Aggression in dogs is a very serious behavior problem and should be dealt with right from the start. Common signs of dog aggression include growling, baring teeth, snarling, snapping and biting.

What most people do not understand is that while this kind of behavior is unacceptable to humans, it is quite natural for dogs to be aggressive. Where dogs are concerned, there is always a good reason for aggressive behavior, the only problem is that their owners fail to acknowledge it.

Dog aggression can be reduced or even prevented as long as you, the owner, are willing to understand the factors that influence your dog's behavior. A good rule is to treat any signs of aggression as they surface, rather than deal with aggression when it has become an issue. It is always easier that way. It is also easier when you understand how important your role is and how your own behavior may contribute to the development of aggression problems in your dog.  A dog may show more than one type of aggression.
 

Agonistic: Personality conflict between two dogs without another cause.

Barrier Frustration: A barrier (for example, the dog is tied up) causes frustration. The dog can't escape, so it attacks.

Competitive: Housemate dogs who fight, usually over social status.

Displaced:  The aggressive intent was redirected from one target to another.

Dominance aggression: The dog mistakenly thinks he runs the house and reacts to a conflict situation with a known family member by turning aggressive.

Drug-induced: While on certain medications, a dog's perceptions may be affected and cause aggression.

Encephalopathic: Aggression caused by a medical condition in the brain (for example, epilepsy).

Fear-induced aggression: A dog that growls or snaps when afraid thinks he is fighting for his life. Because of a combination of genetic tendencies, early experience and sometimes abuse, a dog with this type of aggression that cannot escape when cornered will attack. During the growling, snapping or attack, the dog shows fear postures such as crouching with its tail between its legs.

Food guarding: The dog has the mistaken idea that people take food instead of give it.

Improper socialization: The dog may have been isolated as a puppy and socially stunted, causing aggression.

Intra-sex: Female dogs who fight only female dogs, or male dogs who fight only male dogs.

Irritable: This type of aggression is due to a medical problem that lowers a dog's aggression threshold.

Maternal protective: This type of accession occurs in females when their young are present.

Owner protective: While this type of aggression is sometimes appropriate, some dogs may display aggression inappropriately in this role.

Pack response:  Dogs act differently when in a group. Some may show aggression when in a group.

Pain-induced: This is a reflex aggression designed to relieve pain.

Play escalation: Some aggression starts as play such as roughhousing, and may escalate to aggression.

Possessive: Aggression associated with possessing toys or stolen non-food objects.

Territorial: The dog may display aggression in conjunction with inappropriate guarding of an area, such as the owner's home.

Trained: Some dogs are trained to bite people and may become confused and mistakenly show aggression or bite a person when not instructed to.

Unintentionally learned: Some people pet an aggressive dog to try to calm him. This action is understood by the pet as positive reinforcement or praise of the aggressive behavior so the behavior continues.

Whatever you do, take precautions. Keeping everyone safe is your main concern. Since you are responsible for your dog's behavior, it would be a good idea to confine her, leash her or restrict your dog’s activities until you have found a way to deal with the problem. If you feel that you can not control your dog or if you're afraid that your dog may bite someone then it's better that she wears a muzzle. Remember, these are only temporary measures until you can get professional dog training help.

If you can identify the situations that cause most of your dog's aggressive behavior then you should avoid them at least for the time being. Exposing your dog to situations where she is more likely to show aggression will work against you.

You can spay or neuter your dog. Hormones are known to contribute to aggressive tendencies in intact dogs so it's more likely for them to show some kind of aggressive behavior.

Aggressive Dog Treatment

Get professional help. An aggression problem will not go away by itself. Treatment is best handled by a professional dog trainer who has a lot of experience working with aggressive dogs. You wouldn't want to hire any dog trainer who is poorly qualified or anyone who uses excessive force and punishment in order to correct an aggressive dog.

Punishment won’t help, in fact, it will make the problem worse. In most cases, the use of punishment will either challenge your dog's dominant position or make her more fearful, and therefore more aggressive. It will help escalate the aggressive behavior and is more likely to result in a bite or a severe attack.

Most aggressive dogs can be retrained under the right circumstances. However, before you start a program to correct an aggressive dog, you must realize that there is a chance your dog may never be trustworthy around other people or children and may bite if provoked. Consult veterinarians or animal behaviorists for their opinions about whether your dog can be rehabilitated or should be put down.


The most important step is to determine the cause of aggression. If there is any medical condition present, it might contribute indirectly to lowering the threshold for aggression. Your veterinarian can work with you to determine the cause of your pet's aggression and recommend appropriate treatment and training.