Finding Jake’s Root Cause/s of Aggression

Finding Jake’s Root Cause/s of Aggression

By LukEli K-9 Head Trainer, Jenny Proctor

He does have a sweet face, but you can't
judge a book by its cover!

One of the number one rules in behavior modification is that you should NEVER treat a dog for aggression unless you are certain of the root cause/s first because you can really make things worse by using inappropriate training methods for the circumstance. I have seen Jake display aggression in many different ways and quite a few different settings. I have begun a few things (i.e. charging the pager like a clicker, working on some basic obedience) that are independent of addressing the root cause/s but are laying the groundwork while we try to figure out just what Jake’s issues are for certain.

Sometimes, the issues dogs may have don’t really become apparent for quite some time after they are re-homed. I usually find that after 2-3 weeks the real behavioral issues manifest themselves, while sometimes these issues actually arise because of the new environment. Apparent issues with a new dog can morph from one thing to another in that span of time. For instance, Jake’s resource guarding issues are indeed just that, but he has other, more serious (in my opinion) problems that have begun to surface. Jake has displayed all of the following types of aggression, although I am undecided between dominance and fear aggression. Theoretically, dogs can’t be in both of those categories at the same time, though Jake is pushing my belief in that particular rule to the limits!

Aggression

From the ASPCA website: “Aggression is the most common and most serious behavior problem in dogs. It’s also the number-one reason why pet parents seek professional help from behaviorists, trainers and veterinarians.

What Is Aggression?

The term “aggression” refers to a wide variety of behaviors that occur for a multitude of reasons in various circumstances. Virtually all wild animals are aggressive when guarding their territories, defending their offspring and protecting themselves. Species that live in groups, including people and dogs, also use aggression and the threat of aggression to keep the peace and to negotiate social interactions.

To say that a dog is “aggressive” can mean a whole host of things. Aggression encompasses a range of behaviors that usually begins with warnings and can culminate in an attack. Dogs may abort their efforts at any point during an aggressive encounter. A dog that shows aggression to people usually exhibits some part of the following sequence of increasingly intense behaviors:

•  Becoming very still and rigid

•  Guttural bark that sounds threatening

•  Lunging forward or charging at the person with no contact

•  Mouthing, as though to move or control the person, without applying significant pressure

•  Body positioning to move or block access

•  “Muzzle punch” (the dog literally punches the person with her nose)

•  Growl

•  Showing teeth

•  Snarl (a combination of growling and showing teeth)

•  Snap

•  Quick nip that leaves no mark

•  Quick bite that tears the skin

•  Bite with enough pressure to cause a bruise

•  Bite that causes puncture wounds

•  Repeated bites in rapid succession

•  Bite and shake

Dogs don’t always follow this sequence, and they often do several of the behaviors above simultaneously. Many times, owners don’t recognize the warning signs before a bite, so they perceive their dogs as suddenly flying off the handle. However, that’s rarely the case. It can be just milliseconds between a warning and a bite, but dogs rarely bite without giving some type of warning beforehand.

Keep in mind that use of and threats of aggression is natural and normal for dogs. We expect a LOT when we expect our pets to show us no aggression whatsoever and most of the time our dogs are able to achieve that standard. Poor or incorrect socialization and lack of understanding on the dog owners part, however, can lead to dogs who lean more heavily on this type of behavior because it works for them and is instinctual. Knowing the difference between desirable and undesirable behavior can help nip aggression in the bud, before it spirals out of control!

What is dominance aggression and how is it diagnosed?

In animal behavior, “dominance” is defined as a relationship between individuals that is usually established through use of force, aggression, and submission. Dogs, in particular, use a variety of facial expressions and body postures as signals such as standing tall, a high wagging tail, eye contact, or snarling, and body positioning to communicate and jostle for their spot in the group in order to establish priority access to all desired resources (food, the opposite sex, preferred resting spots, etc). A relationship is not established until one animal consistently defers to another. Truly “dominant” dogs have no need to resort to force to establish their access to resources, but are simply granted that access (this part of the equation - why certain dogs have this status while others don’t - is a bit of a mystery) by the group, though they will show aggression if necessary. Dominant aggressive dogs don’t feel secure in their position and/or have learned inappropriate responses over time because of the behavior being reinforced and must constantly establish themselves through use of aggression. Because this type of aggression is related to access to resources as well as social freedom, aggression towards family members in one or more of the following circumstances along with dominant signaling may indicate dominance aggression:

Although this is not Jake this is an example of a dog
Resource Guarding a bone.

Protecting resting areas or resources (food, toys, beds, furniture)

Restraint, pulling, pushing, discipline, punishment

Staring, eye contact

Handling by the owner (lifting, petting, hugging, rolling over onto back or side)

Overprotection of a family member

Jake is definitely a candidate for this category, but he is also very confusing in the signals he sends at times. We also have to be careful not to confuse anxiety with fear. Dominant dogs can still be anxious and under-socialized, but they are not generally fearful. Possessive aggression is usually a form of dominance aggression (with one or two exceptions which I will talk about) and Jake certainly has issues with that. He uses aggression to stop you from making him do something he doesn’t want to do (like go outside) and that is indicative of DA, as well.

We have observed six different forms of aggression from Jake. The next blog will  be posted in a day or two and will discuss fear aggression and how it relates to Jakes actions, followed by a discussion of the other forms he’s displayed in the coming days as well.

Remember, aggression is always a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. Always keep safety in mind when dealing with aggression issues and don’t hesitate to contact a canine behavior modification professional for help reaching your goals!