Defining aggression among dogs

Aggression in dogs is defined as a threatening or harmful behavior directed toward another living
creature—whether human or animal. The dog may snarl, growl, snap, nip, bite and lunge. Such behavior among dogs is not abnormal. All they are doing is to exhibit the typical behavior of a normal species that is perhaps incompatible with human life and safety. Such behavior among dogs is on the rise and can lead to gruesome situations, including death, as described below.

Only recently, a young woman returned home with a lady friend and was unlocking her door when two snarling and ferocious dogs lunged at her. Though the owner of the dogs screamed at them to stop, they went straight for the woman and attacked her.

When the police arrived at the scene, they found her in ragged clothes and bloodstains all over the walls and floor. The victim was sent to hospital for neck injuries which she later succumbed to, and the dogs went to an animal shelter.


Were they bred to be ferocious? The question: what makes dogs turn ferocious has led many
behaviorists to go into the matter at great length. They say that while some breeds are very fierce or aggressive, others aren’t. Due to domestication or taming by humans, they have lost their predatory edge and since then have also been selectively bred or mated to certain breeds of dogs to redouble certain specific behavioral traits helpful to humans.


Killer instinct: Though certain dog breeds such as rottweilers and pit bulls are deadly attackers, it is still impossible to know a killer by his breed alone. A more reliable way is to know if the dog has been neutered or not. When a dog is devoid of its sexual urges, he ceases to have any hormonal urges to roam and fight.


The return of the predatory instinct: As you know, dogs have descended from wolves that have a very distinct predatory instinct. Like most wild canine predators, wolves also killed in packs. In addition, predators kill other animals for food or in self-defense of their territory. Dogs have evolved from wild canines, and most wild canine predators kill in packs. From the many hundred cases of fatal dog attacks, one thing comes to light: that the savage instincts of a pack have returned to some domestic dogs that suddenly attack animals or people without warning.


Our responsibilities: There’s only so much that genetics can be responsible for, when attributing blame to aggression and the killer instinct in dogs. There are also our own responsibilities towards our pet dogs.

Your pet’s behavior is the net result of how you bring him up, his health and training—aspects you are responsible for. In certain cases, a pet owner, unwittingly encourages his dog to become dangerous by including rough play in his daily schedule, abusing him and praising him when the dog growls at strangers.

Aggressive Dogs

Aggression is the most troubling problem that comes between people and their pets. If you have a dog who isn’t safe with other people or dogs, or may have attacked you, this dog is not date bait. In fact, you need to address your dog’s aggression before you focus on your own love life. If you don’t address this right away, it will only get worse.

Here are a few ideas that might help:

Find a trainer or behaviorist who uses gentle methods. Far more often than not, if you treat aggression with force, the problem will escalate. This trainer will probably have you follow a plan in which your dog has to work for a living: Every time you give him food, or even a gentle pat, he needs to sit, lie down, or do something else to show that he’s earning his keep. (The thinking goes that in the wild, the top dog in the pack controls who gets food and attention. When the dog has
to work for you to get food and attention, he views you as the big dog in charge, and treats you with more respect.)

Teach your dog “watch me.” Your dog can’t get into fights or attack people if he’s looking at you. Dogs’ bodies follow their eyes. Teach your dog “watch me” by holding a treat in front of your eyes. When he stares longingly at your face, say “Good watch me!” and give him the treat. Over time, hold the treat in your hand but only reward the dog when he looks in your eyes. Build up the length of time of the eye contact, so you can ask your dog to “watch me” when trouble comes near, and he will focus on you until the temptation has passed.

Use a head collar. Head collars (brands such as Halti Collar and Gentle Leader) fit over your dog’s head, just like a halter
fits on a horse. Just as you can lead a horse wherever you want to go with a halter, so you can lead even a big dog with a head collar. In addition, the feeling of the strap over the dog’s nose is something like the way a top dog gently nuzzles
the muzzle of a lower-ranking dog, so over and over the head collar is telling your dog that you’re the boss—and he isn’t. Sometimes that gentle reminder will make an almost magical difference in a dog.

Know your dog. Know what triggers your dog, and avoid those situations. So if he’s dog-aggressive, don’t take him to the dog park: That’s just asking for an awful incident. If he growls when people come within four feet—stay five feet away.

With expert help and a lot of patience, your aggressive dog might turn the corner and become a safe, reliable citizen. And with all the dog trainers you’ll be meeting, you never know where you’ll find love.