bites in adults. Women are smaller, more hesitant, and can be seen as vulnerable to an aggressive dog.

What to do if confronted by an aggressive dog:

1. First and foremost, in preventing an attack you must avoid contact with strange or unfamiliar animals. As I said before, not every dog is friendly and not every dog wants to be touched.

2. If a confrontation appears imminent, do not move or make any noise at all. Movement of any type can be perceived as threatening to a fearful dog and will cause an attack.

3. Avoid making eye contact with the aggressive dog. In the animal world, a direct stare is interpreted as a challenge and can provoke an attack.

4. If all of the above fails and the aggressive dog lunges at you, roll yourself into as tight a ball as possible making sure to cover your head, neck and face with your hands and arms. Tuck your chin into your chest to give more protection to the soft tissue at your throat.

5. Lie perfectly still, even if the dog is biting you. Stay tucked as tight as possible and remain as calm as you can. If you are in a public place, it is possible that help will arrive shortly. If you are in an isolated place, you want the dog to lose interest in you by being very still. Once it appears that the dog is satisfied that you are no longer a threat, it may move away on its own. Only when that occurs do you want to unfold and go for help.

What to do if you are bitten by an aggressive dog:

Always, in any skin break incident, get the wound as clean as possible. This doesn't mean you have to scrub the area, but you do need to have running water applied to the area for a lengthy period. The movement of the water will draw bacteria and particles out of the wound and leave it clean. If water is not available, wipe the area clear of debris and dirt, use whatever you have available to try to cleanse the wound.

Try to stop the bleeding quickly by applying a tourniquet if necessary.

Apply any first aid that is available--topical antibiotic ointment, bandages, etc.

Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Dog bites are serious and can be fatal.

Additional complications from dog bites:

There are several potential threats besides the actual wound itself. Once the skin is broken, the body's protective covering is infiltrated by all different types of organisims. These are all around us daily and cannot be avoided, however they are going to take advantage of a "way into" your body once the skin is torn.

A dog bite puts you at risk of both a Staph and a Strep infection. Both will require medical attention and intervention. Both organisms are dangerous and can cause permanent and serious problems.

Another issue to consider is the potential for tetanus to enter the bloodstream. We all forget about getting our shots on time as adults, and this is one shot you will want to get soon if you cannot remember when you last had one.

The final additional complication is the advent of rabies in an aggressive dog or animal. If the dog is not captured or identified, you will want to be treated for the possibility of acquiring rabies. Fortunately, the treatment has improved over the years and is not quite as traumatic as it once was.

Dog bites are not trivial incidents. Of the 4.5 million bites a year, 800,000 will require medical attention and approximately 31,000 will require reconstructive surgery. There are at least 12-20 dog bite deaths per year. So, don't take dog aggression lightly. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Unfortunately, children 10 and under are the most frequent victims of dog attacks, maulings and bites. There are several theories as to why this is. It could be that the dog sees children as lower in the pack than themselves and wants to make them mind. It may be that the dog cannot understand the frequent and often erratic movements of small children and interprets them as threatening. It really does not matter why. What is important to know is that any dog should be watched when interacting with small children. All dogs have the potential to bite or at least to snap at a child.

Other people can and do become victims of dog aggression. Any dog can become aggressive if backed into a corner and threatened. It is imperative that the dog not be made to feel that you present a threat, or you may be bitten.

There was a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Journal of Injury Prevention that tried to examine the question, "Why do dogs bite?" The study showed that underlying anxiety, pain and other behavioral or medical problems are usually what prompts a dog to bite. Common triggers, according to the study, were "guarding or resources and territory."
The study was not confined to any particular breed and showed the all dog breeds have the potential to bite.

Most importantly, remember that an aggressive dog is basically not a very happy dog.

Const. Pierre Schelling believes society's ignorance of dog behaviour is putting the lives of children at risk. The Edmundston City Police officer said people don't understand that although dogs may be part of their families, dogs are still animals and they all have the ability to bite - regardless of breed or size.
Const. Pierre Schelling believes society's ignorance of dog behaviour is putting the lives of children at risk.

The Edmundston City Police officer said people don't understand that although dogs may be part of their families, dogs are still animals and they all have the ability to bite - regardless of breed or size.

"Education is the key," he said. "And it's important to start when kids are young."

Const. Schelling, who is also an animal protection officer for the New Brunswick SPCA, has spent years working with dogs, studying dog behaviour, compiling information and putting together a Bite Prevention Program.

He testified recently at the inquest into the death of a Kingston Peninsula boy who was killed by three rottweilers.

Schelling's program can be adapted to any age and for any workplace, but his overall message is the same: "you have to respect animals."

To help get his message across, Const. Schelling has teamed up with Benny, a five-year-old German shepherd.

Although Benny loves to romp around with children, he can also demonstrate how powerful dogs can be. He's been trained to bite a padded sleeve under specific and well-controlled situations.

Benny has become a favourite on the lecture circuit and an important part of Const. Schelling's education program.

Const. Schelling has a host of other tools at his disposal as well. He has everything from a Power Point presentation to colouring books and a video.

For the youngest audience members, cartoons and simple messages work best. He doesn't try to explain dog behaviour to them, only the consequences.

The children learn that dogs can bite if they're teased, if they're playing rough with a human, if they're afraid, or if they're trying to get away from a tight hug.

Children are taught two simple lessons when they encounter an aggressive dog: stand like a tree or lie like a log.

Const. Schelling said the most important lesson is for parents of young children: never leave a child alone with a dog, regardless of a dog's past behaviour, breed, or size. Even furry little lap dogs have killed young children, according to a 30-year study of dog attacks in the United States.

"We don't let our kids play with guns. We shouldn't let our kids play alone with dogs," said Const. Schelling.

Obviously, he said, the larger the dog, the more damaging a bite can be. He said it takes four pounds per square inch (ppsi) to break a finger and roughly 400 ppsi to break an arm bone.

A Labrador retriever's jaw is capable of 400 to 500 ppsi, a rottweiler is capable of 1,700-1,800 ppsi, and a pit bull of 2,400-2,500 ppsi.

For older audiences, Const. Schelling shows exactly what a pit bull's jaws are capable of doing. His Power Point presentation contains picture [...]

This article can be downloaded as a pdf for your private use. To obtain a copy please visit this link:Humane Society Website

Aggression

A dog's bark may be worse than his bite, but most of us would rather not find out one way or the other. Growling, baring teeth, snarling, snapping, and biting are all aggressive behaviors-but dog aggression includes any behavior meant to intimidate or harm a person or another animal. Although these messages are among the handful of communication tools available to dogs, they're generally unacceptable to humans. Because humans and dogs have different communication systems, misunderstandings can occur between the two species.

But from a dog's perspective, there's always a reason for aggressive behavior. A person may intend to be friendly, but a dog may perceive that person's behavior as threatening or intimidating. Dogs aren't being schizophrenic, psychotic, crazy, or necessarily "vicious" when displaying aggressive behavior.

Because aggression is so complex, and because the potential consequences are so serious, we recommend that you get professional in-home help from an animal behavior specialist if your dog is displaying aggressive behavior.

Types of Aggression

Dominance Aggression: Dominance aggression is motivated by a challenge to a dog's social status or to his control of a social interaction. Dogs are social animals and view their human families as their social group or "pack." Based on the outcomes of social challenges among group members, a dominance hierarchy or "pecking order" is established.

If your dog perceives his own ranking in the hierarchy to be higher than yours, he'll probably challenge you in certain situations. Because people don't always understand canine communication, you may inadvertently challenge your dog's social position. A dominantly aggressive dog may growl if he is disturbed when resting or sleeping or if he is asked to give up a favorite spot, such as the couch or the bed. Physical restraint, even when done in a friendly manner (like hugging), may also cause your dog to respond aggressively. Reaching for your dog's collar, or reaching over his head to pet him, could also be interpreted as a challenge for dominance. Dominantly aggressive dogs are often described as "Jekyll and Hydes" because they can be very friendly when not challenged. Dominance aggression may be directed at people or at other animals. The most common reason for fights among dogs in the same family is instability in the dominance hierarchy.

Fear-Motivated Aggression: Fear-motivated aggression is a defensive reaction and occurs when a dog believes he is in danger of being harmed. Remember that it's your dog's perception of the situation, not your actual intent, which determines your dog's response. For example, you may raise your arm to throw a ball, but your dog may bite you because he believes he's protecting himself from being hit. A dog may also be fearfully aggressive when approached by other dogs.

Protective, Territorial, and Possessive Aggression: Protective, territorial, and possessive aggression are all very similar, and involve the defense of valuable resources. Territorial aggression is usually associated with defense of property, and that "territory" may extend well past the boundaries of your yard. For example, if you regularly walk your dog around the neighborhood and allow him to urine-mark, he may think his territory includes the entire block. Protective aggression usually refers to aggression directed toward people or animals whom a dog perceives as threats to his family, or pack. Dogs become possessively aggressive when defending their food, toys, or other valued objects, including items as peculiar as tissues stolen from the trash.

Redirected Aggression: This is a relatively common type of aggression but one that is often misunderstood by pet owners. If a dog is somehow provoked by a person or animal he is unable to attack, he may redirect this aggression onto someone else. For example, two family dogs may become excited, and bark and growl in response to another dog passing through the front yard; or two dogs confined behind a fence may turn and attack each other because they can't attack an intruder. Predation is usually considered to be a unique kind of aggressive behavior because it's motivated by the intent to obtain food, and not primarily by the intent to harm or intimidate.

Individual Variation

The likelihood of a dog to show aggressive behavior in any particular situation varies markedly from dog to dog. Some dogs tend to respond aggressively with very little stimulation. Others may be subjected to all kinds of threatening stimuli and events and yet never attempt to bite.

The difference in the threshold prompting aggressive behavior is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. If this threshold is low, a dog will be more likely to bite. Raising the threshold makes a dog less likely to respond aggressively. This threshold can be raised using behavior modification techniques, but the potential for change is influenced by a dog's gender, age, breed, general temperament, and the way in which the behavior modification techniques are chosen and implemented.

Because working with aggressive dogs can be potentially dangerous, behavior modification techniques should only be attempted by, or under the guidance of, an experienced animal behavior professional who understands animal learning theory and behavior.

What You Can Do:

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First, check with your veterinarian to rule out medical causes for the aggressive behavior.
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Seek professional advice. An aggression problem will not go away by itself. Working with aggression problems requires in-home help from an animal behavior specialist.
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Take precautions. Your first priority is to keep people and other animals safe. Supervise, confine, and/or restrict your dog's activities until you can obtain professional guidance. You are liable for your dog's behavior. If you must take your dog out in public, consider a cage-type muzzle as a temporary precaution, and remember that some dogs are clever enough to get a muzzle off.
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Avoid exposing your dog to situations where he is more likely to show aggression. You may need to keep him confined to a safe room and limit his contact with people.
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If your dog is possessive of toys or treats, or territorial in certain locations, prevent access and you'll prevent the problem. In an emergency, bribe him with something better than what he has. For example, if he steals your shoe, trade him the shoe for a piece of chicken.
*

Spay or neuter your dog. Intact dogs are more likely to display dominance, territorial, and protective aggressive behavior.

What NOT to Do:

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Punishment won't help and, in fact, will often make the problem worse. If the aggression is motivated by fear, punishment will make your dog more fearful, and therefore more aggressive. Attempting to punish or dominate a dominantly aggressive dog may actually lead him to escalate his behavior to retain his dominant position. This is likely to result in a bite or a severe attack. Punishing territorial, possessive, or protective aggression is likely to elicit additional defensive aggression.

© 2002. Adapted from material originally developed by applied animal behaviorists at the Dumb Friends League, Denver, Colorado. All rights reserved.

ScienceDaily (May 1, 2009) - Many dogs are put down or abandoned due to their violent nature, but contrary to popular belief, breed has little to do with a dog's aggressive behaviour compared to all the owner-dependant factors. This is shown in a new study from the University of Córdoba, which includes breeds that are considered aggressive by nature, such as the Rottweiler or the Pit Bull.

The conclusions, however, are surprising: it is the owners who are primarily responsible for attacks due to dominance or competition of their pets.

The research team from the University of Córdoba (UCO) has determined a series of external factors which are inherent to the dogs in order to understand their aggressiveness, and they have observed that external, modifiable and owner-dependent factors have a greater influence on the animals.

According to Joaquín Pérez-Guisado, the main author of the study and a researcher from the UCO, some of the factors that cause aggressiveness in dogs are: first-time dog ownership; failure to subject the dog to basic obedience training; spoiling or pampering the dog; not using physical punishment when it is required; buying a dog as a present, as a guard dog or on impulse; spaying female dogs; leaving the dog with a constant supply of food, or spending very little time with the dog in general and on its walks.

"Failure to observe all of these modifiable factors will encourage this type of aggressiveness and would conform to what we would colloquially call 'giving our dog a bad education'", Pérez-Guisado explains to SINC.

The study, which has recently been published in the Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, is based on the following fact: approximately 40% of dominance aggression in dogs is associated with a lack of authority on the part of the owners who have never performed basic obedience training with their pets or who have only carried out the bare minimum of training.

Breed has less influence on aggressiveness

The Spanish researchers studied 711 dogs (354 males and 357 females) of which 594 were purebred and 117 were half-breed dogs older than one year of age. Among the breeds observed were the Bull Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Alsatian, the Boxer, the Rottweiler, the Doberman, as well as apparently more docile breeds such as the Dalmatian, the Irish Setter, the Golden Retriever, the Labrador Retriever, the Miniature Poodle, the Chihuahua, the Pekinese, or the French Bulldog, which also exhibit dominant behaviour.

According to Pérez-Guisado, certain breeds, male sex, a small size, or an age of between 5-7 years old are "the dog-dependent factors associated with greater dominance aggression". Nevertheless, these factors have "minimal effect" on whether the dog behaves aggressively. Factors linked to the owner's actions are more influential.

To correct the animal's behaviour, the owner should handle it appropriately and "re-establish dominance over the dog", the researcher adds. In terms of physical punishment, Pérez-Guisado points out that "this method cannot be used with all dogs given the danger involved, although it could be used to re-establish dominance over puppies or small and easy-to-control dogs". However, "it should never be used as justification for treating a dog brutally, since physical punishment should be used more as a way to frighten and demonstrate the dominance we have over the dog than to inflict great suffering on the animal", the vet states.

According to the researcher, "dogs that are trained properly do not normally retain aggressive dominance behaviour". Pérez-Guisado attributes this "exceptional" conduct to the existence of some medical or organic problem, "which can cause changes in the dog's behaviour".

Journal reference:

1. Pérez-Guisado, Joaquín; Muñoz-Serrano, Andrés. Factors Linked to Dominance Aggression in Dogs. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2009; 8 (2): 336-342 [link]

Adapted from materials provided by Plataforma SINC.

December 1st, 2009 by Stephanie

junam.JPGWhenever there's a debate over whether an "aggressive" dog could, or should, be "saved," such as the recent case with a certain cookie-named dog, I always wonder how much people actually understand dog aggression. Based on the number of arguments along the line of "I rescued an abused dog once that just needed to learn to trust people," I'm guessing the average knowledge library on this issue has some seriously empty shelves.

Aggressive dogs aren't just distraught children who need a hug. Dogs are faster, stronger, and have much sharper teeth than humans. A dog bite is not the same as your puppy nipping you in play. It's painful and can do serious damage. Despite all the things that are wrong with way the media reports dog bites, the potential damage is not a lie and is not unique to just that one dog. I wonder how much people really realize this when they're so quick to want to release a dog deemed aggressive into society. I wonder if they've ever met a truly aggressive dog. Maybe some have, but I'd bet many haven't (which is a good thing because if aggression was that common, we'd have a problematic relationship with our best friend).

Aggression is a deviant behavior, meaning it's outside the normal reaction you'd expect. That doesn't mean all types of aggression can't be managed or that you have a "bad" dog (for instance, aggression toward other dogs*), or that aggressive dogs don't deserve a chance. But the difference between certain types of "regular" dog behavior and aggressive behavior is an important distinction because a lot of people assume they've witnessed aggression when they haven't. So, your neighbor's dog barking as you walk by the fence isn't necessarily aggression - it's a dog telling you it's protecting its territory. Now, if the dog was actually trying to bite you through the fence or was redirecting on whoever else was in the yard, that might be another story. A growl is not a sign of aggression - it's one of the few ways that a dog has to express its displeasure. Can it be a sign of aggression? Absolutely. Growling needs to be taken seriously because it certainly can lead to a bite. But, in and of itself, it doesn't mean the dog is aggressive, just that it's unhappy at the moment and you need to pay attention to that.

Most aggression does stem from fear at one level or another, but even then, that doesn't mean it can always be fixed. There are some fears that are so deep and so pervasive, they just can't be taken away. (Fear in dogs, that's another thing that seems to be woefully underestimated. Even without the aggression piece, fearful dogs - and I'm not talking about the ones who tremble in the bathroom during thunderstorms or run away from the vacuum cleaner - are a work in progress for their entire lives.) It's not wise to assume that all aggression is fear-based; there are some dogs who are clearly just not wired right. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're inherently mean or it's somehow their fault, but sooner or later someone will get hurt. There are humans that fall into this category, too. They're called serial killers, and no amount of "showing a little love" and "teaching them to trust people" will change that. Luckily, that's not the norm in the human or the dog world, but denying that it's a reality is dangerous.

Aggression comes in many colors from resource guarding (i.e. biting the hand that feeds) to aggressive behavior toward a certain group (such as dogs/cats/bald men). Sometimes you can predict what situations will get a certain dog riled up, and you can even guess why. That's helpful in overcoming the behavior. But sometimes you can't find rhyme or reason, and sometimes you know why the behavior exists, but there's nothing you can do to change it. That's why one experience of working with one dog who was a little untrusting is not enough to judge what can or can't help another dog.

I've worked with several different types of aggression cases (many of you know who is who in the picture%u2026and why that's the perfect one for this post). Even after several success stories, I learned the hard way - with a broken window, a bitten leg, and the hardest decision of my life - that they can't all be saved. Rehabilitation is about a whole lot more than time and love. The stronger the aggression, the more that's going to be true. It takes controlling the dog's surroudings and interactions so that they have the right kind of experience. It's about understanding that every move you make in the presence of your dog is sending a message, which could be one of leadership and trustworthiness%u2026or not. It's about keeping your dog safe from stress and keeping everyone else in the world safe from your dog. And much, much more.

*Obviously dog aggression could be its own post. I want to stress that dog aggression doesn't mean your dog is bad or is automatically dangerous around humans. It doesn't mean there's something "wrong" with your dog, but it is something that needs to be properly worked with and managed for the dog's entire life.

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