Dog Reactivity or Aggression

Do you have a dog that might be reactive or aggressive? Do you know how to tell the difference? Many people will think it's one over the other, and I hope this article clears that up so you know better how to deal with your pup.

Some dogs jump, pull, bark, and generally lose their minds at the sight of another animal or person. You might have a dog that barks when someone approaches your home (not just the UPS guy dropping off a package). Perhaps your health has gotten so bad that you hardly walk your dog anymore or have guests over anymore. We all know what can happen if your pet bites another pet or person (think euthanasia), and you're worried about it happening.

People miss a vital distinction, though, and that is the difference between a reactive and aggressive dog. A reactive dog may occasionally become aggressive, but it is not always the case. This leads us to discuss how they differ from each other.

Reactivity

Generally, a "reactive dog" is overreactive or over-aroused by a stimulus. High levels of arousal can be caused by fear, frustration, or a lack of socialization. Dogs who jump, pull, and bark on leash may lack proper training, want to meet another dog but not know how to express themselves, or be afraid of the other dog and want to scare them away. As a result, the same dog might have had a traumatic experience with a man, for example, and reacts aggressively (not being reactive), jumping, pulling, and barking.

This is why determining intention is essential. It's not likely that your dog would go after the other dog if he is otherwise happy or even attends doggie daycare. Instead, he is just very excited, which is why he is going after the other dog. The best way is to teach patience. There's a good chance that your dog is just reactive if you've never trained him or worked with him on a leash.

Aggression

Aggression is frequently mistaken for reactivity, which is harder to identify until the problem escalates. Usually, dogs that display aggressive behavior (lifting their lips, stiffening their bodies, snarling) try to communicate their fear or anxiety. The moment a dog snaps, muzzle punches (poke their closed mouths with their teeth closed), or bites, then the dog is either being pushed too far or has become aggressive. Therefore, even if a dog bites, it does not necessarily mean aggressive. Be sure to take your dog to the vet if he suddenly exhibits aggressive behavior.

Although aggression is often accompanied by fear, there is often a level of aggression. Lifting their lips, growling, snapping, leaning forward to bark, or barking as they back up are all ways of separating themselves from what they fear. These methods work most of the time. Growing causes people to back up, so the scary thing goes away when the dog growls.

You should not ignore a growling dog at all. Each of these signals is a way for a dog to communicate anxiety or fear. Suppose you believe your dog has fear-based aggression or reactivity. In that case, you should contact a positive reinforcement trainer, so they feel more comfortable around triggers.

However, suppose your dog goes on the offensive, chasing you, nipping at your heels, or even jumping and biting you. In that case, that's another matter altogether. While some herding breeds are naturally inclined to chase and nip at heels (like Border Collies), this behavior is not normal for most dogs. To help you deal with their aggression, contact a balanced reinforcement trainer.

As well as aggression towards toys, food, and people, there is territorial aggression. While some dogs would bite someone who walked into their yard, they don't mind meeting one at the park. What do you do?

You can use several strategies to manage aggressive or reactive dogs regardless of the type.

• Nobody says hello to your dog without your permission. This could mean that no one approaches your dog at all or that people wait (or at the very least, do not jump) until your dog is sitting before approaching. This means standing up for your dog and asking people to stop bothering him.

• You should never let your dog run off-leash or leave him unattended in the yard. It is imperative when your dog is aggressive. Even when they are reactive, you do not want them to practice these behaviors on someone or another dog who may not appreciate them and react negatively.

• Punishing your dog is not a good idea. Although you might think that meeting a bigger dog or a dog showing aggression with force is the best thing to do, it's actually the worst. To restore your dog's confidence, you should find out the root of the issue and address it in a way that encourages politeness, confidence, and friendly behavior over lunging, barking and pulling.

Balanced training is proven and effective in the long run, and punishments have many negative consequences. Due to these adverse effects, a pet and the person administering the punishment can be put at risk. Punishment may suppress aggression and fear if used effectively. Still, it will not always resolve the underlying cause of these behaviors. Because your dog was punished in the past for showing warning signs, they may attack without warning because the behavior is merely suppressed, not remedied.

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