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What Are The Reasons For Aggression In Dogs?


A dog standing in front of a mountain with trees.

Dogs, regardless of their breed, are social animals. But when not properly trained, they can tend to behave like a pack leader. There are many reasons for aggression in dogs, and we are listing some of the major ones in this article. 

Primal Needs Behavioral Solutions is the place for toning down the aggressive behavior dog training in Sacramento. Many people nowadays adopt pups or grown ones from shelters. They are not prone to the outside world even though they might have had handlers before, and nobody will know what kind of handlers they might have had. 

So it is of utmost importance that you treat your dog like a family member. If not trained or appropriately raised, they can turn on the owners by snarling, being grumpy, lunging, biting, etc. They will behave the way they have been trained at times as well. Many breeds have got a bad reputation because of some owners, but it is their primary instinct. No breed is harmful unless they are appropriately trained.

Top Reasons For Aggression In Dogs:

Now let us find out the top reasons for aggression in dogs:

1. Grumpy Behavior

Every living being has emotions be it Humans, Dogs, and other animals. When a human is grumpy, they shun everything and snap at people; the same goes with dogs. When some people push you the other way or press the wrong button, then a human will get aggressive. So even the dog you have will have its private space at times, which shouldn’t be intruded on.

When you bring a puppy home in the presence of an elder dog, it will tend to be overactive. But when the older dog gets agitated with the puppy’s behavior, then they snarl or even tend to bite them. The puppy is a toddler, latches on to this cue, and starts developing aggressive behavior. This grumpiness doesn’t take much time in transforming into aggressive behavior.

2. Abusive Behavior towards a Puppy

When the owner is abusive and torturing the puppy, this is one of the significant reasons for aggression in dogs. In addition, the pup will start disliking the owner and other people; as stated earlier, dogs are social animals, and they should be given proper socialization.

Everybody has some other work to do for a living, but you should never neglect the well-being of your dog. The best examples are dogs that you get from rescue shelters. Those pretty furry friends tend to be aggressive as they will have faced a past of neglect, abuse, and abandonment. Primal Needs Behavioral helps people and troubled dogs with tailored and toning down their aggressive behavior dog training in Sacramento.

3. Fear

When you are angry at your dog, that will make them fearful, and they will think that you will harm them. So they will retaliate by biting or lunging at you. Always be calm around your furry friend and not give them wrong cues. When you adopt a puppy, it is your family member, so you should treat them as you treat your family members.

Once the puppy develops this fear factor, there are chances of it getting aggressive. There are many factors like loud noises or when people burst crackers that affect your dog’s behavior. As a dog owner, when you put on positive behavior, your dog will follow the same cue and tend to be less aggressive.

4. Sickness or Injury

Dogs are prone to sickness and injuries, especially puppies. Unfortunately, no matter how many dogs you raised in the past, you will not know everything. So you be very careful when attending to your dog and check for any injuries or inflammation in the mouth. When not checked, your furry friend can turn aggressive and behave abnormally.

If you don’t see a solution, let a professional address the situation. A dog owner should always make them calm and regularly take them to the Vet and remove their fear.

5. Disliking other Animals

This is one of the most common reasons for aggression in dogs. As the adage goes, “They fight like cats and dogs”, similarly your dog can get irritated and chase other animals like cats, birds, and many more. So you should give them proper training especially socializing so that they don’t make you feel embarrassed by biting or lunging at other people’s pets.

6. Anxiety Issues

There are many reasons your dog can get anxious, like any changes at home or a newborn baby. They will feel that their love towards them is bartered and can get aggressive. So when you introduce the new surroundings to your pet patiently, they will adapt immediately.

7. Pack Leadership

Dogs are territorial animals, and they love to protect their territory. If you neglect this aspect, then your dog will develop aggression. You have to instill the sense of you being the pack leader so that they respect you and other family members.

But this doesn’t mean you have to scare or scold your furry pets; a little compassion and dedicated time will make them understand that they have to obey you. If they don’t, it is better advised to take the help of a professional trainer, and Primal Needs Behavioral Solution is the best in Sacramento for any type of dog behavioral training.

How To Stop Aggressive Behavior In Dogs?

Aggression doesn’t just mean biting there are many other things like growling, lunging, and snarling. The main thing to do is pay attention to your dog’s behavior to stop all this. It would help if you researched the breed and then got it home. You should start the socializing training part right from when you get the pup. If you adopt an elder dog, they will have problems adapting to the new surroundings and might snap. So in these circumstances, be it a pup or a grown-up dog, taking a professional’s help will help in a significant way.

Conclusion:

Dogs love to be pampered and feel loved, so you have to devote some time to them. Even small things like taking them on a walk, giving treats, playing with them, and exercising them will make them obedient and good pets. Never neglect your dog, as it is one of the biggest reasons for aggression in dogs. If you cant train them, then there is no harm in taking the help of a professional dog trainer. So by following all this, you will be happy, and your loyal furry friend will also be happy.