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Why Do Dogs Act Aggressively? |
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Written by Graeme Hall "The Dogfather" - Call 01604 493007
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Dangerous Dogs?
Why do dogs – even nice dogs - act aggressively?
I wrote this article in 2009 after I'd been asked to speak on Heart FM and the BBC about dog attacks following the unfortunate death of a baby in South Wales as a result of an attack by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Jack Russell Terrier. Sadly since then I've been asked to comment in the media on other occasions about dog attacks, often on children. So here's is a little information about dogs acting aggressively, why they do it, and what can be done to stop it:
 To put things into perspective, deaths due to dog aggression or attack are thankfully very rare. There have been four since 2006. In contrast, during this time over twelve thousand people died on the roads. The subject is very emotive because children are usually involved. It is true that we should never leave dogs and small children unsupervised together. When they are excited, dogs don’t think, they react – and it can be very difficult even for a professional to predict quite how they will react. Faced with a small squeaky, funny smelling human, even the most mild-mannered dog will sometimes bite just to see what it is they are dealing with. Leaving small children and any dog alone is never worth the risk.
That’s not to say that children & dogs shouldn’t mix in the right circumstances when there’s an adult about. Quite the opposite, in fact: Both dogs and children gain a lot from the experience. Children learn about responsibility and dogs learn to socialise. It’s also possible to bring a new baby into the family, for example, and for the dog to learn the new pecking order. (I’d advise getting a little help from a professional here, ideally before baby arrives, because although it’s easy enough to do it’s also very important to get it right).
Even though fatal dog attacks are rare, attacks causing minor injuries to people and dog-on-dog attacks are relatively common. Reliable statistics for this are hard to come by, but you don’t need to walk far with a dog to find another which is raring up on the leash, or whose owner is avoiding you because he doesn’t trust his dog to say hello nicely. I bet you could name the ones in your neighbourhood – or perhaps you know that yours is actually the ‘other dog’..? The good news is that it doesn’t need to be this way. (Nor does it have to cost the earth to get good advice)
Aggression, in its various forms, is second only to “My dog takes me for a walk” in the list of reasons that clients around Northants ask for my help. And yet, amazing changes can be made: I recently went to see a lady with a male Doberman that lunged and snarled at any dog that came within a hundred yards of her. For this dog, it was a fear reaction – he was both fearful and aggressive at the same time - but with the right kind of leadership (and without using any harsh methods), we made a huge difference even in the first session. In a couple of hours he was walking within inches of a calm and balanced dog - a Rottweiler - without any reaction. It was the closest he’d been to another dog in five years – what a great result! There’s still work to do to rehabilitate him, but the change was astounding. Sometimes, though, it takes months of dedication, but it’s surely worth it to have a happy dog and for you to have your peaceful walk back.
Aggression is a complex subject. There are many reasons for it and almost as many ways to rehabilitate dogs that are suffering from it. I say ‘suffering’ because it’s not a normal state of mind for most dogs and they would be much happier if they were calmer – and so would everyone else!
Every year in the UK thousands of dogs are put to sleep because their problems have escalated to the heartbreaking point that their owners can no longer cope. They are the other victims of dog aggression. It’s such a shame because in the vast majority of cases, owners can make a huge difference if only someone shows them the right – and safe - way for their particular dog. I believe we owe it to our dogs to try everything in our power to help them.
One last point about aggression: It often starts in less dramatic ways, such as jumping up and barking, or fearful reactions, and then progresses into something much more intense because we inadvertently reward the wrong behaviour. If you’re having these kinds of problems, it’s worth seeking out a little help now before it gets worse.
Although it is possible to turn around even extreme cases successfully, very often it’s just a case of a ‘stitch in time’ as over-excitement, dominance, stubbornness or even fear reactions can gradually become aggressive tendencies. Prevention, as the old saying goes, is always better than cure.
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I’m Graeme Hall MGoDT, The Dogfather,
independent professional dog trainer and dog behaviour expert based in
Northamptonshire, covering the UK. I'm a Master Dog Trainer with the Guild Of Dog Trainers. I
can come to you wherever you are – and
wherever there is a dog behaviour problem to fix or perhaps dog advice
or
dog help needed. Contact me here
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