Aggressive & Reactive Behaviour

The type of attachment owners have towards their dog can have an impact on unwanted aggressive behaviour.

 

Key Research: Aggression and other problem behaviours in dogs has been linked to an avoidant attachment style exhibited by owners. Essentially, owners who do not provide enough security for their dogs when in threatening situations while also participating in far less shared activities with their dog, can have a detrimental and negative impact on their dog’s personality and behaviour.

Insufficient time devoted to training together with perceiving their dog as more disobedient was found to also be related to the development of attachment insecurity within these dogs. As many dogs are acquired by their owners during the sensitive period of their development, the consistent influences of their owner can subsequently have a marked affect in shaping the personality of each dog.

(Stan etal. Dec 2023. Iscience 26 (12).

 

Key Takeaway: How you emotionally behave towards your dog, especially from a young age, can have a significant impact on their personality development as well as the dog-human relationship you both share.

Being consciously aware of your emotional responses towards your dog while also enhancing the level of comfort and stability you show towards your dog will have a positive outcome on their wellbeing. This in turn - when combined with other forms of behavioural training - will help guide them away from any reactivity or potential aggressive behaviour.

 

Pain & Discomfort can impact the development of Aggressive Dog Behaviour.

Key Research: Aggressive dog behaviour is often associated with inadequate socialisation, fear based reactivity, or the dog experiencing a negative emotional state that then contributes towards the way they act. Some aggressive behaviour displayed by dog’s can also be quite normal, including intermale aggression, resource related and maternal aggression. The existence of pain, discomfort and/or disease however, can also influence the development of aggression problems in dogs. Importantly, a sudden change or unexpected change in a dog’s behaviour may indicate that pain is being felt. The emergence of any pain can also enhance or worsen aggression and other behavioural problems that a dog may already be experiencing.

(Marta Amat; Susana LeBrech; and Xavier Manteca. Jan 2024. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal practice. Vol 54, 43- 53.)

  

Key Takeaway: If your dog has been exhibiting unexplained aggressive behaviour – especially in recent weeks – either towards yourself or other family members, other unfamiliar persons or dogs generally, then a full veterinary physical examination may be warranted. Even subtle forms of pain and discomfort may go initially unnoticed but could be directly contributing to your dog’s aggressive behaviour. Ultimately, if pain has been deemed the cause, then this can then be treated appropriately by your veterinarian. In the absence of pain or disease however, the aggressive behaviour is more likely being caused by one or more of the contributing factors mentioned above whereby your dog would benefit from a tailored behavioural modification plan.

 

A consistent schedule of positive activities can help reduce the development of Aggressive Dog Behaviour.

Key Research: The occurrence of problem behaviours within dogs – including aggression toward family members, unfamiliar people and unfamiliar dogs – may be controlled for by owners establishing a consistent schedule of positive activities that dogs can engage in. This includes regular walks with the owner as well as other play and interactive based exercises. The benefit of setting up this type of schedule is linked with the principle that predictability in routine fosters better coping mechanisms with dogs.

Crucially, more positive interaction between owner and dog creates a cycle promoting more interaction, hence leading to less behavioural problems and an enhanced bond between owner and dog. Less interaction on the other hand, has been linked with a greater risk in the development of aggression and other behavioural problems within dogs.

(Hsin Yi Weng & Ni Wako Ogata. Nov 2023. Frontiers. Vol 10)

 

Key Takeaway: With dog behavioural problems – especially with regards to aggression and reactivity – establishing a consistent and positive routine with your dog that includes regular walks and other shared activities, can help offset the likelihood of these behavioural problems developing. These actions have a significant impact both on the confidence and socialisation of your dog, as well as significantly strengthening the bond between you and your dog.

Dogs love predictable routines, whereby a regular walk or other enjoyable activity based routine can bring happiness, certainty and predictability to your dog and impact how they feel. This in turn, can help offset the possible development of behavioural problems.