Dog Service Network, LLC » Aggression

Dog Behavior Specialist Warns of Increase in Dog Bites

Dog Service Network — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:56:08 +0000

Karen Arnoff, Cleveland, Ohio’s premier dog behavior specialist and expert witness and investigator with dog related legal issues warns that now is the time to watch out for unforeseen dog aggression.

Solon, OH (PRWEB) June 6, 2010 — Karen Arnoff, Cleveland, Ohio’s premier dog behavior specialist and expert witness and investigator with dog related legal issues warns that now is the time to watch out for unforeseen dog aggression. “I see more dog bite and other dog aggression cases in the spring and summer than at any other time of year,” says Ms. Arnoff. “And, it makes sense, she says, “if you look at it from the dog’s point of view.” Some of the contributing factors she identifies are:

Puppies adopted during the cold winter season may not get socialized to all the stimuli found outside during the summer. They are likely to view playful children, joggers, speeding bikers and moving trucks as prey. In addition, dogs that have not been properly socialized may exhibit not only predatory aggression but defensive aggression as well.
In the spring and summer, fall/winter puppies start to reach puberty. With puberty comes territorial marking by them and other dogs. That invisible communication (that is like a neon light to dogs) can be the start of dog fights in the neighborhood.
Also, with puberty comes more protective and pack aggression in general.
In hotter weather, dogs may become irritable and react aggressively, even to stimuli they previously tolerated. (Children running, noise, etc.).

Dog owners need to know that their dogs’ behaviors are dynamic. And, as their dogs change physically and socially and react to their ever-changing environment, their behavior can also change. Dogs need to be socialized appropriately and receive pro-active anti-aggressiveness training. Ms. Arnoff says, “I often hear bewildered clients say about their dog, “But he never bit anyone before.” But Ms. Arnoff warns, “There is never a bite before the first bite – but there are warning signs. Knowing those warning signs and being proactive can prevent spring/summer dog aggression and many unexpected bites.”

Source: PR Web

Good News About Dog Bites and How to Make it Better

Dog Service Network — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:50:42 +0000

Dog bites represent a tiny fraction of the injuries treated in the nation’s emergency rooms. Dog bites are, on average, far less severe than injuries we suffer from other common enjoyments. The good news about dog bites will be even better, following a model of responsible pet ownership.

Amenia, NY (PRWEB) May 17, 2010 — There are 308 million humans and 75 million dogs in the U.S. The majority of dog owners view their dogs as members of the family. Dogs provide us joy, companionship, love and laughter.

Bites constitute a tiny fraction of our hundreds of millions of daily interactions with dogs. Moreover, U.S. public health statistics show that the risk of bites from dogs is slight when compared with other risks Americans accept on a daily basis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control database, for the years 2000-2008, dog bites accounted for less than 1% of the injuries treated in the nation’s emergency rooms.

A person injured by a dog is far less likely to be injured seriously than those who suffer other kinds of injuries. For example, over 5% of the 4.6 million Americans who went to an emergency department during those same years because they had been injured on a bicycle were subsequently admitted to a hospital or treatment facility. Over 9% of the 70 million Americans who went to the emergency room because they fell down were admitted.

Only 1.9% of dog bite victims were.

As the human and canine populations have grown – the canine population at a faster rate than the human one – reports of dog bites to major metropolitan health departments have fallen substantially. Even the U.S. Postal Service, for whom dog bites to delivery personnel have been a continuing source of concern, has seen reports of bites decline by more than 50% since 1983.

As low as the risk from dogs is, National Canine Research Council takes the occasion of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 16 – 22, to highlight a successful responsible pet ownership model that can reduce that risk even further. Studies of dog bite injuries by American researchers have usually concluded with reminders of an owner’s responsibility for his or her dogs.

Calgary, Alberta’s Animal & Bylaw Services has successfully translated those recommendations into a plan of municipal action. Calgary enacted what was titled the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw. (In the interests of full disclosure, we proudly point out that Animal & Bylaw Services Director Bill Bruce is an advisor to NCRC.) It codifies four simple principles: 1. License and provide permanent identification for your pets; 2. Spay or neuter your pets; 3. Provide training, socialization, proper diet and medical care for your pets; and 4. Do not allow your pets to become a threat or nuisance in the community.

The result in Calgary has been spectacular. For 2008, among the 1.1 million citizens of Calgary, there were only 145 dog bites.

Organizations nationwide are offering advice and educational resources to help children and adults be safe around dogs. NCRC urges Americans of all ages to take advantage of those resources, so that we live companionably with the 75 million dogs in our midst.

And whenever dog-safety issues come up in the community, NCRC urges all Americans to remember how Calgary solved the problem.

About Karen Delise & The National Canine Research Council
Karen Delise is the Founder and Director of Research for the National Canine Research Council, and the author of The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression (Anubis Publishing) She can be reached at kdelise(at)ncrcouncil(dot)com. The mission of The National Canine Research Council is to publish accurate, documented, reliable research to promote a better understanding of the human-canine bond.

Source: PR Web

Object Guarding – Canine Possession Aggression

Dog Service Network — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:39:11 +0000

Canine Possession Aggression……..object guarding, this is the act of aggressively protecting objects such as toys, pigs ears, rawhide chews, bones, or articles that the dog has found or stolen, such as socks shoes underwear tissues and human food.

The ears going back will be part of typical body language relating to this behaviour. The dog then will go into a crouch over the object, displaying a whale eye, that is the head turned away but the eyes are swivelled back towards you the perceived threat to his possession, the whites showing, you may also find the lips are slightly pulled back almost in a grin. Look at pictures of whales and you will see why whale eye gets its name.

Mine! All Mine.

So why would the dog want to protect these objects? Simple answer is that it’s normally a learned experience. Either it is a reaction from their siblings taking and tugging objects away at an early age, or we teach them this behaviour by our actions and reactions. As a puppy, your dog wandered through parts of the house, picking up and investigating any little object left lying around. However as soon as he picked up something we did not want him to have, we immediately snatched this precious possession away.

Before long, our intrepid pup would pick up an object then run away so we couldn’t take away his find, he would scamper either to another room, the garden, under or behind a table, settee, or chair anywhere where we could not easily relieve him of his treasure.

So what do we do? We follow him to wherever he has hidden away, shouting leave it, or drop! What does the little monster do, he whale eyes you and starts to growl. He has now learned a couple of very valuable lessons.

When you give a command, he does not always need to obey.
If he shows aggression, you back off.

And by our actions, we have successfully taught him to resource guard.

Advice?

Well meaning friends and of course the inimitable doggy experts. You will find these in abundance in any park, street, pub or internet forum, they will tell you to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck then forcibly remove the object, put the dog into an alpha roll position, or give it a good thump. The tips and advice are endless. If you analyse them all you will find that nearly every suggestion will be confrontational, these methods will inevitably have the exact opposite effect to what you are hoping to cure.

What you will rarely be told is to train the dog so that it wants to give up the object, that the dog will think it is fun and rewarding to let you have these treasured articles back.

Start Early

Your puppies and adult dogs should be used to having their mouth touched, when you then wish to remove something it isn’t seen as confrontational. From the day you get your dog, either as a puppy or adult dog, brush his teeth, play with his flews (the floppy bits on the upper lip), open his mouth, check his tonsils, look down his throat, do this in a positive fun way with lots of praise and the occasional treat.

Purchase a long rawhide knot or bone. Hold on to one end of the knot while the dog chews on the other. He may want to play tug, but just hold do not pull away, in time he will get used to your presence and relax and just chew.
It is important for your dog to view you as the provider of all good things. You can do this by tightly controlling the dog’s environment. Keep all but one or two toys up off the floor and take the others down only when you want to play. Make sure you offer an item with a command like “Take it.” When you are tired of the game (you that is, not the dog), tell the dog to “Drop” or “Dead” Give him another item or treat in exchange, and then pick up the first object and put it away.

Do you know your dog’s likes and dislikes? Compose a list of all the things your dog really enjoys including food, toys, treats and activities, rank them in a hierarchical order, In exchange for dropping the first item give your dog a second, “better” item. For instance, if tennis ball retrieving is third on your dog’s list, reward him with cheese, frankfurter or puffed jerky for dropping the tennis ball. If your dog attempts to pick up a bit of rubbish in the street, command him to “drop” and then throw or give him his tennis ball.

Give a Cue

Teach the word dead, drop, or give, do it in a fun way with a happy high silly voice. Start by allowing him to have something that is not so valuable then trade with him for his favourite treat, what is his favourite treats or game? Do you really know your dog’s likes and dislikes?

This is fine for teaching young pups or dogs that are not presently guarding but what about ones that are already way down the road of resource guarding. Training a young puppy is relatively easy. Re-training an older dog is more difficult, but not impossible.

Trade and Reward

Firstly take away all objects the dog is guarding, that could be toys, tissues, chews, bones, pigs ears or sleeping places, that includes beds, sofas or chairs. You may not be able to move the latter but you can cover it, put a box or something else on it that will restrict access. Do not allow access to these precious resources a number of days.

You need to prepare for the next stage if the guarding is articles such as toys chews bones etc, prepare some of the dogs really favourite treats, cheese or frankfurter tends to be high on the list. Then get a low value object, it may be a tissue or a sock, a pigs ear for instance may be perceived as high value. Try to be slightly to the side of the dog rather than face on and relax, take the tension you may feel out of your body as the dog will both smell and sense your fear and this could trigger a reaction.

Offer the object to the dog but try and keep hold of it as the dog takes it, use whatever release command you have decided on it could be “dead” “drop” “leave” or “trade” immediately produce the tasty treat from behind your back and exchange. Praise when the exchange takes place and give back the object you first exchanged.

Set scheduled times to repeat this exercise at least four times a day but also just do it in opportune moments. Gradually up the anti of treasured goods. Over a period of time the dog will start to look forward to your approach and game. It is at this time that you give your dog the object and walk away, at first come back immediately and trade gradually making the time and distance you walk away longer, until you clearly see the dog is having no problems with your approach whatsoever. Then only give a treat every third time, then every tenth, take the object away and immediately give it back extending the period on this until the guarding behaviour disappears.

As with food guarding, you want to build a positive association around people approaching the objects being guarded. The dog needs to understand that approaching people and the removal of objects can be positive and rewarding.

Location or Bed Guarding

This is not always as simple as it may seem, as the severity or incidence may be related to who is approaching. It may be that a woman can approach the bed or sleeping place but not a man, an adult but not a child. It is not always tied to the object being guarded, but more to the relationship or lack of it of the person approaching the resource.

Sometimes this behaviour manifests itself when we try to move the dog off a sofa or when we handle or stroke the dog. It is worth in these cases making sure the dog is not ill or in pain as this could stimulate aggressive reactions.

As with other forms of guarding, make this a positive experience. Gauge how far you can approach before any aggressive reaction occurs. Initially keep to this distance and as you pass throw a treat, praising the dog at the same time. Make sure you do not praise or treat if there is growling or any show of aggression. Gradually decrease the distance over a period of time, do not rush the exercise, if the dog starts to react go back a few steps and start again. Change your angle of approach and the person who is approaching. Always try not to approach head on come in at an angle from the side give lots of verbal praise for a calm and passive reaction from the dog.

Maintain the Status Quo

Over time your pet will come to realise that your approach is a positive experience and the guarding will hopefully cease. However if it starts up again repeat the exercise. You should practice once a week exchange or trade, for the remainder 0of the dogs life.

If you are already at the point where the dog has actually bitten you, then I would suggest you get professional help. This should be from a behaviourist or a trainer who understands aggression. You should look for one that comes to your house. I never understand how professionals can assess your dog’s behaviour from the confines of a vets or an office. The dog reacts very differently when out of its own environment.

© Copyright: Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener) one of the leading Dog Behaviourists and Obedience Trainers in the UK. Who has owned and worked dogs for over 30 years, starting with Gundogs then moving on to the behavioural and obedience side of Pet Dogs. He now has a successful practice covering London, Surrey and Middlesex. Visit his Web Site for more information and details of his work. www.doglistener.co.uk.

Please do not distribute this article in any media without prior permission.

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
www.doglistener.co.uk
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Dominance – A Nine Letter Swear Word?

Dog Service Network — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:20:33 +0000

Dominance: It would be easy to imagine that the word dates back to dawn of civilization, surely there has always been conflict where dominance and subjugation have existed. Strangely enough dominance is a relatively new idea in biology, first mooted early last century by the Norwegian researcher Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe, who coined the term “pecking order” following his studies on chickens. The simple premise was that chicken A can peck all the other chickens but chicken Y can only peck X. and poor old X is effectively bottom of the heap.

In the 1930s, other researchers coined the term “alpha male” (and its converse, the “beta male”) to describe the leader of a wolf pack the dominant male or female. The problem is, biologists have never come close to agreeing on what dominance means. Therefore until an in depth study is carried out it will all be conjecture and theories, which leads me neatly onto recent theories. As trainers and behaviourists we have a habit of latching onto the latest buzz theorems, the latest ideas and study, and then to postulate than these theories are actual scientific fact, which the very word “Theory” discounts.

The latest bandwagon that some of these trainers and behaviorists have jumped on is that dominance does not exist, it is all a figment of our imagination and dogs cannot strive for dominance as they are conspecific, therefore can only relate to their own kind. In fact if these theorists that follow this argument look up the word conspecific they will see it has been hijacked “an organism belonging to the same species as another organism” . Where in that explanation does it say that animals cannot view other animals as similar? It is a bald statement not open to conjecture, belonging to the same species you cannot hypothesize more from that as it would be speculative guesswork.

This is from www.reference.com an online encyclopaedia: “Dominance in the context of biology and anthropology is the state of having high social status relative to other individuals, who react submissively to dominant individuals. The opposite of dominance is submissiveness.” “Dominance hierarchies are found in many animals, including primates such as human beings”. If we accept the antonym of dominance is submission, we are all aware that many dogs demonstrate clear submissive tendencies, then how can we possibly suggest that no dog demonstrates dominance or dominant behavior.

There is a word in music “enharmonic” that means changing the name without altering the pitch, in other words that two separate notations stand for the same sound. For example, the enharmonic spelling of F-sharp is G-flat. Both are exactly the same note but are named differently. I believe that is what is happening with the word dominance.

Patricia McConnell Ph.D the author of an excellent book “The Other End of The Leash” states that in some training and behavioral circles all talk of dominance is classed as politically incorrect and that these people are ardently opposed to anyone using the word in the context of dogs.

She goes on to say that at a professional seminar the word became so loaded that Wayne Hunthausen and herself started to call it “the concept formerly referred to as dominance” complete with its own Prince type icon.

How we can dismiss the fact that both dogs and ourselves are derived from animals that live in a controlled and carefully organized social system, and that within that system there are leaders and there are followers. Status is important to dogs, in fact to most canids that live in packs. I will accept that dogs do not pack up to live and hunt the same as wolves. They lost that requirement when they filled an ecological niche and predated off the detritus of mankind, becoming domesticated in the process.

That is not to say they do not enjoy the social meeting and greeting with others of their own kind, and in that social coming together are clear indications of status and rank. I have three dogs at present, they have distinct personalities and a clear pecking order within their own little pack, however I am also to some extent included in that pack. I make sure that I control the situation by laying down guidelines and rules; does that make me dominant or submissive or neither to that pack?

Donna Brander BSc(Hons), Honorary Fellow(R(D)SVS) states
“One of the most important issues to a dog is the stability of the pack. Without leadership, the stability of the pack is threatened. It is also of great benefit to be the leader. The leader gets to eat first, has the best places to sleep, has reproductive privileges and, in general, has all the best “stuff”. The leadership status is not a gender issue. Both males and females can and do achieve a high status within the pack”.

Scientist’s, behaviourists, and biologists, are now questioning the validity of the pack rule theory in two main areas. First, because it does not seem to occur in the wild, the strong dominance hierarchy that has been described for wolves may be a by-product of captivity. If true, it implies that social behaviour even in wolves may be a product more of environmental circumstances and contingencies than actual instinctive directives. Second, because feral dogs do not exhibit the classic wolf-pack structure,

However once again Patricia McConnell in her book “the other end of the leash” says: “Recently there’s been some confusion in the world of dog training about the role that status and hierarchy have in dog behavior. Some people argue that wolf like pack hierarchies have no relevance to dogs, because our house dogs probably derived from scavenging village dogs who didn’t live in packs like wolves”.

“Because the social relationship of scavenging village dogs appears to be different from the social structure of wolf packs, some trainers argue that social status and hierarchy are irrelevant to our own pet dogs. But that seems counter intuitive, given what we know about how our own dogs behave, and lacks understanding of how behavior and the environment interact”.

The first question we have to consider is whether the dog is a pack animal. According to ethnologists Raymond and Lorna Coppinger, it isn’t. They studied a group of feral dogs that lived in and around a village on the Island of Pemba. They had all the means of survival readily available, food from the village dumps, water, and shelter so there was no reason for them to form a pack. They lived semi-solitary lives or in small groups, probably mum and her offspring. We know dogs are social animals as are we, which is why we can live together under the same roof. So on the basis of Coppinger’s research, as we provide our dog with sufficient food, water is always available, they have five star accommodations, exercise is provided and their health cared for, therefore should we not be asking ourselves “why would they need to form a pack with us”?

The Coppingers theories are interesting informing and enlightening. They suggest that village dogs do not have a hierarchical structure, that they live an almost semi solitary existence. Therefore as modern day dog probably derived from village dogs that are seen on Pemba, then the idea of a hierarchical system does not exist as it does in wild canids that hunt as a pack.

I believe this has some fundamental flaws, on the dump at chake chake, where these village dogs had better resources, then hierarchical and resource disputes broke out far more often, dominance status and rank allowed the top dogs to get the richest pickings and I believe that is where his theory starts to show some anomalies.

That is not to say that the book was not brilliant, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I believe it to be a very important book with valid theories and observations. It does not follow that I have to agree with all the Coppingers assumptions and beliefs.

Barry Eaton has also written an interesting book called Dominance “Fact or Fiction” which is very readable and makes some interesting points but unfortunately did nothing to convince me that dogs have nothing in their psyche that could be related to the “Dominance” or “Status”.

Our domestic dogs are always competing for resources, we in some cases are the resource, hierarchical disputes do break out. I am more than aware that the word dominance is used to explain almost every behavioural problem in our pets, and that includes aggression. Yet in reality the dominant dog has no need for aggression, an air of authority and quiet confidence emanates from this type of dog, whereas the submissive fearful dogs is more likely to shown signs of aggression and to bite.

To some extent I sympathize with those, claiming the word dominance should no longer be used, that it is defunct and outdated and irrelevant, but sympathizing does not mean that I agree with their arguments or their logic, which I believe to be seriously flawed.

Advances in our learning and scientific studies have shown that our previous knowledge base did not give us the full picture, and was based on studies that were at best incomplete and at worst totally incorrect in their findings. The new wave of positive reinforcement style training and behavioral modification is proving to be far more effective and kinder than the methods previously used. The advent of clicker training has proved a revelation to many of today’s obedience and behavioral trainers. The style of training that insisted that the dog should be subservient and that reward or treat based training is bribery is fortunately now dying out in many areas, though their is still places and organizations that believe it is the only way to train.

But please lets not allow political correctness to creep into dog behavior or training lets be realistic and look at what we have in front of us, sometimes a joy, other times pushy and dare I say sometimes “dominant”. Irrespective we love them all even with their strange and irritating idiosyncrasies.

Stan Rawlinson
Monday, 20 March 2006

Different Types of Aggression

Dog Service Network — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:43:17 +0000

Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on any program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog’s temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycemia and Diabetes. The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference. I have covered fully in previous articles in DM “Food Guarding “and “Object and Possession Aggression”

1. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Interdog)

Quite often, this behaviour has its roots directly to the pup’s mother. Breeders that breed from fearful and timid bitches will often make excuses as to why you cannot see the dam. If you do view a litter of puppies and the mother is fearful, then do not even think of buying the puppy. It will be almost a certainty that the pups will inherit some of the mother’s traits, through both genetics and socialisation, genetically the pups may inherit her timidity and through the time they are with her will observe her fear and follow suit.

Scientific research has shown that even the pups that are born to a solid and stable mother that are then put with a bitch that is fearful, they will pick up some of the unstable habits from the fearful dog. Other reasons for this fear type of problem is when the puppy or adult dog is attacked by another dog, especially whilst on the lead, with no means of escape and restricted from showing submissive body language to the attacker.

Lack of early socialisation can also have an affect on this type of behaviour, If the young pup, especially between the age of seven and sixteen weeks, is not carefully socialised with both adult and pups alike, then they do not learn to “meet and greet”. The complex body language dogs learn at this age is crucial to their later behaviour when approaching unknown dogs. If they are unable to either perform or understand the greeting rituals, then they are immediately viewed with suspicion by the approaching dog, and conflict may arise

How can you tell if it is fear?

With nervous and fear aggressive dogs, you will find that they will react aggressively to any dog, regardless of whether it is male or female. The behaviour is often worse if the dog is on the lead or is cornered, especially if close to the owner, who backs up the behaviour, (though unwittingly) by becoming nervous and agitated as the other dog approaches.

This manifests itself in a tightening up on the lead and shoulders. Nervous owners also kick out a cloud of adrenaline that the dog instantly detects, this causes it to look for what is causing the concern. It sees the dog approaching and reacts accordingly. This type of dog is also normally a barker, it will lunge and bark at the approaching dog but generally will not snap unless all its options have run out. ie flight or freeze and after all its threat posturing the other dog has still got too close.

This problem can often be diagnosed if someone who is confident around dogs (that the dog does not know well) takes it out on the lead. It will not get the same fearful vibes from the owner, therefore the reaction to another dogs approaching will be less intense. It is a good way of finding out if your dog suffers fear aggression, as the behaviour will either not be exhibited or will be less pronounced. The owner can then use a desensitisation program for both the dog and themselves.

2. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Inter-human)
Once again, this can be caused through lack of early socialisation, bad breeding and sometimes lack of handling at an early age, starting as young as two weeks old. Pups that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not get a strong olfactory and tactile bond with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. This handling at such an early age causes a mild stress response in the tiny pup, which benefits its ability to cope with many situations including people and dogs in later life

Nervous and fear aggressing is always defensive in nature, sometimes it is related to the sex of the person. If the breeder was female, and very few males visited or handled the puppies, then the timidity and fear may be worse with men. This particular problem like interdog hostility, will manifest itself mainly with individuals rather than crowds. You will find that the dog will bark a lot but will be under a table or behind a settee. The tail will be down and although it may seem overtly aggressive, the dogs balance and weight will be on the back foot not over the front feet. This demonstrates that the dog wants you to go away and is not initially trying to bite or attack you. A gradual and careful introduction to the stimulus that is causing the fear with positive reinforcement for calm behaviour is the way to overcome this type of problem though the dog will rarely make a total and full recovery and will never be life and soul of the park and greeting parties.

3. Frustration Aggression

Research has shown that dogs who are not allowed to interact “normally” with people and dogs who were prone to displays of bad temper and behaviour that was overtly aggressive are dogs that are generally restrained or restricted from normal interactions (interactions with people, other dogs, and the outside world). The dog develops an intense desire to gain access to all of those things he desires.

This desire can escalate into escape and roaming behaviour, agitation, biting and unprovoked attacks. It is often observed in dogs that are left tied up in flats, left in gardens, or near a window where they can see the things they want to interact with, but cannot get to them therefore display unprovoked aggression. To some extent, the aggression shown to the postman is based on frustration. I have seen dogs attack their owner or a second dog in the home because it cannot get to the deliveryman.

As with most aggressive behaviours early socialisations and an understanding of how dogs learn and communicate are essential.

4. Sexual aggression

This type of aggression is usually limited to male dogs. They will mount both people and other dogs. Mounting activity directed towards humans may reflect a lack of opportunity for the dog to play with other dogs, or an over-attachment to people in early life, mounting on other dogs especially if they initially try to put their heads over the other dog’s necks can be related to rank and control complex behaviour. Castration and behaviour modification can help with this problem. Allowing the dog to mate may often be recommended by the amateur dog expert, this normally makes the problem far worse.

5. Territorial Aggression

This may be towards other dogs, people or both. By definition, territorial aggression should be directed toward members of the same species ie other dogs. Domestic dogs, however, seem to regard humans in this regard as conspecific, and consequently may direct territorial aggression toward us When dogs display aggression to strangers only on the home property garden, house, or yard, yet do not respond aggressively to strangers on neutral territory, then territorial aggression is the likely diagnosis. There are two primary motivations for territorial behaviour, control complex behaviour ie dominance or fear/anxiety. It may be worse in a small space such as a car than in an open area. Some dogs like this can be fine in the home, but not so good in the garden.

The only answer to this problem is to work on the dominant/territorial problem in a way in which a dog understands its position through a behaviour modification programme using position reinforcement techniques. Remember not to praise for the cessation of bad behaviour rather praise for that bad behaviour not happening in the first place. In other words, say the dog jumps up on someone and you say “OFF” if the dogs get off then do not praise as you will be praising for the inappropriate behaviour, which was the jumping.

6. Control Complex / Dominant Aggression

The word dominant is a dirty word in dog behavioural circles at present however if we understand the word means position and is much more complex that just aggression, then to ignore this area of conflict would be remiss. The initial approach to other dogs is often cautionary and contains many status signals, like tail carriage held high and quickly moving from side to side, standing on tiptoe etc. If the other dog submits, then all is usually fine, if not the fighting can be extremely noisy and in some cases quite severe. In both the last two examples, dominant and territorial aggression, I usually find the dog will pull quite badly on the lead. These dogs can also display aggressive tendency towards members of the family this could lead to an attack if not controlled in their early stages. By working on a programme that will give the dog a purpose and a position in life, almost a job and teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash can sometimes overcome the problem. The type of program I would use is the NILIF program, which stands for “Nothing in Life is Free”, See my website under dominance

7. Chase or Predatory aggression

This can be directed at many things including dogs, cats, or anything that stimulates a chase response. Squirrels are a favourite, as their quick jerky movements seem to stimulate even the most placid of dogs. I see a lot of predatory chase aggression in for instance Border Collies, in particular stimulants like bikes, skateboards joggers and cars.

One of the key factors that distinguish predatory aggression from other forms of aggression is that movement often is the trigger . In the wild, this movement is in the form of running and escape attempts of a small animals. Predatory behaviour can be seen in dogs of any sex and age.

Dogs that show intense interest and become aroused or anxious by the movement or noise of children or other pets should be closely monitored at all times. Prognosis is not good for this type of aggression. Reward based obedience training can help, however this is only any use if the owner/trainer is able to constantly monitor the dog at all times.

It is easier to control the chase stimulus when it is directed at cars, joggers, or bikes. Two types of common treatment’s include counter-conditioning used to change the dogs’ perception of the falsely identified prey. Many also believe punishment works ie noise aversion when the behaviour is first stimulated. Throwing water from a car window or sounding a rape alarm or air horn at the exact time the dog takes off, throwing down a plastic bottle of stones from a passing bike or car can sometimes alter this behaviour.

However. To be effective, punishment must be seen as aversive and the timing of the punishment must be exact so that the dog associates the punishment with the behaviour. Electric shock collars have also been suggested but are not part of treatment programs I would ever recommend.

As mentioned aggression often has its origins in bad breeding, lack of socialisation, high prey drive, and poor basic training can also exacerbate the situation. However, as stated before it can be related to medical conditions and before embarking on a course of behavioural therapy have your dog checked over to see if there are any underlying medical conditions.

Learned aggression can normally be cured however, hereditary aggression cannot, it can only be controlled and hopefully contained. Castration sometimes helps, and should be considered in an overall aggression reduction program. With all aggression cases, you should consider a behaviourist or a dog trainer experienced in these problems, before the problems becomes life threatening either to the dog or the person they are aggressing against.

Stan Rawlinson
2004

Rage Syndrome

Dog Service Network — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:37:20 +0000

Sadly, out of the blue, certain breeds of dog display unpredictable outbursts of aggression known as ‘rage syndrome’ and ‘low threshold dominance aggression’.

These dogs will be perfectly civil with strangers and in the show ring, but then will suddenly attack family members for no apparent reason, their eyes becoming dilated and sometimes changing colour during and after an attack.

The dog will not respond to any attempts to stop it, often appearing confused afterwards, but will return to its usual self in time.

English Cocker Spaniels, especially the red and golden varieties, particularly suffer from rage syndrome, but it has also been reported in American Cocker Spaniels, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Dobermans, English Bull Terriers, English Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs and St. Bernard’s.

Although “rage syndrome” has been widely and seriously studied since the 1930s, it cannot be accurately predicted and can only be diagnosed by EEG or genetic testing. Unfortunately, these tests are not conclusive, since the causes may be polygenic and therefore very difficult to pinpoint.

While it is very distressing to have a dog with this problem, owners should seek advice from a veterinary surgeon who may then refer their dog to a certified veterinary behaviourist for assessment.

“Rage syndrome looks like an exaggerated form of status aggression,” “It’s triggered by the unexpected approach of people when the dog is in a half-asleep state. The dog snaps alert, growls and bites, even people it knows. Then it behaves as if it’s very sorry afterwards, as though it didn’t mean to do it.”

Research has shown that rage syndrome is only associated with certain colours of cocker spaniels: red-golden and black, so that there is probably a strong genetic basis.

“Because the [different coloured] lineages have been separated for a long time, champion dogs, which they were bred from, had this problem. Pure breeding inevitably increases genetic problems because it narrows the gene pool. Some almost have no genetic variation left, and then you can’t select out traits anymore.”

And unfortunately, there are dogs who have learned to get off on aggression – and often must be put down.

Stan Rawlinson.
Dog Behaviourist & Trainer
enquiries@doglistener.co.uk
H 0208 979 2019
M 07976 153161

Destructive Behavior

Dog Service Network — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:35:18 +0000

Chewing is a perfectly normal behavior for dogs. Dogs love to chew on bones and sticks—and just about anything else available. They chew for fun, they chew for stimulation and exercise, and they chew to relieve anxiety.

But that’s not it on the list of destructive behaviors. Dogs also steal things off the counters and tabletops, and they raid the trash. Most dogs prefer human food to dog food and, if given the opportunity, will help themselves. While these behaviors are normal, dogs can, of course, be taught to control themselves. Understand that your dog needs to learn not to chew your things or steal your food—he’s not born knowing that he shouldn’t.

Provide the dog with plenty of his own toys and chew bones; introduce something new every day or two.
Give the dog a “single serving” chew bone once or twice a day—something he will finish in one chew session (i.e. Greenie, Dentabone, rawhide chip, etc.).
Identify the times of the day when your dog is likely to chew, and give him a stuffed Kong, Goodie Ship, or Buster Cube at this time. You can include some of his daily ration of food in the toy.
Discourage chewing inappropriate items with chewing deterrents, such as Bitter Apple or Chew Guard* (see below for application tips).
Always supervise your dog. If you see him licking or chewing an item he shouldn’t, say “uh uh,” remove the item from his mouth and insert something that he can chew. Be sure to praise him.
Booby-trap the counters and tables to discourage the dog from jumping up. You can try double-sided sticky tape, cookie sheets placed precariously so they fall down if the dog touches them and a pyramid of empty soda cans all tied together and placed so that they fall if the dog touches them (you can tie to a small tidbit of food to this contraption). You can also place “baits” to be stolen: food adulterated with bad-tasting substances, such as Tabasco or Bitter Apple.

WHAT NOT TO DO:

Do not show the dog the damage and spank, scold, or punish him after the fact.
There are dog training books still being published today that advocate dangerous and inhumane techniques, such as using duct tape to hold a dog’s mouth closed around a chewed object, or filling a hole with water and holding a dog’s head under. Just in case it’s not obvious—methods such as these are ineffective and horribly cruel!
Do not crate the dog for lengthy periods of time to prevent destructive chewing.

* Using taste deterrents: When you first use the deterrent, apply a small amount to a piece of tissue or cotton wool. Place it directly into the dog’s mouth, allow him to taste it and then spit it out. The dog has learned the link between the taste and the odor of the substance and will be more likely to avoid chewing items that smell like the substance. Re-apply the deterrent to the off-limits objects every day for 2-4 weeks.

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