The dog has become aggressive: causes and types of aggression. Types of aggression in dogs, recognition and correction What to do if a dog is aggressive towards people

Typical for puppies or young dogs
- Barking, growling, grabbing when playing
- May begin with play-related noises and develop into serious growling in response to rougher play.
- The dog may never learn to play (puppies that were orphaned early or played roughly in childhood)
- Plays roughly and when playing with other dogs growls for real, not in a “game” way
- Grabs a person’s arms, legs, clothes with his teeth, and in play he pulls a toy, grabbing his hands.

Rules to help avoid gaming aggression

By playing, the dog develops its skills and abilities. To prevent the game from developing into serious aggression and a struggle for dominance in the pack, you should know and adhere to a number of rules:

You must constantly win the game of tug-of-war. The dog must give in and return the object you are playing with.
- At the end of the game, pick up the item or toy until next time. This way you make it clear that this is your toy and you allow him to play with it.
- Do not allow the toy to be taken away or handled for a long time alone. This will increase the dog's possessiveness and can lead to serious problems as he gets older.
- Teach your puppy to play calm games. Forbid him to treat family members unceremoniously and rudely.
- You should not start the game if you are not sure that you can take the toy from your dog. With large breeds of dogs, you should not play such games at all when it is no longer a puppy, since, once it gets stronger, the dog will try to dominate the game. And she may succeed in this over time.

My food and I eat it. Dog aggression related to food.

Growling while eating when other dogs or people approach or come into view. Can appear at very long distances.
- A dog bites if it feels a threat (real or imaginary) of losing its food.
- Turns around and actively defends food or continues to hastily grab it, often dropping it and not ceasing to growl.
- A dog may not be aggressive at the sight of its usual food, but aggression increases at the sight of chewed or real bones, scraps of the owner's food, or treats.

Such aggression is the best indicator of the risk of developing dominance-related aggression.

Aggressive dog behavior associated with food must be stopped as follows:

1. Sit the dog down with the “sit” and “wait” commands.

2. After this, placing a bowl of food next to the dog, command “no” or “fu”, preventing the dog from immediately starting to eat.

3. After a certain pause, having allowed the dog to start eating, give the command “may” or “food”. The dog must understand that it only eats with your permission.

4. Interrupt the dogs' meal with the command “sit” and take away the bowl of food. The dog must allow this to be done without any complaints, growls or lunges.

5. Praise the dog and give him a treat if he follows the command well.

6. If the dog breaks down, does not respond to “fu”, “sit” and shows aggression, pull it away from the food by the leash and remove it. Send the dog to its place.

7. Repeat the exercises until the aggression stops.

To prevent food-related aggression from developing, a number of rules should be followed:

The dog should eat after all family members have eaten. In a pack, the lowest ranking dog eats last.
- Do not encourage begging, do not feed from the table. This can lead to the dog going after everything he wants, thereby becoming dominant.
- Don’t give a treat just like that, the dog must earn it.

Territorial aggression in dogs.

The dog barks, growls and bites.

The territory includes both stationary areas (house) and movable areas (car).

The dog defends its territory no matter who is present.

Aggression increases in the presence of any type of fence or restriction of freedom (i.e. when the boundaries of the area are clearly defined).

Aggression increases as the distance between the dog and the enemy decreases.

The dog is not aggressive in the absence of a protected area, but can quickly become aggressive, for example, in a new enclosure.

If you are not raising a guard dog or want to do it right, then the following tips will be useful to you:

In your presence, do not allow anyone to throw themselves at the fence or fence if someone is passing nearby or you are having a conversation through the fence with a neighbor.

Allow your pet to guard the territory and show signs of defense when commanded “stranger”, “guard” or “voice”.

Do not reinforce unwanted behavior such as throwing and barking at passing cars and people passing by.

If you want your dog to become a true protector of your family and home, you need to teach it both obedience and special protection skills and take special courses on home and car protection.

Possessive aggression or “I won’t give up what’s mine”

The dog does not give back toys and other objects, including those stolen during play with a partner (human or animal).

May bring an item to play with and then growl if anyone tries to take it.

The dog protects an object that it observes from a distance.

You should remember and teach your puppy that toys or other objects belong to you, not your dog, and you allow the dog to use them.

Manifestation of defensive aggression:

Aimed at protecting owners from other people or dogs.

One person can be selected as the object of protection and protection.

The dog stands between the protected person and others.

The dog barks, growls, grabs, bites; manifestations of aggression usually intensify when the enemy approaches the protected object.

The reaction can be provoked by quick movements and hugs.

In the absence of a protected person, aggression does not manifest itself.

Aggression due to fear:

The dog may bark, growl, grab your hand, and roll over onto its back.

May shake and tremble during and after aggressive actions, bite from behind and run away.

The dog cowers and tries to run away; driven into a corner, it becomes dangerous.

Reasons for this behavior may include a painful medical procedure, abuse, unreasonable punishment, poor breeding, and raising the dog in an environment with poor experiences and lack of communication. Dogs that have an unbalanced temperament and a weak nervous system almost always bite out of fear.

If your dog exhibits this type of aggression, conduct several training sessions that will help him establish good relationships with others and ensure his own safety. For example, if the dog is afraid of people coming towards you, ask your friends to come up to you and give the dog pieces of something tasty, pet it and calm it down.

From an early age, introduce your puppy to all sorts of objects and phenomena of our daily life. Take it with you everywhere. At the same time, be careful that nothing harms the dog or greatly frightens it. If something frightens your pet, sit down, pet it and calm it down with words. Let him feel your support and confidence.

It hurts me, it hurts. Dog aggression due to pain.

It usually appears in response to manipulation, and in dogs that have already had experience of pain, before manipulation.

The dog does not necessarily retreat - it can grab the hand with its teeth in an attempt to stop the painful effect or anticipating it.

Aggression occurs in response to rough play from children or other dogs, especially if the dog is old.

It often grows and turns into aggression due to fear.

In this case, do not beat the dog for disobedience, do not cause it pain or physical discomfort. Reassure and encourage good behavior. Don't raise your voice, make sure the irritants don't repeat themselves, and stay calm even if the dog bites.

I am the best. Intraspecific aggression in dogs.

Usually occurs between males or females and is associated with the maintenance of a social hierarchical structure.

Included in the repertoire of sexual behavior (intensified in males if a female in heat appears among them).

Typically begins around the time of social maturity (18–24 months of age).

Conflicts can begin with staring, pushing, or pushing away from food, participation in play, or contact with the owner.

It can be generalized, but can only occur in individual, specific situations related to competition, for example, controlling access to a bed, doors or a certain room.

It can intensify under the influence of endogenous hormones, but, being social, it usually occurs between castrated dogs living in the same house, including those castrated at an early age.

Victims of aggression are often old and weakened animals.

Attention! Sick dogs are also often targeted

Most conflicts between male dogs only end in displays of threats unless the owners intervene.

But if any of the owners tries to prevent an allegedly brewing fight, then one of the males may decide to attack. We will have to separate dogs that can get injured and also bite one of the owners. If there is a female in heat nearby, you need to isolate her or the males. During such periods, you can give male dogs sedatives or treat the female dog with special sprays that eliminate the smell, since the reproductive instincts of male dogs are very strong and can cause a lot of trouble.

Maternal aggression of a bitch.

Dog protects toys and bedding from people and dogs
- In the presence of puppies, vocalizes from a great distance
- Can grab with her teeth, usually with a voice, if the puppy is taken from her.
- With constant anxiety, he may eat a toy or a puppy.
- Aggression depends on hormonal status, behavior is normalized with changes in hormone levels.

This aggression usually decreases as the puppies get older and are no longer fed their mother's milk.

Predatory aggression

The dog silently chases small mammals and birds
- May also chase children or stare at them silently and drooling.
- Tracks and stalks cyclists and skateboarders.

Such aggression can be provoked by high-pitched sounds, uncoordinated movements and sudden silence. The dog in such cases becomes dangerous.

Positive results are obtained by taking your dog through an obedience course and correcting its hierarchical position in the family. Some dogs, when chasing a “prey,” stop it more easily with the command “down!”, while others stop with the command “come!” This is practiced, for example, while playing with objects: you throw an object and put down the dog running after it (if necessary, use a long leash or a training collar). At the same time, this will help establish you as a pack leader and improve your dog management.

Dog aggression towards children.

Children need to be taught how to behave around unfamiliar dogs. There would be much less bites if children knew these rules:

1. You should always ask permission before petting your dog.
2. You should never tease an unfamiliar dog.
3. If a dog catches up with a child, he needs to stop and stand still.
4. You should not look dogs in the eyes - they regard direct gaze as a challenge

We recognize an aggressive dog and avoid it.

An aggressive dog slightly arches its back, tucks its tail, exposes its fangs and incisors, and presses its ears to its head. Most often, the animal only imitates an attack and is not going to bite for real. At the same time, its front paws are widely spaced, its muzzle is slightly lowered, its head is kept at the level of its back, and it tries not to look into the eyes. If you do not provoke the dog, the attack will not occur. The main thing is not to turn your back on the dog.

If the dog’s ears stand up, folds appear on the muzzle around the eyes and on the forehead, and the nose is extended and the mouth is bared, it means that the dog is not afraid of you and is ready to attack. The fur of such a dog stands up, the eyes turn red, the pupil is dilated, and the animal looks intently into your eyes. If the tail is up and moving vigorously, the animal is confident of victory, the likelihood of an attack increases, and you may be bitten.

When meeting a dog, you should follow a few simple rules to ensure safety. Never tease dogs, do not shout, do not provoke them into aggression. Also, you should not sneak up, suddenly and loudly address its owner, or make sudden movements. Any of these actions means that the dog is being attacked, his owner or his territory, and he may react aggressively.

Konstantin Markin

Reading time: : 12 minutes

Some people get a dog to relieve their loneliness, while others cannot imagine life without them. Well, the third category of people are loyal followers of guard dogs. Watchdogs have many worthy representatives, including the Asian Shepherd, Rottweiler and Doberman Pinscher. Today we will dive into the interesting world of the Doberman and learn a lot about the animal, whose posture the queen herself can admire. The fame of the detective abilities of dogs of this breed is one step ahead of the animal itself.

Dobermans are not only a working dog, but also a loyal friend who will console you in difficult times. These generous individuals have a fiery disposition. They can safely be classified as one of those breeds that are insanely attached to their owner. In this article we will tell you the life expectancy, weight of a Doberman, how to care for a Doberman and what to feed a Doberman. In general, everything a happy animal owner wants to know about.

The Doberman Pinscher is a relatively young breed. It arose as a result of crossing many breeds, including the French Shepherd, English and German. The father of this breed is the German tax inspector Louis Dobermann. The dog's appearance shows the features of a miniature pinscher, however, in terms of strength and size, it is a full-fledged guard dog. Unfortunately, the breeder did not leave any records about the breed, so modern specialists can only speculate and speculate about their origin. It is worth noting that the Doberman Pinscher is the only representative of the German breed that received the name of its owner.

There is a legend that Dobermann specifically bred this watchdog for his own protection. The Doberman's introduction to the world occurred in 1876.

Dobermans appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Immediately after their appearance, dogs began to be widely used for search purposes. In the middle of the 20th century, the Doberman breed acquired official status by the International Cynological Association.

Modern Dobermans are individuals of the highest class, which have repeatedly become prize-winners of international exhibitions.

Doberman breed description - briefly

An animal such as the Doberman breed standard is characterized by the following qualities:

• Color - ranging from black to yellow-brown.
• The breed standard allows black color. As for the chocolate shade, the standard does not cross it off the list of permitted ones.
• The size of males at the withers is 68-72 cm, females - 63-68 cm.
• The ideal option is when the length of the body is proportional to the height.
• A male weighs 40-45 kg, a female from 32 to 35 kg.
• Life expectancy is 11 years.
• Country of origin: Germany.
• Where is it used? Army, police. They often play the role of devoted friends and family members.

Animal character and temperament

Dobermans do not like to sit in the apartment; they are fans of outdoor activities. In general, the content comes down to daily active walks outside, allowing the dog to be in excellent shape.

Nutrition

As for approaches to the plate, a single meal is sufficient for an adult animal, however, an acceptable option is feeding in the morning and at lunch.

According to experts, babies up to 6 months need to be fed 5-6 times a day. With age, intake is reduced to 4 times. Required condition! A nursing animal, like any other, should not be left without water. The water must be changed 2 times a day.

What do Dobermans get sick with?

Despite the fact that these dogs do not have diseases characteristic of dogs, such as cataracts and cataracts, they are susceptible to other pathologies. It is worth noting that cases of diagnosis have become more frequent in European countries. In addition, American breeders note the emergence of new hereditary problems, in particular Wobbler syndrome, a blood disease.

Other diseases are represented by the following disadvantages:

• Incorrect bite.
• Pigment spots.

Lifespan

Many Doberman lovers are interested in the question, how many years do Dobermans live?

The lifespan of dogs directly depends on care and nutrition. With proper care and nutrition, the life expectancy of these aristocrats is on average 12-15 years. In some cases, life expectancy exceeds this age.

1. Hierarchical or, as it is called, dominant aggression in dogs. This type is more typical for an adult male, aged from 1.5 to 3 years - the animal is more mature, strives to take the place of the leader and, accordingly, all its behavior will be subordinated to aggression and herd instincts. You can remove the manifestation of this aggression by immediately showing the dog its place, by sending it to training courses - the main thing is to never hit the animal, but to pay more attention and affection.
2. Painful aggression– the animal’s body’s response to pain. In this case, aggression will manifest itself in the dog when visiting a veterinary clinic, undergoing medical procedures, or when the owner is improperly trained, when the latter shows force and rudeness towards the dog. The main thing in this case is not to hit the animal, since this behavior is caused by self-defense instincts. Calm your pet and eliminate all factors and causes that cause the dog pain.
3. Sexual, dominant aggression in dogs– most often manifests itself in a sexually mature male, and is caused by natural processes of selection of the strongest male for further reproduction and procreation. A person, an owner or another animal is the object of aggression in this case, but again it is worth repeating - this is natural behavior, you should not hit or scold the dog. In this case, it is recommended to treat the bitch with special compounds, odor-reducing sprays during the period of heat, and give maximum stress to male dogs while walking, while simultaneously using sedative medications. If it doesn’t help, sterilize the animal, which will help reduce aggressive sexual behavior and allow the dog to live longer.
4. Defensive aggression- most likely this behavior is typical of a weak and somewhat cowardly, unbalanced animal that has been driven into a corner and has no way to get out of the trap. A dog can show such aggression if it is treated roughly - never scold your pet for no reason, but best of all, show affection and attention, show your love, building self-confidence in the dog, removing irritation and aggression. It is also recommended that all animal owners take a training course with their pets aimed at obedience and socialization of the dog.
5. Territorial aggression- a classic version of the instinctive behavior of an animal. A dog, no matter a male or a female, will defend its vital territory - an apartment, yard, place or room. The main thing that the owner must remember is not to violate the dog’s personal space, especially if the bitch has puppies or the dog is rutting. You can correct an animal's behavior with the help of a training course, giving the animal an attitude toward leadership of the owner and subordination of the dog.
6. Food aggression in dogs- another type of manifestation of animal instincts. The dog begins to growl when the owner or other animals approach its bowl, and may bite if it feels that food may be taken away from it. In this case, it is worth correcting the dog’s behavior gradually - when all family members have eaten, do not encourage the pet to constantly beg for treats, give a treat only if the animal has earned it, for example, by correctly following the command.
7. Maternal aggression– manifests itself in bitches during the period of bearing and feeding their puppies. What is typical is that aggression can manifest itself towards adult family members and other animals, but it may not apply to small children. To correct the dog’s behavior by lowering the threshold of aggression, you can create maximum comfortable conditions for the bitch with puppies, moving her to a separate room, room, with a minimum of noise, without disturbing the animal. At the same time, any actions or manipulations with puppies should be done only when the bitch is not nearby.
8. Hunting aggression- one of the most dangerous species. It is in the excitement of the hunt that the dog strives to cause maximum harm to the enemy - the victim, and is especially dangerous if a group of dogs acts in the hunter's instinct. As a result, an animal or a person can be bitten to death. An attack of hunting aggression can be provoked by any moving object or shrill sounds, an uncoordinated, sharp attack towards the animal - the dog in this case becomes especially dangerous. You can correct an animal’s behavior in the right direction by completing an obedience course for the owner and the dog, gradually adjusting its position and status in the family. Some dog breeders recommend using electronic devices to correct a dog's behavior, but this issue is controversial - an electronic collar or a stun gun can make a dog with an unbalanced psyche even more angry.
9. Defensive aggression– the reason for its manifestation in an animal may be a direct threat to the dog itself, a member of the family in which it lives and, as a result, an instant manifestation of a response, aggression on the part of the animal. Even if your pet was previously white and fluffy and did not show aggression towards family members and other animals, a defensive reaction is one of the components of its natural instincts, manifesting itself in a given situation. In this case, the owners must remember to prevent or correct this behavior; the dog’s type of aggression is unlikely to happen. Its correction can somewhat reduce the manifestations of defensive aggression - a special course of training and socialization, maximum attention to the pet and the creation of comfortable conditions for it, starting from the first days and months of its stay in your home.

Main signs of aggressive mood in dogs

The manifestation of aggression can be immediately identified by the dog’s behavior, its reaction to the approach of another animal, a person - in this case, the animal’s body becomes tense, the stance is with widely spaced paws, the muzzle will be lowered to chest level, and the eyes will be raised, looking up.

Even the most good-natured dog can become aggressive at one moment - in this case, the animal’s back will arch, its tail will be tightly clamped between its paws, and its grin will be exposed. With this behavior, the animal warns that the dog does not intend to conflict, nor does it intend to attack, but in case of danger, it will defend the territory, food and offspring. If the animal is ready to attack and no longer intends to retreat, the tail and ears will stand straight up, the hair on the withers will stand on end, and the eyes will be wide open.

How to correct dog aggression

Considering the question itself - how to remove aggression from a dog, the correction should first of all be aimed at stopping the development of manifestations of the animal’s negative behavior, neutralizing and eliminating all signs of anger and aggression in the pet.

By correcting the animal’s behavior, training and giving instructions, the dog is weaned from aggression, taking into account the following principles:

• first of all, the owners themselves should exclude all irritating factors, reasons that can provoke the dog’s aggressive behavior;
• never beat or severely punish an animal for the slightest offense and eliminate the motivation for displaying aggressive behavior;
• when a dog lives in a family, from the first days of its stay in the house, give leadership to the head of the family as the leader of the pack, indicating the place of the animal;
• develop positive habits in the animal, not using severity, beating and loud, aggressive commands, but forming them with sufficient attention to the animal, a friendly attitude and affection;
• If you are sending an animal for a training course, you should choose an experienced and trusted dog handler, since incompetent treatment and attitudes can only harm the dog, making it even more dangerous to others. At the same time, many experienced dog handlers recommend periodically repeating the training course, giving the dog the opportunity to remember and re-consolidate the skills and attitudes it previously acquired, in particular the attitude towards the dominance and supremacy of the owner, but not the animal.

Medication course adjustment

In parallel with the course of training from an experienced dog handler, you can also undergo a course of drug therapy - treating excessive aggression in a dog with the help of sedatives gives a positive result. The main thing that a dog owner should remember is that a veterinarian should prescribe this or that drug, based on the results of an examination of the animal and an assessment of its condition. As dog breeders and experienced dog handlers note, a course of pharmacotherapy is quite useful, and sometimes even an obligatory part of correcting a dog’s overly aggressive behavior

The whole point is that:

1. Increased anxiety plays a significant role in the formation of an animal’s aggressive behavior, inhibiting its learning course– it is for this reason that the pet is recommended to undergo a course of anxiolytic therapy, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the behavior correction course.
2. Equally, the manifestation of aggression in a dog is played by the character of the animal, and not by the level of its reactivity– in this case, the development of one or another conditioned reflex through training is not sufficient to correct the behavior of a pet. In this case, many veterinarians recommend, in the process of modifying the behavior of an aggressive dog, the use of special drugs that block impulses in brain activity, suppressing the animal’s aggression and reaction.

But in any case, training and drug therapy are half the battle, correcting the animal’s behavior. Every owner should treat their pet with due attention and care and show it love. By shaping a dog, each owner shapes himself, adjusting the animal’s behavior and his own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK3OvyEETMQn cannot boast of thick hair, so in winter he must be dressed in warm clothes.

Price issue

When answering the question of how much a Doberman costs, you need to pay attention to the fact that a puppy with documents costs more. A puppy with a package of documents can be purchased for 15-45 thousand rubles, without documents the price drops to 8 thousand.

final grade

Well, it’s time to summarize and give a general assessment of this animal. So, the assessment takes place according to a 10-point system.

Doberman characteristics are as follows:

• Hostility is 6 out of 10.
• Adaptability is assessed at 8 points.
• Activity is worth 10 points.
• Mischievousness, friendliness 8 points out of 10.
• Intellectual abilities are assessed at 6 points.
• 10 of 10.

So, the overall score is 8 points, which characterizes the dog on the positive side. The love and devotion that comes from the kind heart of a Doberman is beyond the power of years.

When certain problems appear in the animal’s behavior, for example, certain behavioral stereotypes, uncleanliness, general nervousness, hyperactivity, etc. It is completely impossible or difficult to establish a clear connection between events in the surrounding world and deviant behavior. However, for most cases of aggression or fear, as well as other forms of behavioral deviations, it is possible to identify a clear, well-defined problem situation - specific environmental conditions in which problems consistently appear and which are most easily explained by the influence of certain specific situations and stimuli on animal behavior.

External stimuli

Aggressive behavior in once calm dogs often develops in response to some kind of influence. A dog can bite its owner if he takes it by the sore part of the body or steps on its tail. Often an outbreak of aggression appears when there are strong sound and other signals.

Exciting stimuli

Exciting stimuli such as slamming car doors on the street, an owner constantly looking out the window, an unfamiliar smell suddenly reaching the dog, encourage it to be more attentive and, perhaps, to be more active in an unusual way. A dog that has just been lying calmly gets up from its place. At the same time, she seems to be very attentive and tense. The dog is looking for something, sniffs the front door, looks at the windows and carefully monitors the behavior of its owner.

Such stimuli are not the direct cause of or exacerbation of the animal's behavior problems, such as the stimuli described in the next two categories. However, the likelihood and intensity of inappropriate reactions to these stimuli, as well as the pet owner's ability to prevent such reactions, may depend greatly on the animal's general arousal state.

Activating stimuli

Hearing the bell, the dog, showing aggression in defending the territory, rushes to the front door barking. The first distant rumbles of thunder cause a dog, afraid of thunderstorms, to rush to its owner in search of protection. A dog with a pronounced aggressive desire for superiority will bite a person if he tries to take away his sock. These stimuli are the true causes of behavior problems, and pet owners, when answering specific questions from a consultant, can usually accurately describe them.

Reinforcing stimuli

Reinforcing stimuli are events in the surrounding world that are not directly the cause of deviant behavior, but contribute to the exacerbation of behavioral problems or delay therapy. For example, a dog barks at a stranger. The other dog answers and thereby encourages the first dog to bark even harder. The stranger will probably stop in his tracks, scream and run away. Thus, it will cause a sharp increase in the aggressiveness of both dogs. It is possible that the dog owner also feels threatened by the stranger and is egging the dogs on even more. It may also happen that the owner's attempts to calm the dogs will be incorrectly perceived by them as encouragement and thereby only strengthen the unwanted behavior.

Inhibitory stimuli

If you pull on a leash, look away when confronted by an aggressive dog, or scold a dog who is growling at a guest, you are activating inhibitory stimuli that counteract activating and reinforcing stimuli and allow you to reduce the intensity and duration of deviant behavior or completely eliminate it.

The effect of castration on dog aggressiveness

It is generally accepted - and for some reason this opinion is widespread even in veterinary circles - that sterilization of a female dog leads to a decrease in the level of aggressiveness of the animal. But there is reason to believe that in fact everything is exactly the opposite. Indeed: let's think logically. It is known that women whose ovaries have stopped functioning due to age-related reasons begin to suffer from mood swings more often and experience irritation more often. “What do you want, this is menopause” - this is how others react to their condition.

This happens because female sex hormones (produced in large quantities by the ovaries) have a calming and antidepressant effect. We can say that female sex hormones are “hormones of peacefulness.” And when the ovaries stop working, this calming effect disappears, and it becomes more difficult for a woman to restrain the manifestation of her negative emotions.

Why is a bitch expected to behave more calmly and peacefully?

And in fact: those few scientific studies that have studied the effect of castration on the character of bitches fairly unanimously confirm that it is possible that castrated bitches are indeed more aggressive.

For example, a large team of authors in various fields of veterinary medicine from two Canadian universities - the University of Prince Edward Island and Purdue University - conducted a large-scale study of factors associated with dog aggression. In total, more than three thousand animal owners were interviewed. The information obtained was subjected to mathematical processing.

The results of this study showed that in very young, immature dogs there is no difference in the propensity for aggressive displays between neutered and unneutered animals - namely, growling, defending territory and biting -. But in adult dogs such a difference was found. Spayed bitches growled twice as often as unspayed bitches, and also bit twice as often. As for the protection of the territory, the protective qualities of females (as well as males) also did not suffer from castration. There was even a slight increase in the tendency to defend one's territory (although it cannot be called mathematically confirmed - unlike the tendency to growl and bite, which was significantly higher than in unsterilized animals).

Since the authors of this study were very conscientious in analyzing their results, they began to doubt: had they confused cause with effect? Isn't the real reason for the pattern they found that biting dogs are simply sterilized more often? As is customary in scientific work, in order to verify the correctness or incorrectness of their assumptions, the authors of the work compared their results with data from similar studies conducted independently by other scientists. As it turned out, these data also support the idea that castration may be one of the reasons for the increase in aggressiveness of bitches.

Thus, the work of veterinary researchers from the University of Edinburgh confirms that the only everyday inconvenience that the owner of a spayed female dog avoids is periodic estrus; Aggression (in particular, dominance aggressiveness) may even increase in sterilized bitches.

Another work - a joint study by scientists from the University of Cambridge and the University of Pennsylvania - confirmed that even if we exclude from the analysis those animals that showed aggressiveness before castration - mathematical analysis methods still reveal a higher degree of aggressiveness in castrated bitches (when compared with non-castrated ) in relation to a person (or rather, to children). That is, there is reason to assert that it was castration that led to an increase in the level of aggressiveness of bitches.

There is another, very recent work devoted to the causes of aggressive behavior in dogs. This is a study by veterinary specialists from the University of Cordoba. According to the results of their analysis, castration is one of the very significant factors influencing the level of aggression. Moreover, if we are talking about females, then sterilization, as in all previous works, is associated precisely with an increase in the level of aggression.

Proponents of the “calming” effect of castration on a dog usually resort to two main arguments:

• “A spayed bitch does not whelp and does not guard the puppies - so she is safer than an unsterilized one.” But feeding puppies does not continue all year round; and the mother bitch shows maternal aggression mainly in close proximity to the den with the puppies. In contrast to territorial aggression and dominance aggression - the level of which increases in sterilized bitches.
• “And my cat became so calm after castration!” But the notorious cat is a male, not a female. The hormonal balance of a castrated male shifts towards female sex hormones - and those, in contrast to male ones, have a calming effect (in the bodies of mammals there is always a trace amount of hormones characteristic of the opposite sex; these hormones are produced by the adrenal glands). Yes, besides, a cat is not a dog: it is a representative of a completely different species, with different patterns of social behavior, for which the reasons that can lead to aggression do not quite coincide with those characteristic of dogs.

How does the increase in the level of aggression of a sterilized bitch manifest itself?

It should be understood that aggression is, in fact, a completely normal phenomenon, inherent in any somewhat highly organized living creature (including us, humans). Aggression in itself is not a negative phenomenon at all: a competitive spirit, an active attitude to life, the ability to achieve accomplishments and discoveries are also types of aggression. Aggression becomes evil for us only when it manifests itself spontaneously, uncontrollably, and is expressed in an inappropriate, unacceptable way in human society. By the way, the famous zoologist, Nobel laureate, and excellent popularizer of science, Konrad Lorenz, wrote very interestingly about aggression.

So, a dog - any dog, including one untouched by a surgeon's knife - has some inherent level of aggression. And if the dog is not trained, then it will show aggression in the way that its instincts “tell” it.

People, as a rule, do not know how to “read” the signals that a dog gives well enough. For this, those everyday ideas about the behavior of dogs, which are usually limited to the knowledge of the average person (often confident that he knows everything about dogs), are not enough. And, besides, people cannot, do not want and are not obliged to build their lives according to dog’s ideas about “what is good and what is bad.”

Therefore, an ill-mannered dog will from time to time come into conflict with its “human” environment. The more aggressive will conflict more often and more energetically; less aggressive - less often and weaker. But even the calmest dog, if not trained, at some point can come into conflict with a person, which will end in bites.

It is for this reason that it is so important to raise a dog correctly, to correctly build hierarchical relationships between the dog and the owner’s family members, and to properly maintain the animal. The owner must teach the dog to show his aggression only when he, the owner, allows it; teach to immediately stop unwanted behavior as soon as he, the owner, gives the command. Both owners of bitches and owners of dogs should do the same; and owners of calm, good-natured dogs - and owners of naturally vicious dogs; and owners of sterilized animals - and owners of animals capable of reproduction.

Rabies is the most dangerous cause of aggression

Rabies is a dangerous, fatal disease that can only be treated at an early stage of its development. A person should delay vaccination a little, and the result will be the same - death. Sick dogs also represent animals.

Epizootology

Rabies is almost always transmitted through bites by rabid animals due to infected saliva entering tissue through broken skin. All warm-blooded animals and humans are susceptible to rabies. However, not all animals are equally susceptible to infection with the rabies virus. In many areas there is one specific animal species that is the reservoir of this infection. This reservoir of infection is the most important factor in the persistence and spread of the disease.

Etiology

The rabies virus belongs to the Rhabdovirus family, which includes bullet-shaped RNA viruses. In the tissues of the central nervous system, accumulations of virions take part in the formation of Negri bodies, which are round, oval or uneven inclusions that have important diagnostic value, since they are not found in healthy animals and in other diseases. The rabies virus is capable of multiplying in chicken embryos and a number of primary and grafted cell cultures.

The rabies virus does not exhibit high resistance to physical and chemical factors. While maintaining its virulence in the tissues of the central nervous system, protected from decay and drying for months, it is inactivated within 5-15 days under conditions of drying of this pathological material. Infected saliva remains infectious for 24 hours, and when dried, it remains infectious for no more than 14 hours. At a temperature of 52-58°C, the agent dies in 30 minutes, and at 80°C - in 2 minutes.

Rotting slowly destroys the virus - in 15-30 days, and it can persist in the surface layers of the soil for 2-3 months. On the contrary, the rabies virus is highly sensitive to conventional disinfectants in 2-5% concentration, alcohol, tincture of iodine, formaldehyde, sodium hydroxide and detergents, being inactivated in a few minutes.

Symptoms

The most prominent symptoms of rabies are neurological disorders such as agitation and paralysis. Depending on the type of animal, the symptoms of the disease can be quite varied. In dogs, there are three different phases (stages) of the disease:

The prodromal stage, which lasts 2-4 days, but often goes unnoticed. During this stage of rabies, changes occur in the dog's behavior.

The stage of excitement, lasting from 1 to 7 days. At this stage the disease can be most easily diagnosed. The animal becomes restless and nervous, and its aggressiveness increases. At this stage, animals are extremely dangerous due to the tendency to bite. At the end of the excitement stage, convulsions and impaired coordination of various muscles appear. If the dog does not die during the next attack of convulsions, the disease enters its final stage.

The paralytic stage, at which a lack of muscle coordination turns into paralysis, and a coma inevitably occurs, ending in death.

Pathogenesis

Once the rabies virus enters the body's tissues (usually through a wound caused by a biting animal), it first replicates in locally located muscle cells. Over a period of time varying in duration, the virus penetrates the peripheral nervous system. It slowly (a few centimeters per day) moves along the nerve pathways into the spinal cord. In the spinal cord, the agent spreads rapidly (possibly with the participation of cerebrospinal fluid) and reaches the medulla oblongata and brain.

After multiplying in brain cells, the virus begins to move along the descending (efferent) nerve pathways of the central and peripheral parts of the nervous system, as well as along the autonomic nerves. Thus, the agent ultimately infects all organs and tissues of the body, including the salivary glands. With infected saliva, the rabies virus can enter the body of another host. The virus can be present in the central nervous system long before clinical signs of the disease appear.

Treatment

Sick dogs are euthanized due to the lack of effective treatments and the high risk of spreading the infection.

Prevention

Louis Pasteur was the first to produce a vaccine against rabies through several successive passages on rabbits. During the vaccine production process, the virus was inactivated by drying the spinal cord. Vaccination often resulted in adverse (sometimes severe) post-vaccination reactions, which was associated with the presence of proteins from the brain tissue of adult animals in the vaccine. Subsequently, this drawback was partially eliminated by replacing adult animals with suckling mice.

Rabies vaccines made from chicken embryos have become more effective and less dangerous. And finally, rabies vaccines, for the production of which cell cultures are used, are the most widely used. These drugs are characterized by very high immunogenicity, combined with complete safety for the animal.

Don't provoke your dog into aggression

Dominant dog aggression - causes and signs

More than half of the cases of aggressive behavior of animals directed against humans relate to aggression towards family members, i.e. aggression within a social group. Moreover, in 72% of cases it was about the aggression of rivalry or the so-called aggression of the struggle for leadership. In 56 dogs (approximately 38%), the level of aggression ranged from moderate to severe.

Leadership aggression directed against family members always occurs in one of the two situations described below. A dog and a family member compete for possession of something:

• When a family member tries to take food or objects from the dog (eg bones, toys, napkins) or approaches the dog while he is holding any of these objects near him.
• When one family member approaches or touches another family member who is the dog's "pet" or another dog (such as a female in heat).
• When a family member approaches a dog lying in its place, or interferes with its resting or sleeping (as a rule, it is believed that we are talking about competition in the fight for a place to rest or sleep).
• When a family member enters a room occupied by a dog or in a narrow hallway wants to pass the dog in the opposite direction.

The owner demonstrates his superiority over the dog by his behavior. This behavior includes:

• scratching, brushing, bathing the dog, performing various medical procedures, wiping;
• touching the paws or face of an animal;
• situations when the owner lifts, pushes or pulls the dog;
• puts a collar on her, tugs or pulls on her leash;
• stares at her or threatens her, swears or shouts at her, constantly commands her, hits her;
• grabs her or leans over her.

Many of these actions are not perceived by the people themselves as a demonstration of superiority. However, it is precisely this behavior that often causes aggression on the part of the dog to fight for leadership or aggression of self-assertion, because it is very similar to demonstrating superiority among dogs.

Other typical signs of aggression in the struggle for leadership

Owners often claim that the dog’s attack was unprovoked, while the dogs themselves, who suddenly showed aggression in situations that they perceived normally the day before, are called “capricious” or unpredictable.

Often the attacks are more vicious in nature than other types of aggressive behavior and can result in skin lesions. Dog bites can be very deep and leave scars. Often owners have to see a doctor or even go to the hospital.

During an attack, the dog does not look like itself, grins, growls, and lunges. Almost all owners note a strange sparkle in their dogs' eyes. In addition, other aggressive gestures may be observed, for example, raised ears and tail, ruffled hair on the neck and back, and a fixed gaze directed at the target of the attack.

Immediately after the attack, the dog may again cuddle up to the owner, which the owner happily perceives as an “apology.”

Often the dog will exhibit species-typical behavior that is close to a fight for leadership, such as staring at family members until they look away, or “putting himself above” by placing his front paws or muzzle on a person's knees or shoulders. Such dogs are most often friendly and harmless towards strangers, so veterinarians have the opinion that the problem is not in the dog, but in people. However, this problem only manifests itself in the relationship between the dog and family members and only becomes obvious to strangers if they are in the house for more than one day.

People who have extensive experience with dogs, such as trainers or veterinarians, almost never have problems with such dogs. However, there are some real tough nuts among dogs who behave aggressively in their quest for leadership (they end up in dog shelters) and are not impressed by the demonstration of superiority from experienced professionals. These dogs can become aggressive over the smallest things, such as when someone tries to lead them in a direction they don't want to go.

Dogs are not necessarily aggressive towards all family members. It is much more common that they are more likely to show aggression and/or behave more aggressively towards certain people living in the house.

With the exception of the situations of competition and confrontation described above, which are a typical cause of aggression in the struggle for leadership, dogs, in general, behave friendly towards family members. They are generally obedient, and like all other dogs, ask for food and some attention. However, almost without exception, the owners of such dogs call them stubborn, headstrong and not obedient enough. When a dog really wants to do something else, such as play with or fight with another dog, he is likely to completely ignore commands from family members. The owners understand that the dog lacks respect for them.

Many owners are able to recognize the first symptoms of incipient aggression, for example, when the animal tenses up and begins to look at the owner sideways and with a strange look. In this case, the owner knows that he needs to immediately stop his actions in order to avoid aggression from the dog. In general, family members understand the need to be careful around the dog in certain situations. It often turns out that the problem of dog aggressiveness already existed long before the meeting with a specialist, it’s just that the owners have until now avoided the dog’s attacks, fulfilling its wishes.

These dogs should not be physically punished or severely scolded for their aggressive behavior because... this inevitably causes an even stronger manifestation of aggression. Most often, quite a long time after the problem arises, the owners try to respond with force to force in order to restrain the dog’s aggression, but the animal’s angry reaction stuns them. In essence, owners are not prepared to go through with the fight with their dog, as might a trainer who trains service dogs for police work. They don't know how to fight a dog without it biting you. After one or two bites, such people give up and stop fighting, which further strengthens the dog’s confidence in its superiority over its owner.

Family members admit to being afraid of the dog. However, according to them, this was not always the case; the dog became aggressive towards the owner and other family members.

Some of these dogs set completely arbitrary and rather unusual rules of behavior for their owners:

• For example, the master is not allowed to open a certain drawer in the kitchen cupboard, or the housewife is not allowed to go to bed before the master. The examples given are taken by the author from his practice. In the case of a woman who was only allowed to go to bed after her husband, she ended up having to sleep on the sofa every time her husband worked the night shift.
• In another case, a German shepherd “ordered” the owner’s daughter to let her out through the back door into the garden, each time uttering a deep, guttural growl. Two deep wounds from being bitten for “disobedience” convinced the girl of the seriousness of the dog’s intentions, and she did not try to contradict her.

Shocked by the dog’s vicious behavior and completely not understanding their pet, otherwise such a sweet and playful animal, the frequency owners begin to assume that he has a serious brain disease. In many of the most severe cases, correction of deviant behavior can bring only partial success. Many dogs with pronounced aggressive behavior in the struggle for leadership, even despite the owner’s pedantic implementation of all the recommendations of an ethologist, continue to threaten or attack family members, and ultimately it becomes too dangerous to leave such a dog in the house.

Defensive aggression – the dog attacks for defensive purposes.

Group defensive aggression can also take more personal forms. This can be caused by frequent encounters with some neighbors who regularly pass by the house or children living on the same street, dog owners who constantly meet on walks, or people who regularly approach the house (the postman). Hostile relationships between a dog and certain people can become so severe that the dog will react more angrily to them than to strangers. This problem can develop in different ways. Victims of aggression may lose their temper when they hear barking, and in response to it, wave their arms, make threatening gestures, scream, and throw various objects. This will only increase the dog's aggressive behavior.

Puppies often bite people while playing - this habit must be weaned

Children teasing a dog provokes a similar reaction. The barking of a dog arouses the attention of children and gradually the provocation of barking becomes a kind of sport for children, which they engage in on the way home. The fear of a person who is accustomed to being afraid of dogs can, at each new meeting, cause an aggressive reaction from the dog, and in a stronger form. It is unclear why fearful people are so often the target of group defense aggression from dogs. As already mentioned, such people look especially closely at dogs or behave strangely from the animal's point of view. The last example relates to dog owners living nearby with whom the dog in question has had problems in the past. It is possible that in an effort to stop or prevent the fight, these people scolded the dog. It is possible that the behavior of the other dog's owner, who was trying to separate the fighting animals, was perceived by the dog as a threat.

To understand and solve problems of this kind, it is necessary to act in the same way as when showing aggression towards strangers. However, in this case there is another potentially important element of therapy - the possible modification of the behavior of the victim of aggression. You can talk to parents of children who tease the dog. You can also approach people who regularly pass by the house and react fearfully or aggressively to the dog and ask them to simply ignore its behavior. Ignoring the dog's behavior can lead to the elimination of initiating or rewarding stimuli that were the cause of the animal's deviant behavior.

Protection of offspring

Protection of offspring is commonly referred to as maternal aggression. This defensive reaction is also observed in males when a person or other animal living in the family approaches the puppies or the place where the dog family lives. This is one of the most understandable and simple problems that a veterinarian, as a rule, solves himself, without involving an ethological consultant.

Aggression during play

Aggressive play in young dogs can be a problem for some owners. Dogs playing aggressive games can be dangerous, especially to small children and elderly or frail people. Sometimes dog owners and veterinarians assume more serious forms of aggression in such cases and seek advice from ethologists.

Out-of-group aggression

The biological function of aggression outside the group is self-defense, protection of other group members and protection of food supplies that guarantee the survival of the group in conditions of competition with other groups of relatives. Moreover, for dogs that have had contact with relatives in the past and have been living in a human family since the age of several weeks, both dogs and people can act as groups of relatives.

Behavior correction - how to stop a dog from biting its owner

In simple cases where the dog growls but does not pose a potential danger:

• Show the dog “who’s boss.” Every time she growls at you, scold her or punish her in other ways strongly enough so that she immediately stops growling.
• Regular obedience exercises and generally stricter handling of the dog are recommended. Never reward your dog for being pushy or demanding or give it what it wants.

If the dog bites family members or poses a potential danger:

• Temporarily avoid any aggressive confrontation situations, do not do things that regularly provoke the animal's aggression, and/or immediately stop all activities as soon as the dog becomes aggressive.
• Completely ignore the dog when it approaches without a command and demands attention, contact from the owner, begs to be petted, given food, etc.
• Never give a dog what it wants if it begs or demands it.
• “Nothing in life comes for free.” Before receiving anything (eg food, affection, a walk), the dog must follow commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “come” or “place”.
• For following commands, the dog can only be petted a little as a reward. No caresses.
• Do not allow your dog to climb onto chairs and sofas or enter the bedroom.
• Make the dog stand up and let the owner pass if he is lying in his way.
• The dog should not have its own toys, rubber bones, etc. in the house.
• The owner should not enthusiastically greet the dog when it returns home. He should behave with restraint and indifference, as if “accepting” the dog’s greeting.
• Competitive, aggressive and power games should be avoided. The best thing to do is not to play with your dog at all, but instead take him to the park every day where he can play with other dogs.
• More strictness in all situations where the dog tolerates it.
• Walk your dog on a leash for at least half an hour every day, often change the direction and speed of movement, do this without warning and until the animal begins to obey you without the slightest sign of aggression.
• Train your dog to run up to the owner when he calls him, even if he is outside without a leash. To do this, regularly reward with treats or change the direction of movement without looking back at the dog or waiting for it.
• Never allow your dog to go through the door first. Teach her to be the first to let her owner through the door.
• Family members who have no problems with the dog should completely ignore it for some time and not feed, pet, talk or play with it.

Many owners find the pack theory quite convincing and immediately accept it. And although you can see from the expression on the owners' faces that they have doubts about whether they will be able (or whether they will be willing) to carry out the strict recommendations of specialists, they are, by and large, convinced that the problem is what the specialist doctor makes it out to be, and the treatment methods are reasonable and logical. However, often the problem is to withstand this situation of peculiar competition with your dog during the time required for treatment. In essence, owners feel like parents to their dogs and do not consider themselves their rivals. Therefore, they do not feel very good when they are forced to ignore the friendly behavior of the dog, move it out of the way and generally treat it, from their point of view, heartless, cruel and selfish.

Unmotivated aggression is rarely observed in dogs.

How can you increase the willingness of owners to cooperate in such cases? Sometimes it’s enough to slightly change the logic of the experts’ recommendations. Below we will look at this modified "package of concepts". This does not mean that there should be more truth in your explanations than other consultants' explanations, or that you should come up with something different. Rather, it is an alternative approach to the problem that may increase the willingness of some pet owners to cooperate.

An example of one of the methods of behavior correction in order to teach a dog to calmly respond to brushing

1. Use your dog's favorite treats to teach him the commands “come,” “sit,” “place,” and “stay” when he needs to be brushed. Don't give your dog any treats in other situations.
2. Determine how you can touch your dog with your hands or brush so as not to provoke aggression. Find out exactly how much brushing the dog can accept without growling (for example, 3-4 light brushings are not dangerous, but prolonged and intense brushing can be dangerous).
3. Reward your dog throughout the day when doing these exercises for sitting or standing quietly while brushing and for not growling when you brush or touch him.
4. Once the dog gets used to this “game”, begin to very carefully expand the boundaries of what is allowed (for example, try to brush longer and more energetically).
5. Once the dog gets used to it, change the rules again so that he learns to tolerate the brushing even longer if he wants to get a reward.
6. If your dog begins to growl at any point in this procedure, do not reward him with a treat; wait a few minutes and start again with the previous exercise (for example, with lighter touches with a brush). Stay at this level for a while before you begin to gradually increase the intensity/duration of your cervical touches again - this time going more slowly than your last attempt.

The classic approach to the problem is to explain to the client that he should behave like an alpha animal, or leader of the pack. An alternative approach, on the contrary, suggests that the owner must change his attitude towards the dog and treat it in the same way as an adult animal treats a puppy. In such relationships the question of leadership never really arises. Dog owners should be made aware that behavioral interventions are effective because they fundamentally reduce the dog's tendency to view family members as "equals" while encouraging the dog to treat them the way a young puppy treats adult pack members.

This alternative approach opens up new opportunities for persuading clients to adopt recommended interventions for behavior that they find unnatural and not particularly pleasant. Below are some suggestions for how to educate dog owners about the purpose of expert advice.

• Most dogs behave like puppies or young animals towards family members throughout their lives. They would never threaten them in situations in which they might threaten other dogs to demonstrate their superior status or to assert their rights to certain objects or bones.
• However, dogs whose behavior is characterized by aggression in the struggle for leadership, apparently, do not quite understand how to behave towards family members. In some situations, they react to them not as adults of a higher rank, but rather as equals to other dogs with whom they play together in the park on walks. As a result, they threaten or bite family members in situations in which this type of aggression regularly occurs between dogs.
• To successfully solve the problem, it is necessary for the owner to change the nature of his attitude towards the animal and begin to treat it more like an adult dog treats young members of the pack, while avoiding certain actions that encourage the dog to look at him as an equal.

The owners are not to blame for the problem. Most of them treat their dogs normally. But it is precisely these normal relationships that cause behavioral problems in some dogs. It is better if such dogs treat their owners like young animals treat adults, and do not have companionship with them. In principle, this means that owners need to give up for some time the casual treatment of their pets that seems natural to them. In response to such normal treatment from the owner, the dog often begins to perceive him as an equal in status and behaves with him accordingly, that is, he tries to compete, and in some situations, demonstrate his superiority.

Some of these recommendations may seem rude and unpleasant to dog owners. In this case, they should be reminded that ignoring the dog's attempts to communicate or forcing it to give way is imitating the normal behavior of an adult animal towards a young animal. This will teach the dog to treat its owners differently.

Any dog ​​breeder must understand that a dog is, first of all, a predator, and therefore aggression is a way of protecting against the negative impact of the surrounding world.

This is an instinct, and it is inherent in every dog ​​by nature, because it must initially protect itself, its puppies and its owner. Otherwise, guard breeds simply would not cope with their task.

Many dog ​​owners note that their pet became aggressive at a certain stage of life. If before the dog did not cause trouble, then with age it has become more vicious and shows unmotivated aggression towards other people or dogs during a walk.

There are many reasons for this behavior, the most common being puberty. The degree of aggressiveness here depends on several criteria: breed, character, living conditions; this happens differently for each dog.

But the owner who has closely and attentively observed the pet throughout its life will be able to easily identify unmotivated aggression and deviations in habits. Experienced dog breeders report several signs:

• frequent barking for no apparent reason;
• aggression and anger when the owner or family members try to stroke or caress the animal;
• the dog guards its bed and does not let anyone near it;
• The dog behaves unusually during a walk, showing irritability and nervousness.

In addition, aggression can be identified by the dog’s appearance: as a rule, when a stranger or other animal approaches, the dog arches its back, its fur stands on end, and its paws are spread wide apart.

This pose does not always indicate that the animal is about to attack. But it is important not to miss this moment in order to take action in time. If it is noticed that the ears stand up straight and the eyes are “wild” and wide open, this means that the dog intends to rush at the enemy, and it is unlikely that anything will interfere with it.

It is necessary to immediately eliminate the source of the dog’s irritation, otherwise everything may end in disastrous consequences.

If at least one of the listed symptoms is noted in the dog’s behavior, this indicates that the dog is aggressive, which means it is necessary to take immediate action.

Factors that cause aggression in dogs

There are quite a few reasons why a beloved pet suddenly became aggressive, but they can all be divided into several key groups:

• Selection errors. There are special breeds that are bred to protect and protect homes or people. Of course, such specimens will be more aggressive during puberty than classic domestic breeds.
• Incorrect training. Dogs are pack animals that need a leader - the leader of the pack. If there is none, the dog will independently assert itself in this place, and over time will show the aggression of the leader. That is why it is very important, from the very moment a puppy appears in the family, to point him to the leader of the pack and begin training.
• Educational mistakes. Experienced breeders know firsthand that the character of a pet depends on the behavior of the owner and family members. Depending on the attitude a dog is shown in the first few weeks of life in a new home, its character is determined. If the owner is aggressive, hits the dog or intentionally causes discomfort to it, you should not expect affection from the pet in the future.

In addition, dog handlers talk about such a concept as a type or type of aggression. It is very good if the owner himself is able to determine why the animal is showing aggression and understand what type it is, otherwise he will have to seek advice from more experienced dog breeders or dog handlers.

1. Dominant aggression

This type of aggression appears during the dog’s puberty - between the ages of 1 and 3 years. Dog handlers call this phenomenon hierarchical aggression. At this time, the dog’s mood is unstable - it sometimes becomes angry, sometimes friendly, and it is quite problematic to guess what it is going to do.

Very often during this period the dog is jealous of the owner and does not tolerate if he is given too little attention. The owner should pay more attention to the pet and be affectionate with it.

2. Predator aggression

This is an instinctive feeling with the help of which an animal divides all representatives of the fauna into opponents and allies. In this case, brothers are considered friends, other specimens of the animal world are enemies, towards whom the dog shows aggression. Moreover, the aggression of a predator can manifest itself even if the dog is not a hunting breed, and the owner has never developed this instinct.

3. Food aggression

It is noteworthy that when this type of aggression is displayed, the animal is capable of causing serious injury to a person. Already from the name one can guess how food aggression manifests itself: the dog bites and growls if someone approaches its bowl, gets angry if someone passes by and does not let anyone near it. This type of aggression is sometimes quite difficult to cope with, so it is considered one of the most difficult.

4. Play aggression

Most often it develops in good-natured dogs - Labradors, Newfoundlands, shorthaired pointers. Vaccinated in puppyhood due to playing with the owner's hands. At first, the animals' gums itch, and the soft biting sounds funny to the owner. However, in the future, during play moments, the dog may bite without knowing it and not considering it a crime.

5. Defensive aggression

Another instinct laid down by nature. It appears during real or imaginary danger and a threat to the health of the dog itself and its family members. It is important to note here that even good-natured dogs that have never previously exhibited such behavior can growl and take an attacking position. And if you know what to expect, for example, from Dobermans, then those same Labradors can behave completely unpredictably.

6. Maternal aggression

This type of aggression occurs in pregnant and postpartum dogs. For the most part, this phenomenon is temporary and should not be a cause for concern. The natural instinct that the bitch obeys is caused by the need to protect her offspring.

During this period of time, you should not once again approach the puppies and create better living conditions for them. In some cases, this type of aggression also manifests itself in male dogs who guard the bitch.

7. Painful aggression

In the world of dog handlers it is known as reflexive aggression. The natural reaction of a living being to pain. Occurs most often during painful medical procedures, cruel training methods, or during accidental infliction of pain on an animal.

These are the main types of aggression; if you manage to find out what type your pet has, you can try to correct the dog’s behavior on your own.

How to deal with an aggressive dog: behavior correction methods

All corrective manipulations are aimed at preventing the manifestation of aggression. As a rule, any owner can handle an animal on his own if everything is done correctly.

The first rule is that the dog should never be beaten, shouted loudly or punished. This will only cause mistrust and result in even greater aggression. In addition, if it has been possible to establish the type of aggression, it is necessary to exclude all irritating factors that could lead to an attack of unmotivated anger.

From the first days of the puppy’s stay in the house, it is necessary to indicate to him who is in charge in the family - the leader of the pack. If this is done on time, in the future the dog will never show aggression towards family members and the owner. In addition, it is very important to raise a pet in a friendly atmosphere, with affection and care.