Pain May Cause Aggression In Dogs

Aggression in dogs is actually quite unusual. Dogs are generally friendly, sociable creatures that enjoy spending time with people and with each other. When a dog shows aggression, there is always a reason for it. Behavior doesn't happen in a vacuum. There is always cause and effect, even if the cause does not seem to be very important to us as human beings.

Just as with people, aggression in dogs is usually a sign of insecurity. This can be caused by a number of different things. A very small dog may be aggressive simply as a way of being safe. We've all seen little dogs, such as Chihuahuas, that always display a defensive or even aggressive stance. The reason for this is that these little dogs want to prevent being hurt. They feel that the best defense is a good offense.

Insecurity in dogs can be caused by many circumstances. A change of household can cause a dog to feel insecure. This can mean moving from one house to another with its owner, changing owners, adding a new baby or new pet to an existing household or any other change.

One change that can definitely make a dog aggress is pain. If you have a dog that has always been friendly and non-aggressive who becomes aggressive suddenly for no apparent reason, the first thing you should do is make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your dog may be ill or injured or even heavily infested with fleas. All of these things can cause pain and discomfort that will make your dog take a defensive or even aggressive stance to prevent being hurt.

An older dog may become aggressive due to problems such as arthritis. Your vet can prescribe medications that will relieve your dog's pain and help him or her feel secure once more.

A dog that stays outdoors and does not have a lot of supervision may be injured in a number of ways. If you are foolish enough to let your dog run around loose, you can expect him or her to be hit by a car. This does not always result in severe, life-threatening injuries. A sprain or bruise hurts just as much for a dog as it does for a person and may cause your dog to show aggression to prevent being hurt more.

Dogs that are heavily infested with fleas may also be very aggressive. Flea nests cause severe itching, allergic reactions and even pain. Being infested with fleas can literally drive a dog crazy. If you are not treating your dog regularly for fleas and he or she begins to show aggression for no apparent reason, suspect fleas and see your vet for proper treatment.

Remember it is always important to consult your veterinarian about behavioral changes in your dog. No amount of behavior management or training will help if your dog is ill, injured or in pain for any reason at all.

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5 Types Of Dog Aggression

Aggression in dogs can be a very serious problem that can create a tremendous amount of liability for you and your family. This article deals with five of the most common types of aggression however there are many more. If your dog has aggression and you would like help to resolve it you should contact a qualified trainer or behavior specialist for help. 

1. Dominance Aggression. Quite often this type of aggression is directed toward the owner. It can manifest itself when the owner tries to dominate the dog are while making it do something that it does not want to do. Some examples would be waking the dog or making it get off furniture or a bed. This is the type of aggression that happens in what I refer to as aggression in the home where the dog feels that it is the "Alpha". 

2. Fear Aggression is very common in the shy fearful dog. Actually the fearful dog is sometimes referred to as the most dangerous dog because you never know when fear will cause aggression to raise its ugly head with this type of dog. A rule to remember and to teach your children is to never try to approach a dog that appears fearful. Cornering a shy, fearful dog can be dangerous since it can't flee so it must fight. 

3. Territorial Aggression. We have all seen this dog before. You know the dog that is behind the fence that will not let you are anybody else through the gate. It is guarding its territory no matter where that is. This is the type of dog that is used to guard a business or property. 

4. Dog on Dog Aggression is another type of aggression that you just might see in the family dog. This could be the dog that was never socialized properly during the period of socialization that is from birth to 20 weeks of age. If you dog is not socialized with dogs during that period you just may end up with this type of aggression in your dog. 

5. Food Aggression is another type of aggression that you may encounter with your dog. The easiest way to avoid this type of aggression is to teach your puppy from the very beginning that the food is yours and you can give it or take it. Start working with your puppy from the very beginning and teaching it that you can put your hands in the food bowl, you can even take the bowl if you want. Do the same thing with treats and bones. If you will teach your pup from the beginning then this should not be a problem in the future. 

These are just some of the different types of aggression that you may see in your dog. Socializing your pup before 20 weeks of age will help with some and conditioning your dog to different situations will help with other types of aggression. 

If you have an adult dog and it develops aggression be sure and seek the help of a trainer or behavior specialist that is qualified to help with the problem. Trying to resolve aggression on your own can be very dangerous.

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