PET ARTICLES BLOG

Dogs have developed an instinctual aggressive-it is a part of their very nature. Dogs are pack animals that have evolved with aggression in order to be able to hunt down their prey and defend themselves and their pack against predators. Of course the evolution of dogs necessitated their aggressive instincts, but in today's world a dog with aggression problems must be controlled. If you have a dog that is aggressive, you will need to know the reasons for his type of aggression before you can pick the proper training method to correct the problem.

Check out this list of the 6 most common dog aggression problems.

• Dominance Aggression: When 2 dogs first meet they have a little ritual to establish who is the dominant dog, and conversely, who is the submissive dog. Dogs are pack animals, and developed a hierarchy system in order to maintain peace among the various pack members. Usually, two dogs go through this process without aggression problems. It is when one of the dogs does not agree to be submissive that leads to the possibility of a dog fight ensuing.

• Fear Aggression: The next type of aggression, fear aggression is caused by very different reasons than dominance aggression. When a dog is suffering strongly from fear aggression it is common for it to lash out at whatever is close by. For example, a dog that had been abused by a former master, will likely show fear aggression towards certain people-especially if that person is doing something to agitate the poor dog. You can recognize the familiar body language of a fearful dog:his lips will be curled up and showing his teeth; he may even lunge and snap his teeth in an effort to bite; his tail will be tucked between his legs and against his tummy; and he will make whining and groaning sounds. Be sure not to try to offer comfort to a dog in the throes of fear aggression, because they sometimes lash out and bite anything nearby-like your hand.

• Territorial Aggression: Territorial aggression is a very common form of aggressive behavior. It is a natural occurrence and stems from a dog's instinct to protect his den and his pack-which these days are your house and your family. You want to be sure your dog is not overly protective because his aggression could lead to him attacking another dog or person. Be aware of territorial aggression problems, and correct them as soon as you notice them with your pet dog. You can't allow your dog's aggressive barking to turn into actual biting.

• Redirected Aggression: This type of dog aggression can often be confused with other aggressive behavior.  For instance, somebody may be walking down the alley on the other side of your fence, and is doing something that is agitating your dogs-as sometimes happens-your dogs may become so over-excited that they turn on each other for a moment. Kind of like when sharks have a frenzy. Even thought the dogs were not usually enemies, the aggression got the better of them and they ended up going at each other.

• Predatory Aggression: Predatory aggression is a natural instinct that all dogs have to some degree-they are born with it. If you have a dog or a cat and live in the countryside you probably already witness predatory aggression all the time. Your dog displays predatory aggression by chasing a cat up a tree, or by chasing birds, dogs or  other animals. sometimes dogs enjoy something just for the fun of the chase and are not really aggressive in a predatory sense. Sometimes the chasing really is predatory aggression and the dog is going to hurt whatever it is after-so you must get control of this aggression before it leads to any problems.

• Medical Reasons Causing Aggression: An example of this would be the aggressive natures of some female dogs that are either pregnant or are taking care of a litter of puppies. A dog that is feeling unwell may have something that is causing him to respond with aggression.If you notice your dog having unusual aggressive behavior for no understandable reason, make sure his health is fine with a visit to your vet. Some dogs just have some bad wiring, and have no one obvious reason for their aggression. Just like some people we all have met, that's just the way  they are.

By learning to understand the different reasons for dog aggression you can more easily pick the best way to correct your dog's problem and be sure to have the well behaved pet you really want.

Please click here to read more articles about dog aggression and solving other dog behavior problems at: BehaveDoggy.com.

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