There are several dog breeds that are known for being aggressive, and people usually breed them for this purpose only: security. This does not mean that other dogs cannot surprise you and become aggressive once in a while.
Aggression is, unfortunately, one of the most common issues in dogs and should be considered a very serious behavioral problem.
There are plenty of behaviors that are understood as aggression in dogs. Even if aggression is somehow a normal trait of a dog, it shouldn’t be something that puts you or your family in danger.
Taking into account that dogs have wild animals as ancestors, it is expected for them to be territorial and protect themselves and their families. When this turns into extreme anger and aggression, it is necessary for you to hire a specialist. Better yet, try and not wait until someone gets hurt to ask for help, but do it when you see the first signs of aggression in your dog.
Dogs usually warn you when they are very close to becoming aggressive. If your behavior continues after they have warned you, the situation will culminate with an undesired attack.
First of all, the dog becomes still and rigid, then he starts to bark, he growls, he shows his teeth, he nips your skin without leaving a mark, and only afterwards he bites.
There are several types of aggression that your dog can show:
1. Protective aggression – if the dog feels that a member of his pack, either human or animal, is in danger, he will want to protect them. They might show aggression just when they feel that a vulnerable person is in danger, like a baby.
2. Territorial aggression – wolves are definitely territorial, and our pet dogs still have some traits taken from their ancestors. This means that they will protect their territory from any intruders by barking and even attacking.
3. Fear of aggression – usually, when we are afraid of something, we prefer to run away from it. But when running away is not an option, animals usually switch to the idea of fighting for their life and, thus, they become aggressive.
4. Social aggression – dogs usually live in a hierarchical environment. This means that they will not always fight for their food, but only once, to establish the hierarchy. If someone tries to intervene in this hierarchy, they can get aggressive.
Once you have understood the type of aggression that the dog you are dealing with is showing, you will be able to adapt your behavior in a way that will make him settle down.
