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Reactive dog boarding9/5/2023 ![]() ![]() Rough Play – Dog-to-dog play is a normal part of canine interaction. This nipping is not coming from a puppy that is being aggressive, but one who is over-stimulated and needs a break. ![]() When puppies play, with other dogs or their owners, they can become mouthy and nip harder than they should. Mouthing/Nipping Puppies – Puppies interact with their world through their mouth. Listed below are some of the behaviors commonly confused with aggression: Dogs that display these behaviors are trying to prevent a fight by making the threat go away or by increasing the distance between themselves and the threat. These triggers may be other dogs or people and can be specific, such as children, men, people wearing hats, or male/female dogs. Leash Reactivity – Leash-reactive dogs tend to growl, bark, and/or lunge toward things that make them nervous or fearful. Another good way to deal with resource guarding is to trade with your dog, exchanging the object that he is guarding for a treat, or stand away from the food bowl when the dog is eating and toss a treat into it. ![]() Teaching dogs behaviors such as “leave it,” “out,” and “place” or “off” can help curb this behavior. This tendency comes from the fact that dogs descended from ancestors that were wild and had to protect their resources to survive. These items can be toys, food, bones, sleeping areas, and even people. Resource Guarding – Dogs tend to guard things they believe hold great worth. Teaching a puppy to relax when being handled will also help. A dog who has positive experiences with different types of people, noises, and places from a young age is less likely to be fearful. Another common cause of fearfulness in dogs is lack of socialization. For example, when we lean over a dog and reach out a hand to pet him on top of his head, he may feel threatened. There would be fewer bites if people understood that our behavior, even when we think it is friendly, could appear threatening to a dog. Bites are typically quick snaps and may occur when the person is leaving and has his back turned. Fearful dogs may not give any warnings other than their body language. In situations where a dog is trapped or cornered and can’t flee, he may fight to protect himself. Normally when a dog is scared and feels threatened, he chooses to run from whatever is frightening him. If you have a reactive dog, working with a trainer to try behavior modification techniques that will address the cause can prevent escalation to aggression.įight or Flight: Fear is the most common cause of aggression. Do not approach in an attempt to greet him. If a reactive dog approaches you, the best thing you can do is give him space. Reactive dogs have certain triggers, such as men with beards or hats, small children, or situations when the dog feels trapped on a leash. Genetics, lack of socialization, insufficient training to learn self-control, a frightening experience, or a combination of these can cause reactivity, and fear is typically the driving force. Dogs that are reactive overreact to certain stimuli or situations. Reactivity: Reactivity is commonly confused with aggression. Behaviors That Sometimes Lead to Aggression In all of these situations, a dog may be pushed too far and can transition quickly from reactive, fearful, or guarding behaviors to being aggressive. Aggression in dogs can be due to guarding territory, resources, or a family member fear frustration prey drive or pain. It’s important to determine the cause of aggression to deal appropriately with the issue at hand. But what is aggression? Aggression is hostile, injurious, or destructive behavior toward an individual, whether human or another animal. Aggression is one of the most common reasons pet owners seek professional help for their dogs. ![]()
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