The Pet Behavior Clinic
Helping Pets and People Grow Together.

Domestication of canines resulted in dogs accepting humans as part of their social group so dogs communicate with us in the same way they communicate with other dogs. Dogs communicate with tail wags and facial expression but also with aggression. Dogs often prefer to avoid confrontation by interpreting the glance or posture of other animals, including humans. However, people and dogs often misunderstand each other. 

Most people avoid approaching strange dogs but when we do, much of human greeting behavior is threatening to dogs. We have all been told to offer dogs our hand to "smell". Don't do this!  Dogs can smell you fine from several feet away. Sticking out your hand is threatening to a dog. Shaking hands with a dog's owner can also be perceived as a threat. Patting a dog on the head or shoulders is pushy when you don't know the dog. Direct eye contact and leaning over a dog can also be perceived as threatening and may trigger defensive biting. 

Over 75% of bite victims are children bitten by a dog they know. If you are bitten by your own dog, remember, no matter how much your feelings (and body) may be hurt, biting is just one of many ways for a dog to communicate. Injuring a person, especially a child, is a common cause of loss of life for a dog so it is critical that you get professional help to evaluate biting behavior. Your trainer can help you understand the triggers for canine aggression so you can predict, prevent and manage the behavior. The motivation for the behavior is the key to changing it. Of course, more than one type of aggression can occur at the same time. 

Dominance or Social Status aggression is influenced by a dog's social position in the family. If your dog is aggressive with family members, chances are he perceives you as  an equal or feels he has earned a superior social status. Read about becoming your dog's leader to resolve problems with social status aggression. 

Maternal aggression is the defense of puppies. A mother dog may become aggressive with strangers when she is nursing puppies. If a mother dog defends her puppies from you, she may not have a proper relationship with you as her leader. Maternal aggression can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance which may require medical treatment. 

Anxious or Fear Aggression causes dogs to bite when they are afraid or in pain. The bite simply communicates a desire to escape the situation. If your dog is fearful of everyday events, of strange dogs or people, you should work with a professional trainer to reduce the fears and anxiety. If your dog is afraid most of the time, you may want to consult a veterinary behaviorist who can prescribe medication if it is warranted. 

Territorial aggression is directed at intruders, human, pet or wild animals. Territorial aggression is intended to drive trespassers away from the home and food supply. A subtype of territorial aggression is possessive aggression, in which a dog is guarding a specific toy, food, or even a person. Possessive aggression is directed toward strangers because the dog is protecting his resources. If the dog is guarding resources from family members, the aggression is related to social position described above as dominant or social status aggression.   

Territorial behavior sometimes includes chasing a victim. Territorial chasing behavior can be confused with predatory behavior. Predatory chasing is triggered by a dog's hunting instincts and is not aggression at all. Both types of behavior should be managed but they are addressed very differently. The best way to tell the difference, is that territorial chasing is accompanied by barking, growling and jumping around while predatory behavior is silent (Except in hounds). Both territorial and predatory behavior can involve biting.

Copyright 1999 Pet Behavior Clinic, Inc.