Types of Dog Aggression

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Dominance aggression in dogs is when a dog attacks family members to protect their possessions or to resist another family member's dominance signals. Dogs may display dominance aggression in situations such as: 

• When someone approaches or disturbs them while they're resting 
• When someone physically punishes them 
• When someone maintains prolonged eye contact with them 
• When someone restrains or handles them 
• When someone tries to take away something they value, such as food, toys, or family members 

Dominance aggression can be inconsistent, but it's consistent within each situation. Factors that influence dominance aggression include the time of day, location, and circumstances. Some ways to reduce dominance aggression in dogs include:

• Increasing exercise 
• Regular obedience training 
• Counter-conditioning treatments, which use training as distractions to focus the dog's attention away from negative stimuli 
• Predictable interactions 
• Avoiding stimuli that provoke aggression 
• A daily routine of exercise, play, and social interaction 

It's important to note that dogs shouldn't be punished or reprimanded for aggressive displays, and they should never be alpha rolled. Dogs respond well to calm, confident, and in-control energy. When asserting dominance over a dog, it's important to stay relaxed, speak in a firm but calm tone, and use body language to show that you're the leader. Shouting or physical aggression can teach fear and lead to more aggression.

Defensive aggression is a dog's fight-or-flight response to a perceived threat when they can't run away. It's the most common type of aggression in dogs, and is motivated by fear, which may or may not be reasonable. Defensive aggression can include: growling, lip curling, hard barking, pinned back ears, low head, stiff body, snapping, and biting. Before escalating to biting and snapping, dogs may try to shrink away, tuck their tail, avert their gaze, and try to flee. Some causes of aggression in dogs include: Fear, Pain or illness, Protecting territory or possessions, and Establishing dominance. Some tips for curbing defensive aggression include:

• Ensuring your dog gets enough exercise and mental stimulation 
• Teaching your dog to be more calm 

Predatory aggression in dogs is a natural survival behavior that involves hunting, capturing, killing, and eating prey. It's usually directed at other animals, but can sometimes be directed at people. Predatory aggression is the rarest form of dog aggression and is usually only seen in hunting dogs or dogs that tend to chase prey. Predatory aggression is typically silent and the bite can be damaging or uninhibited. It doesn't involve threatening gestures or a significant mood change before the behavior occurs, as these would be counterproductive to catching and killing prey. Predatory aggression can be problematic when a dog focuses it on an unacceptable target, such as:

• Chasing cars, bicyclists, or skateboarders 
• "Herding" running children 
• Nipping people's heels, calves, or thighs 
• Chasing cats or other small animals 

The only effective way to stop predatory aggression is to avoid the environment that causes the behavior. For example, if your dog chases animals in the yard, you can take them on walks instead. You can also try reward-based training using commands like "leave it" to direct your dog away from small animals. Socialization can also be helpful, as dogs that grow up with cats may not see them as prey. However, this usually only works for dogs with a low prey drive. If predatory aggression is directed at humans, it could be a sign of a medical or mental condition that a veterinarian should address.

Maternal aggression in dogs is a protective behavior that involves growling, snarling, or biting to ward off threats to her puppies or litter. It can be directed at people or other animals, and it's usually temporary, decreasing as the puppies grow up. Maternal aggression is most common in intact females with puppies or in females with pseudopregnancy. It's a hormonally enhanced version of dominance aggression, and dogs that are more dominant before whelping are more likely to exhibit it. Some signs of aggression in dogs include:

• Avoiding eye contact 
• Yawning or licking lips 
• Pinning ears to head 
• Crouching, lowering body, or tucking tail 
• Stiffening or freezing 
• Growling 
• Snapping 
• Biting 

If maternal aggression is directed at the dog's owner, and the dog is large enough to be a health hazard, the dog may need to be kenneled for a while. Here are some guidelines for treating canine aggression:

• Avoid situations that have previously led to aggressive behavior 
• Use tools to control the dog, such as a non-retractable leash, head halter, or basket type muzzle 
• Never punish a dog in response to aggressive behavior