Dog Aggression

Controlling an aggressive dog
By Ben Waterworth

Dogs serve as great companions but there is denying their animal instinct when it comes to potentially aggressive situations. As naturally raised carnivores, it is within a dog’s nature to be aggressive and territorial so in some situations you may find your beloved canine pet acting in situations that are less than ideal and in a worse case scenario a threat to the safety of you and others. It is important to understand the nature of your dog’s aggression and take the relevant steps in order to prevent it from becoming a problem. There are several categories of aggression that can come from dogs, and these include:

♣    Dominance aggression: A dog sitter can face this type of aggression while performing pet care tasks to a pet dog, say a doberman. It is often caused by what the dog perceives as a challenge to their social status or to their social interaction with other dogs or people. In much the same way as they would react if they were in a pack of other dogs, they also feel a similar attachment to their human owners and companions and if this is perceived to be threatened by your dog, aggression can occur
♣    Fear-motivated aggression: this type of defensive reaction can occur in your dog if they feel they are at risk of obtaining injury or harm. It is important to realise that in any situation with your dog, it will perceive dog sitters' intention in its own way, and this of course may be different to whatever the intent actually is. An example of this may come from the raising of an arm to or hand to throw an object such as ball or bone, leading to your dog biting you due to their belief they are protecting themselves from a hit or other punishment. Dogs also may become aggressive in fear-motivated form when other dogs or animals are involved and approach them
♣    Protective and possessive aggression: these are all closely similar in definition and may involve defending what the dog perceives as valuable items or resources. Aggression related to territory is usually referred to with defence of items the dog 'owns', and that perceived "territory" may go outside the fence and lines of your yard. A clear example of this can come from a dog walker's regular dog walking session your dog, and allowing them to ‘urine-mark’. This can then lead your dog to feel as though their territory incorporates the block and other surrounds outside of your own house. Aggression of the protective nature is closely associated with people or other dogs and animals that a dog believes to be a threat to their family, or as they believe it to be, their pack. Dogs can also at the same time get overly possessive and aggressive during meal times as well as when it comes to playing with toys and other items. An extreme example of this may come from protecting an item such as a piece of paper or tissue it removes from the garbage.
♣    Redirected aggression: this is a fairly common form of dog aggression but it is easily misunderstood by dog owners or pet sitters. If your dog is provoked by another animal, dog or human and they feel they are unable to fight back, it then moves their aggressive intentions onto something or someone else. A clear example of this would be in the case of a nearby dog beginning to bark and two dogs in the backyard suddenly turning on each other due to their confusion at the threat at hand. This clearly can be seen as confusing to the owner as they then become unaware as to why their animals are attacking each other. This form of aggression can often come down to the intention of food possession and shouldn't be seen as having the possible intent to cause injury or harm.

By understanding these types of aggression, preventative steps can be undertaken in order to make sure the proper order is maintained in your household. A perfect way for working with dogs who are aggressive is to enlist the help of a pet behavioural specialist who can detect a problem and help solve the issue. It is also essential that you constantly make regular visits to your local vet to seek out any medical conditions that may be causing the problem. Precautions must be closely undertaken to maintain the safety of the people on your home. Close supervision while working with dogs who are overly aggressive is vital and it is often a good idea to restrict its activities that have potential to harm others or other animals until professional help is sought.

Also, make sure your dog isn't in any harmful situation where they may be able to display any form of aggression. Confining them to a small safe room may be an option if there aren’t many others to go around. It is also important to avoid physical punishment, as this can more often than not make the situation worse. While having an aggressive dog is obviously not something we wish to deal with while working as dog walkers or dog sitters, it is unfortunately sometimes part of life and once the problem is safely maintained and dealt with, you can continue to enjoy a happy life with your furry friend. 

Animal care therapist find out why dogs behave in an irrational way. Many experienced dog trainers and groomers apply regularly at pet jobs posted on  various sites. In Australia there are TAFE courses which allow students to pick job oriented courses on dogs or animals in various institutes. Check out the work experience and references of these trainers while hiring a therapist for your dog.