Reasons Why Your Dog May Be Showing Signs of Aggression
You might occasionally see dogs baring their teeth, growling, barking, lunging, or biting at people, which are the usual signs of aggressive behaviour. If your own dog displays this kind of behaviour, it can become frustrating to handle them. Experienced dog trainers believe that an essential part of dealing with your aggressive pet is to know what’s causing the aggression. Figuring out the reason will help you develop a plan to help your dog.
5 Common Reasons for Aggression in Dogs
To help you understand your pet better, we have listed some common reasons your dog may be showing aggressive behaviour:
- Fear
This is one of the main reasons for aggressive behaviour in your pup. If they feel endangered or threatened by anything around them, your dog may act violently to defend themselves. For instance, if your dog is backed into a corner, or if they perceive that you have raised your hand to hit them, they may try to bite you. A dog usually bites when they are fearful of something and unable to escape it. - Illness
Sometimes, being sick can cause your dog to act out. If they are in pain, you might find them displaying strange behaviour suddenly as opposed to their usual actions. Rabies, thyroid disease, and brain tumours are often the main reasons for violent tendencies. To help your pet, you can talk to your veterinarian about the behaviour and determine if there are any underlying health issues. - Dominating Nature
Similar to human nature, dogs also become aggressive to establish dominance. Although it is more often towards other dogs, it can also be towards people. Your dog might feel that they are in charge, and may snap, growl, or bite when they feel challenged. For instance, if you try to move your pet off the furniture, or grab their collar, they might act aggressively. Rule out any health problems and fear before assuming dominance to be the cause of your pet’s aggression. - Possessiveness
If your dog is possessive of their toys, food, bed, place in the yard, or other things, they may growl or snap if you or anyone comes too close to their things. This behaviour is also known as possession aggression. The degree of aggressiveness, in this case, may differ between objects and from dog to dog. - Frustration
This is also referred to as barrier frustration or redirected aggression. When your dog is not able to reach something, he might behave poorly out of frustration. He might growl and bark at you or strangers to display his annoyance.
Contact Us for Aggressive Dog Training
Understanding your dog is the first step towards dealing with their violent behaviour. At Alpha Paws, we have expert dog trainers within the Toronto region who specialize in dealing with aggression in pets. We will help you discover the cause of the unwanted behaviour and design a comprehensive program to stop your pet from acting harshly. We also offer private lessons at your convenience at our facility or in your home. For more details about our training program for aggressive dogs, you can reach out to us by calling 1-877-868-5248 (PAWS). You can also fill out our online form.
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