IS EVERY ANGRY DOG SAME?

While the final result can be the same (a tremendous bite on whom dares to be for close), the aggressiveness in dogs has quite different origins. Actually the aggression not always it is demonstrated in the bite form. The dog can demonstrate aggressive behavior through the posture of the body, snarled and barks among others. Besides, the aggression can be offensive or defensive.

Although us humans have the habit of classifying the aggressive behavior of the dogs as simple and pure cruelty, the aggression in sí is not related with any feeling of rage in these encourage. Dogs bite, they attack, or they threaten other beings to defend his/her territory, his/her hierarchical position, his/her food, to guarantee their chances of to cross with a female and to perpetuate the species, for fear, to protect the nestlings or to hunt. The careful choice of the nestling, the socialization, and the training of basic obedience are the best tools to avoid this problem type. The form more common of aggression of domestic dogs against their owners is exactly for dominância.

Dominância, that most of the time, sorrateiramente is developed, without the owners notice the mistakes that are committing and the risks that are running. For us to understand the main aggression types better in dogs will ask to Rex that gives us some practical examples.

Aggression for Dominância

Dogs are animal social and none of them, besides Rex, expect equality. For Rex the important is to know which is the hierarchical position of each one of the family in relation to the other ones, and his/her own position. If Rex he/she notices that nobody exercises the leadership of the group, or it exercises without firmness and consistence, him (Rex) he/she will have the largest pleasure in occupying this position. If, to the opposite, Rex to understand early that all of the members of his/her human family are more important hierarquicamente than him, our hairy friend will be more than happy.

The leadership of the pack is not easy work for a dog. Being the leader, Rex cannot rest one minute. He will be the responsible for the guard and protection of all of the members of the group. It will be responsible for watching the territory and, the most important, will be responsible for maintaining all of the members of the group (you and his/her family) in their owed places. He won't accept challenges and insubordination (such as waking up him/it of the nap, to remove him/it, or simplesmmente to suggest, that he leaves from where is, to arrive close to his/her favorite person, to pass close to the food or of the bed of him same that he is not there, or simply to be of foot beside him and to face him/it in the eyes) without there are consequences. Sometimes Serious Consequences!!!

Most of the cases of aggression for dominância happens in males, and he/she appears for the first time between two two and a half years of age. Some races and some dogs possess the genetic predisposition for the dominância. They are those that, from very tiny, they decide to throw the teeth outside. If corrected on time and properly, these dogs give up on being the leader, but once in a while they can try to measure forces again with you.

Dogs that are mentally dominant and physically submissive exist. It is the case of Bingo, a puppy Toy, cousin of Rex. Bingo adores to be caressed, brushed, loaded in the lap.... but only when he wants! Anybody wrong, or in the wrong moment and ZAP! It is tooth for every side. Besides Bingo knows as turning of belly upward, to shrink todinho or to begin to yelp as a lunatic for anybody to threaten him of punishment. If somebody holds firm him and in an authoritarian way, he is quietinho and all shakes, but as soon as the incautious and abused to loosen a little bit.... ZAP, ZAP, ZAP (there is there is there is there is), more a lot of bitten!!!!!

Aggression for dominância is serious thing and it should be treated as soon as possible. Training of basic obedience prevent this problem type, since dog and owner will be communicating and reinforcing the owner's leadership. Once the problem already exists, the best is to seek professional help to do his/her dog to give up leader's position and to learn to appreciate the tame life of an inferior member in the hierarchy of the group.

Aggression for Possessividade and Competitiveness

This is the type of more common aggressiveness among dogs of the same sex and same size físco, that live at the same house. It is also, usually, the type that happens in the dogs regarding the children of the family. Different from the aggression for dominância, this is typically a subject among" siblings."

When Rex was two years old, their owners solved that it would be a good idea to buy other puppy to do him/her company. It was then that Roover entered in his/her life. In the beginning Rex thought that ball of for the it didn't pass of a plague, but with the time, Rex rediscovered the pleasures of the games of the nestlings. All happy ones and living harmoniozamente, until that one day.....

When Rex had 4 years and Roover 2 approximately, badly they could be close one of the other. Every minute was a new fight and every more violent day.

The owners of Rex and Roover didn't know what to do. Rex that always a tame dog was out unbearable, and the poor Roover, almost always took the worst. All ran to separate the fight and to try to protect Roover.

-" He/she gives a toy for Roover, poor fellow."

-" He/she makes an affection in Roover, the pobrezinho:.

-" Rex is very ugly! Rex bad, bad, bad, bad!!!!"

Even without knowing, the owners of Rex and Roover were making everything wrong. Actually they were still fomenting more the fights among the dogs. The one that happens is that Rex always out superior hierarquicamente Roover and for that they didn't have problems. When Roover entered in the adult age, ideas began to patrol his/her head and a vozinha there of the bottom he/she said": it Goes, he/she catches the position of Rex, you can! He/she sees, my owners always give me attention first, they always give me eaten first, the better toys.... Rex was already! Without a doubt any my owners want me to occupy a higher position. Now it is only to show to Rex who is that it orders!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the garden, did Rex converse": Who is that brat of leaning Roover what? Is he just because half crescidinho thinks will drop myself? I am the most important, I always went! After all, who is that he/she sleeps more close to the owners? Who does go first by the door when we will leave?

Who is the first to be brushed? ME! ME! ME! I show to that kid with how many bites if it bites an ear!"

Already desperate, The owners of Rex and Roover decided to seek a professional that explained what was happening and how to correct the problem.

When they understood that to end with the fights the best it would be to reinforce the highest position of Rex, everything was resolved and the peace reigned again. Sometimes, to end with the fights in definitive, it is necessary" to pass" the highest position among the dogs for the youngest dog, because he is what possesses the dominantest profile.

The same careful should be been in relation to dogs and children, especially when they live at the same house. For the dogs the children are as siblings, with whom need to dispute a position. It is very important that the adults reinforce the children's position as superiors (children are ALWAYS superiors) and never leave near without supervision children below 6 years of age dogs. It is worth to remind also, that it is very important the children to learn early how to treat a dog with kindness and respect.

Aggression for Fear

Unlike the aggression for dominância, the dog bites and it attacks for fear and excessive submission. It is a type of common aggression in dogs that were little socialized when small and that you/they find strange everything that is new. It also happens with frequenência in dogs that are battered or that you/they suffered some trauma type.

Rex had a friend that lived in the same street, his/her name was Brush. Although Rex has never seen Brush turning nehuma barks, they said that he was a beautiful cur. Brush had a free life and it was always free for the street, walking, smelling the posts and visiting the dogs of the neighborhood. Brush was very tame and he/she never entered in obstacles. A beautiful day, when Brush went to see who was the new puppy that walked on the other side of the street running... WOOD, CRASH, BUM, TUMB! Brush was run over!

Thanks to the neighbors' ready service that you/they took running him for the veterinarian, Brush survived, but it was never again the same. No, he was not with any physical sequel of the accident. Simply Brush took horror of cars and people (after all that people that carried him/it down the street for the caused a pain mouthful). The days finished liberate for Brush. From the accident him more he/she cannot leave to the street, because if somebody arrives close to him, or to happen a car, Brush is panicky and it bites everything to be for close.

Not always such tragic healthy causes, (Rex already heard to speak that in the apartment 604 has a Yorkshire that cannot see broom that bites everybody! And Cocker the 901?! When he/she hears a thunder enters under the bed and if somebody tries to remove him/it of there... Survive who can!), but the reason of the aggression is always the same. These dogs are afraid and they are trying to defend.

Once again the best is to prevent exposing his/her nestling to different atmospheres, people, sounds, equipments, and always to turn those experiences prazeirosas.

When the dog already presents aggressiveness signs for fear, the best is to seek a professional to identify the source, or exact sources of the fear and to establish a careful program of desensitization, otherwise the problem can still become worse.

Never comfort a dog with fear. Besides you to be taking a risk to take a bite, it will be rewarding the fear and, therefore, motivating the dog behaving of this sorts things out.

Aggression for Protection Territorial or Maternal

The territorial aggression is usually appreciated by the owners and a lot of times stimulated. Although it is a valuable tool for the guard of our residences and properties, the territorial aggression can be associated with dominância or fear and it can become a danger if it is out of control. Pirate, other friend of Rex, is a Belgian Shepherd that was always a good watchdog for the own genetic characteristics of the race. Nobody strange it could pass close to the house and Pirate soon gave the alarm. Little by little Pirate went enlarging what he considered as" his/her" property. Among other things, his/her lady started to be a preciousness to be defended, mainly of that called arrogant HUSBAND!

One day arrived at the house a Mercedes black, brand new, and Pirate fell in love with the car. Ningúem, but nobody, he/she could dare to play in the car! It was then that the HUSBAND said": Ah no! the Car NO!" and Pirate was transferred for" another neighborhood" (that expression causes chills in Rex). The territorial protection can being of people, places of the house, toys, cloths, or literally any thing. Although it is more common in certain races (Shepherds, Rottweilers, Terriers), the aggression for territorial protection is not exclusive of races, sex or size of the dogs.

Since most of the people that you/they possess dogs wants some protection type, it is advisable that it is taken a course of basic training of obedience so that one can have control of the situation and to teach to the dog to maintain calm when the owners are home, for instance.

For incredible that it seems, the aggression for maternal protection is more common in females than they don't possess nestlings of what in the ones that has just given birth. This aggression type is related with a hormone that precedes the rut, called progesterona. His/her production extends for two months in the female dogs that were not fecundated and, for the ones that they had nestlings, for more two months after the childbirth. Some females get to present all of the signs of a false pregnancy and they take certain objects as if they were their nestlings, defending them as crazy.

Happily this aggressiveness type is passing!

Aggression among Males

This specific type of aggression is very rare to happen among females. His/her origin seems to be linked to the need of eliminating the competition and like this to guarantee the propagation of the individual's genetic characteristics. Are the typical macho men (why always the males, it is not even?). This is practically the only case in that the castration seems to solve the problem.

We sought Rex for this interview, but he refused to comment on the subject (he/she alleged conflict of interests)!

Predatory aggression

That aggression type is rare in domestic dogs and it is driven against other species, such as cats, sheep, rabbits, etc. Very rarely the predatory aggression will happen the dog be socialized with the other animal. Like this, difficultly a dog that was created with a kitten will try to kill him/it. Besides, this is the great problem of this aggression type. She means to KILL. Some hunt races are developed with a high degree of predatory aggression. This is the case, for instance, of Jack Russell Terriers, a race that never she recommend to leave alone with hamsters, cats, or any small other animal. Rex told us that until today the Steak has if held well, although she already has him/it seen dribbling when the neighbor's cat invited them to dinner.

Aggression for Learning

This is the case of dogs that you/they are workout for us to be aggressive. When properly and humanly, these dogs are exemplary. Such as dogs of the police, they can be caressed by children and walk in the middle of a crowd without demonstrating the smallest nervousness sign, but the following second, under command, they are capable to attack and to immobilize a thief with the precision of a firearm. To train dogs for attack without all of the socialization aspects, genetics, and control are observed is worse of the than to do a Russian roulette. Nor every dog has the necessary profile to be trained for attack. As much the dog as the owner they have to be balanced, calm, social, intelligent and controlled. Unhappily nor all have those characteristics and the dogs are abused, battered and beaten for if they turn more aggressive. The result is what we see in the newspapers, once in a while, of dogs that attack the own owner, children or people that are going by the street, sometimes resulting in death. Or then dogs that are stimulated by the owners to attack other dogs or to participate in cock-fights.

According to Rex, he doesn't link with this type of dogs. He/she said that it is not fear, but subject of beginnings. I know!

Aggression for Ignored Cause

Although rare, cases exist in that dogs turn against the owners or people that they know, without there is any apparent reason. Almost that suddenly, these bugs, always calm, educated and obedient, they become dangerous, snarling, biting or trying to attack any one to be for close, for, the following minute, to return to the normal.

They are cases that are not related with dominância, fear, protection, diseases or any other known cause. The origin of this aggression type seems to be deeply linked the genetics. Some races were already diagnosed with that problem that is known as" Syndrome of Avalance of Hate." It is the case of Dogs of Pirineu, of Bernese, São Bernardos, Rottweilers, Dobemans, German Shepherds and more frequently in Cockers English Spaniels of blond color. That doesn't mean that all of the dogs of these races have problems. On the contrary, these are rare cases. However, a lot of care should be had and to try to know how the parents' temperament is before buying a filhotinho of any race.

A cure doesn't exist for this aggressiveness type. In the cases in that the attacks are frequent and they represent danger for the people, the only human solution is the euthanasia. To maintain the dog arrested, isolated, or chained the time all is much crueller.

Written by Claudia Pizzolato
Trainer and specialist in canine behavior
Lord Cão. Training of Dogs
www.lordcao.com.br