Canine Agressive Behavior (continued)
- Maternal protective: This type of aggression occurs in females when their young are present and she feels they are being threatened
- Owner protective: While this type of aggression is sometimes appropriate, some dogs may display aggression inappropriately in this role. This may include attacking friends of the family or the veterinarian
- Pack response: Dogs act differently when in a group. Some may show aggression when in a group.
- Pain-induced: This is a reflex aggression designed to relieve pain and protect the animal.
- Play escalation: Some aggression starts as play such as roughhousing, and may escalate to aggression.
- Possessive: Aggression associated with possessing toys or stolen non-food objects.
- Territorial: The dog may display aggression in conjunction with inappropriate guarding of an area, such as the owner's home;
- Trained: Some dogs are trained to bite people and may become confused and mistakenly show aggression or bite a person when not instructed to.
- Unintentionally learned: Some people pet an aggressive dog to try to calm the dog. This action is understood by the pet as positive reinforcement or praise of the aggressive behavior so the behavior continues
The first step when noticing any aggressive behavior is to contact your veterinarian. The earlier the intervention the more likely the behavior can be managed. Your veterinarian can work with you to determine the cause of your pet's aggression and recommend appropriate treatment and/or training.
Excerpted from AAHA's HealthyPets.com
