Forms of Canine Aggression: Part 2

Aggression directed towards humans can have a variety of antecedents: lack of early socialisation, the impact of prenatal environments and early handling by humans, physiological and biological conditions. The most common causality of human based aggression is due to fear; linked to an upbringing environment, exposure to stimuli as well as previous experiences. It is a common misconception that the aggression is caused by the dog trying to be dominant and establish their position as leader of the pack ‘alpha’ status . This thought process links back to the outdated ‘dominance theory’ which was created by Rudolph Schenkel in 1930’s . Unfortunately, guardians who try to establish themselves as the ‘alpha’ will often exacerbate the fear, anxiety and stress the dog is experiencing which can lead to escalation of fear responses and subsequent aggression levels. This is due to people using negative training techniques, punishment (shouting and physical). These techniques can lead to the bond between dog and guardian breaking  and in extreme cases learned helplessness. Other reasons that dogs can display aggression towards humans include possessive aggression/resource guarding, territorial aggression and redirected aggression.   

Territorial aggression can be directed towards anything (humans, other animals, objects) that approach what the dog deems their territory. What a dog perceives as their territory can vary greatly; it may be their home, a specific room/space, the garden. Some dogs become territorial very quickly, subsequently claiming spaces in other environments such as an area around a table in a restaurant, or a park bench . This form of aggression is rooted in fear as well as instinctual desire to protect their den from intruders. Based on the desire to alert to an ‘intruder’ and to make it go away this form of aggression often presents in the form of growling, barking, lunging, jumping up at windows, fences and chasing. In some cases behaviour can escalate to snapping and biting. This often arises if the dog is frustrated (restricted) or if the intruder does not leave after the previous communications.  Unfortunately, territorial aggression is often environmentally reinforced as the intruder (delivery person, someone walking past the garden) goes away, leading to the dog believing their behaviour made this happen, thus reinforcing the behaviour for future events. 

A form of aggression with roots of frustration is barrier aggression. This form of aggression presents when a dog is restricted by a barrier (lead, fence, window) preventing them from getting to something they want to reach. The object of desire could be another animal, human or item such as a car or bike. Fence charging, excessive barking and even lunging and jumping at a fence upon seeing a passing object is a common reason people seek professional help. Another form of this aggression is termed lead aggression and can have roots in frustration as well as fear/anxiety. A dog's natural method of greeting is inhibited by a lead (side approach, move to the rear for a sniff then disengage or play) which can result in miscommunication of intentions. Leads can also get tangled, increasing anxiety and alter a dogs body position which can trigger aggressive responses. 

Redirected aggression can occur when a dog is prevented from reaching its target of aggression or arousal. If a dog is being fear aggressive on a lead it may end up redirecting its aggression toward its guardian as they can not reach their aggression target and feel restrained. Overarousal and frustration can also result in a redirection toward another dog in the vicinity (household) or human, often seen in regards to fences. Intervention in a dog fight can often result in aggression shifting from the target of the aggression to the person intervening; this shift occurs due to arousal being so high the dog can not distinguish between the opponent and the intervening human.

Resource Guarding also termed possessive aggression relates to the aggression a dog shows when protecting something they deem of value. It is an instinctive behaviour, especially in wild dogs where resources are limited . Dogs can demonstrate guarding behaviour towards food, toys, furniture, stolen items (e.g. clothing, shoes) even their guardians. It can occur for various reasons: fear/anxiety of losing the valued item, frustration and territorial reasons. Genetics and past experiences can also influence how the dog interacts with possession; rescue dogs have a higher tendency to resource guard due to their history of limited resources and having a greater predisposition to finding items/food/areas of higher value . Dogs that are not physically or mentally stimulated enough can also suffer from resource guarding, caused through frustration . More subtle behaviours associated with this form of aggression include, eating faster, braced body position, freezing and side eye tracking the person/animal approaching. Dogs will often run away with their coveted item, which guardians can misinterpret as play. Dogs can develop more aggressive responses in relation to resource guarding including growling, snapping, lunging and in extreme situations biting. These behaviours can be directed towards humans as well as other animals . 

There are various approaches to help with resource guarding and help the dog learn to disengage from objects as well as become less fearful of losing items. Firstly never punish the growl or guarding behaviour or remove the item forcibly, this will most likely intensify the guarding behaviour. Trading for a high end treat or toy swap is an option only if appropriate and safe to do so. Conditioning the dog to understand that people approaching is a good thing, not a threat is possible through treat tossing from a distance, whilst walking past. Over time decrease the distance but monitor the dogs body language closely, if tension is visible go back to previous distance. Research has shown that confidence building and basic obedience training can help with resource guarding and enhance guardian/dog bonds 

An extremely rare form of canine aggression is Idiopathic aggression also known as ‘Rage Syndrome’. Idiopathic aggression has no identifiable trigger and is associated with explosive and intense aggressive outburst. Some guardians report their dog appearing confused or having a ‘glazed’ expression immediately prior to the outburst. Research indicates this form of aggression has an onset age of 1-3 years with certain breeds being more prone than others. In order to diagnose this condition behavioural consult and veterinary examinations need to occur in order to rule out any potential missed triggers and precursory behaviours leading up to the outburst and eliminating any medical issues such as seizures, injury or brain damage. Unfortunately the prognosis is not good for confirmed Idiopathic due to its extreme unpredictability and risk to humans, euthanasia is often considered.   

Conclusion:

Irrespective of the label we give to the dog's aggression it is essential that we understand what the dog is experiencing emotionally so we can help them overcome their issue through coaching, behaviour modification programmes, medical/ homeopathic interventions if suitable, time, patience and care. The roots of the aggression need to be established in order to devise the best strategy to help the dog in question. This ultimately boils down to observations and communication. 

Humans and dogs communicate in very different ways. As previously discussed dogs show their emotions/communication through their eyes, ears, tail , mouth and overall body position. A lot of behavioural issues involving aggressive outbursts can actually be traced back to miscommunication; a person miss interpreting or missing what the dog is trying to communicate about how they feel in regards to a situation. Escalated displays of aggression are often caused by missed earlier communications.  If the art of communication is mastered then this can help prevent aggressive behaviours and lead to a happier existence for both the dog and their guardian/family.