Do you think your dog might be reactive, or even aggressive? Some reactivity is normal and necessary for survival, but when is it time to get help? Maybe you\u2019re frustrated or embarrassed by your dog\u2019s meltdowns when deliveries come, or sad or even scared by your dog\u2019s barking and lunging at neighborhood dogs. It doesn\u2019t mean you have a bad dog, or that you\u2019re a bad dog guardian. But it does mean your dog needs help handling her feelings about certain parts of her life.<\/p>\n
Emotions drive behavior.<\/strong> So, if your dog doesn\u2019t have the necessary skills to cope with what scares her, her response is likely to be flight, freeze or fight. Michael Shikashio, a certified behavior consultant who specializes in aggressive dogs,\u00a0 says, \u201cI don\u2019t differentiate between reactivity and aggression; they\u2019re one and the same. We look at the actual behavior.\u201d Usually, aggressive behavior is rooted in fear and \u201cmeant to threaten distance from a provocative stimulus,\u201d Michael says.<\/p>\n Causes of fear-based aggression vary, but could be related to:<\/strong><\/p>\n Say your dog\u2019s stimulus, or trigger, is strangers. When she sees them she tries to create distance and hides (flight). But maybe a well-meaning stranger gets closer, so she freezes. Then the person reaches out to pet her, and she snaps or bites (fight).<\/p>\n Or suppose the trigger is other dogs and she barks and lunges, trying to make the scary things go away. If the dogs do go away (or even just keep walking in the direction they were headed anyway) she feels her behavior \u201cworked\u201d and will likely display these behaviors again. Unless she gets help.<\/p>\n Here are some typical triggers that cause aggression in dogs:<\/strong><\/p>\n So, what does aggressive behavior look like? A wagging tail isn\u2019t always a sign of friendliness or happiness!<\/p>\n A dog\u2019s body language must be evaluated as a whole, but look for:<\/strong><\/p>\n More obvious signs of aggression would include:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cNips\u201d are bites! And if your dog growls, don\u2019t punish him, even verbally. A growl is a warning \u2014 punishing her means your dog may not give that gift next time.<\/p>\n Because fear is the most common cause of aggression, recognizing when your dog is afraid and supporting her is key.<\/p>\n Look for:<\/strong><\/p>\n If you observe aggressive body language or behavior, here is what you should do:<\/strong><\/p>\n Because we look at behavior in the context in which it occurs, there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all method of treatment.<\/p>\n Modern approaches to treating aggression are based on:<\/strong><\/p>\n Today\u2019s treatment plans vary but often include counterconditioning and desensitization, which work to change how dogs feel about triggers going from \u201cYikes, that\u2019s scary!\u201d to \u201cYeah! that\u2019s cool!\u201d Operant conditioning, such as the Look-at-That protocol, helps dogs learn to both engage and disengage from triggers voluntarily and calmly.<\/p>\n Many treatment plans also involve medications prescribed by a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist.<\/p>\n Newer approaches to treatment may also incorporate one or more of:<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re also keeping our eye on research and studies like those of Darwin\u2019s Ark, a scientific collaborative pairing professionals and pet parents. Part of that team, Dr. Jessica Hekman hopes to use canine genetic research to better understand the genes that affect aggression.<\/p>\n Dr. Hekman says, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any genetic markers that are predictive of dog aggression. We don\u2019t think we\u2019ll ever be able to run a genetic test on a shelter dog to predict if he will be a safe pet, but we might someday be able to help breeders make better guesses about which dogs they should breed to produce safer pets.\u201d<\/p>\n Remember: Your dog isn\u2019t giving you a hard time; she\u2019s having a hard time. Be your dog\u2019s advocate and assemble a team of pros to help. And have compassion for your dog and yourself \u2014 treating aggression is tough stuff.<\/p>\n Look at That!<\/em> is a counterconditioning protocol also referred to as the engage\/disengage game. To keep your dog from getting too aroused in the presence of a trigger (like another dog), she learns to calmly look at (engage) and look away from (disengage) the trigger instead of reacting.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/strong><\/p>\n Patience is key.<\/em> You want your dog to be able to consistently look at the trigger without reacting at increasingly less distance. Here are a few tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n If your dog doesn\u2019t look at you and stays focused on the trigger or reacts, either go back to Step 1<\/em> and\/or increase the distance between your dog and the trigger and start again.<\/p>\n Start with a low-level trigger in a low-stress, familiar environment.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get too close too fast \u2014 let your dog dictate the pace of progress.<\/p>\n When faced with an unexpected trigger, immediately head in a different direction to increase distance.<\/p>\n Consider training your dog with a Look cue or Emergency U-turn\/Walk Away cue ahead of time for these types of situations.<\/p>\n If your dog is struggling and reacts from any distance, ask a trainer for help.<\/em><\/p>\n Get more information on this technique from our sister publication Whole Dog Journal<\/em> at whole-dog-journal.com<\/a> entitled How to Teach Your Dog To Just Walk Away<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The post How to Help an Aggressive or Reactive Dog<\/a> by Rachel Brix<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post How to Help an Aggressive or Reactive Dog<\/a> by Rachel Brix<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Do you think your dog might be reactive, or even aggressive? Some reactivity is normal and necessary for survival, but when is it time to get help? Maybe you\u2019re frustrated or embarrassed by your dog\u2019s meltdowns when deliveries come, or sad or even scared by your dog\u2019s barking and lunging at neighborhood dogs. It doesn\u2019t mean you have a bad dog, or that you\u2019re a bad dog guardian. But it does mean your dog needs help handling her feelings about certain parts of her life.<\/p>\n Emotions drive behavior.<\/strong> So, if your dog doesn\u2019t have the necessary skills to cope with what scares her, her response is likely to be flight, freeze or fight. Michael Shikashio, a certified behavior consultant who specializes in aggressive dogs,\u00a0 says, \u201cI don\u2019t differentiate between reactivity and aggression; they\u2019re one and the same. We look at the actual behavior.\u201d Usually, aggressive behavior is rooted in fear and \u201cmeant to threaten distance from a provocative stimulus,\u201d Michael says.<\/p>\n Causes of fear-based aggression vary, but could be related to:<\/strong><\/p>\n Say your dog\u2019s stimulus, or trigger, is strangers. When she sees them she tries to create distance and hides (flight). But maybe a well-meaning stranger gets closer, so she freezes. Then the person reaches out to pet her, and she snaps or bites (fight).<\/p>\n Or suppose the trigger is other dogs and she barks and lunges, trying to make the scary things go away. If the dogs do go away (or even just keep walking in the direction they were headed anyway) she feels her behavior \u201cworked\u201d and will likely display these behaviors again. Unless she gets help.<\/p>\n Here are some typical triggers that cause aggression in dogs:<\/strong><\/p>\n So, what does aggressive behavior look like? A wagging tail isn\u2019t always a sign of friendliness or happiness!<\/p>\n A dog\u2019s body language must be evaluated as a whole, but look for:<\/strong><\/p>\n More obvious signs of aggression would include:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cNips\u201d are bites! And if your dog growls, don\u2019t punish him, even verbally. A growl is a warning \u2014 punishing her means your dog may not give that gift next time.<\/p>\n Because fear is the most common cause of aggression, recognizing when your dog is afraid and supporting her is key.<\/p>\n Look for:<\/strong><\/p>\n If you observe aggressive body language or behavior, here is what you should do:<\/strong><\/p>\n Because we look at behavior in the context in which it occurs, there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all method of treatment.<\/p>\n Modern approaches to treating aggression are based on:<\/strong><\/p>\n Today\u2019s treatment plans vary but often include counterconditioning and desensitization, which work to change how dogs feel about triggers going from \u201cYikes, that\u2019s scary!\u201d to \u201cYeah! that\u2019s cool!\u201d Operant conditioning, such as the Look-at-That protocol, helps dogs learn to both engage and disengage from triggers voluntarily and calmly.<\/p>\n Many treatment plans also involve medications prescribed by a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist.<\/p>\n Newer approaches to treatment may also incorporate one or more of:<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re also keeping our eye on research and studies like those of Darwin\u2019s Ark, a scientific collaborative pairing professionals and pet parents. Part of that team, Dr. Jessica Hekman hopes to use canine genetic research to better understand the genes that affect aggression.<\/p>\n Dr. Hekman says, \u201cWe don\u2019t currently have any genetic markers that are predictive of dog aggression. We don\u2019t think we\u2019ll ever be able to run a genetic test on a shelter dog to predict if he will be a safe pet, but we might someday be able to help breeders make better guesses about which dogs they should breed to produce safer pets.\u201d<\/p>\n Remember: Your dog isn\u2019t giving you a hard time; she\u2019s having a hard time. Be your dog\u2019s advocate and assemble a team of pros to help. And have compassion for your dog and yourself \u2014 treating aggression is tough stuff.<\/p>\n Look at That!<\/em> is a counterconditioning protocol also referred to as the engage\/disengage game. To keep your dog from getting too aroused in the presence of a trigger (like another dog), she learns to calmly look at (engage) and look away from (disengage) the trigger instead of reacting.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/strong><\/p>\n Patience is key.<\/em> You want your dog to be able to consistently look at the trigger without reacting at increasingly less distance. Here are a few tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n If your dog doesn\u2019t look at you and stays focused on the trigger or reacts, either go back to Step 1<\/em> and\/or increase the distance between your dog and the trigger and start again.<\/p>\n Start with a low-level trigger in a low-stress, familiar environment.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get too close too fast \u2014 let your dog dictate the pace of progress.<\/p>\n When faced with an unexpected trigger, immediately head in a different direction to increase distance.<\/p>\n Consider training your dog with a Look cue or Emergency U-turn\/Walk Away cue ahead of time for these types of situations.<\/p>\n If your dog is struggling and reacts from any distance, ask a trainer for help.<\/em><\/p>\n Get more information on this technique from our sister publication Whole Dog Journal<\/em> at whole-dog-journal.com<\/a> entitled How to Teach Your Dog To Just Walk Away<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The post How to Help an Aggressive or Reactive Dog<\/a> by Rachel Brix<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\nduring early development<\/li>\nDog aggressive or reactive triggers<\/h3>\n
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Aggressive behavior signs<\/h3>\n
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\nmouth in a \u201cC\u201d or \u201cV\u201d<\/li>\n
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Body language signs of fear<\/h3>\n
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\nand\/or eyes averted<\/li>\nHow to stop dog aggressive behavior<\/h3>\n
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Treatment for aggressive or reactive dogs<\/h3>\n
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\ndecision-making)<\/li>\nResearch on aggressive or reactive dog behavior<\/h3>\n
Teach this game<\/h3>\n
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Need a trainer or behavior consultant?<\/h3>\n
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\nduring early development<\/li>\nDog aggressive or reactive triggers<\/h3>\n
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Aggressive behavior signs<\/h3>\n
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\nmouth in a \u201cC\u201d or \u201cV\u201d<\/li>\n
\nvibrating<\/li>\n\n
Body language signs of fear<\/h3>\n
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\nand\/or eyes averted<\/li>\nHow to stop dog aggressive behavior<\/h3>\n
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Treatment for aggressive or reactive dogs<\/h3>\n
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\nundesirable responses)<\/li>\n
\ndecision-making)<\/li>\nResearch on aggressive or reactive dog behavior<\/h3>\n
Teach this game<\/h3>\n
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Need a trainer or behavior consultant?<\/h3>\n
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