Aggression in dogs: causes, types, what to do

Aggression in dogs is a fairly pressing issue in modern society, which affects not only stray dogs, but also domestic ones. If we look at the statistics, about 65% of those bitten by a four-legged pet are children and the elderly. This problem is very serious and widespread regardless of the territory and size of the settlement.

Play aggression

The manifestation of this behavior is usually characteristic of puppies and young animals. The emotion of how the baby growls and does not give the toy to the owner provokes the transition of the game into real anger.

To avoid this, it is necessary to always end the comic competition with the victory of the owner. The game “object” must remain with the owner until the next time. This behavior will teach the dog to understand that the toy is the owner’s thing and only he allows him to take it.

Nutrition

Special attention is also paid to feeding, since it is this that influences the formation and development of the puppy. The health of the animal depends on the quality and quantity of products. With proper nutrition and proper care, Doberman Pinschers will live a long, quality life.

Aristocratic dogs are absolutely not picky about food. Both dry food and natural products are perfect for them. The Doberman dog respects meat. However, it must be taken into account that its share in the diet should not exceed 40 percent. As a rule, meat is combined with various cereals, fermented milk products, and vegetables.

As for the type of meat, it is better to avoid pork and minced meat. Don't forget about foods that are rich in fiber. The Doberman's diet must include rice, buckwheat, and millet.

Several times a week, meat is replaced with fish. The following products are prohibited:

Cutlets.
Sausage.
Sausages.
Sugar.
Potato.

All of the above products can cause gastritis and ulcers.

As for approaches to the plate, a single meal is sufficient for an adult animal, however, an acceptable option is feeding in the morning and at lunch.

According to experts, babies up to 6 months need to be fed 5-6 times a day. With age, intake is reduced to 4 times. Required condition! A nursing animal, like any other, should not be left without water. The water must be changed 2 times a day.

Food aggression

Expressed by an aggressive growl at the sight of people or animals approaching a bowl of food. When feeling impunity, the dog can take active actions: bite, continue to growl, hastily grabbing food.

To avoid unpleasant moments during the feeding period, you need to:

Give food to the animal separately - after eating by household members.
Do not allow begging - do not throw pieces from the table.
Introduce a rule - the dog must earn a treat.
When starting training, be sure to practice until the animal unquestioningly obeys the commands “FU”, “DO NOT”, “SIT” with a bowl filled with food. The dog must understand that the owner allows him to touch the food.

How to care?

How to care for this graceful animal? In fact, care and maintenance are quite simple and even a lazy owner can do it.

Proper care involves taking a bath twice a year. If the animal gets dirty while walking, then cleansing is reduced to using a damp terry towel. This dog tends to shed, but since the fur and undercoat are minimal, during this period it is enough to use a towel to remove excess hair. Don’t forget about the animal’s claws; they need periodic trimming. In addition, Doberman grooming involves docking the tail and ears. All these actions are performed at a young age. The dog must be vaccinated annually.

Dobermans do not like to sit in the apartment; they are fans of outdoor activities. In general, the maintenance comes down to daily long walks outside, allowing the dog to be in excellent shape.

Territorial aggression

Such aggression manifests itself in the fact that when a dog is kept in a limited area and regardless of the presence of household members nearby, it begins to growl, bark and actively show readiness to lunge at a passerby walking by. When the owner is talking to a stranger, he may continue to actively bark and show aggressive behavior.

Common Causes of Aggressive Behavior

There are many possible causes of aggression in dogs, but the most common ones can be divided into 3 large groups. These include:

Selection errors
. Violation of established rules and thoughtless crossing of incompatible breeds with various deviations lead to the creation of individuals with completely unpredictable behavior.
Miseducation
. Lack of timely socialization and good training, as well as too many concessions can lead to unpleasant consequences. A pet that does not feel the authority of the owner and does not know how to communicate with the outside world becomes uncontrollable.
Bad content
. Life in an enclosure or on a leash, excluding communication with other animals and people, has a negative impact on the psyche. Cruel physical punishments applied for any offense have a similar effect.

Most often, there is a human factor behind aggressive behavior. Mistakes made by the owner can lead to dangerous events. The owner's own children, neighbors and other pets who are unable to fight back can suffer from the aggressor.

Defensive aggression

As a rule, this type of aggression is typical for trained guard dogs. Being close to a protected person and when strangers approach him, the animal may begin to bark, growl, grab and bite.

In the absence of a threat to the protected person, such a reaction is inadequate. To develop service qualities and avoid problems when walking in crowded places, it is necessary to undergo training with an experienced instructor and early socialization of the dog. But even in this case, the owner should not lose vigilance when the pet is among people.

What should the owner do?

If a dog has become aggressive, how to deal with the hostility will depend on the cause. You can resolve the situation yourself or seek help from a dog handler. The help of a veterinarian will be needed only in the most extreme cases, when aggressiveness is explained by pain due to illness or is unmotivated.

Solving the problem yourself

If hostility is not innate and is caused by a certain factor, then in most cases it can be eliminated on your own. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate equality or suppress the authority of the dominant pet. The position you take should correspond to the leader of the pack or an adult animal that commands respect from the young.

Proper upbringing excludes any violence. It undermines trust and strengthens fear, increasing the aggressor's anger.

First, eliminate all irritating factors and start teaching your pet basic commands. Reward for success, but do not give in to provocations. When attempting to attack or growling in displeasure, use distraction or ignore.

Engage in socialization: put protective gear on your pet and go to walking areas popular among dog lovers. When meeting other animals, control the reactions of your four-legged friend, explaining the difference between a real and an imaginary threat.

Appeal to the dog handler

If your attempts do not bring results, sign up for courses at a kennel club. Depending on the situation, you will be offered group or individual classes, where your four-legged friend will be taught manners and rules of behavior in society. Dog handlers recommend taking the UGS and OKD courses together with your pet, as this strengthens the bond with the owner.

Aggression from fear

If an animal experiences a feeling of fear of people, tries to bite, or shows an unfriendly attitude by growling, then the owner should socialize the pet. For example, if you are afraid of people, you can ask your friends to come up to you on the street and give the dog a treat and pet it. This will calm your pet and give him confidence that there is no danger.

This behavior is typical for animals with an unbalanced psyche, a weak nervous system, and those who have experienced cruel treatment. A medical procedure can also provoke aggression.

Who can a dog lunge at?

In addition to a direct attack, a warning growl and bared teeth, aggressiveness can be manifested by disobedience. The dog refuses to follow commands or does not allow the owner near his toys. Remember that any uncontrolled behavior is abnormal and requires correction.

On the owner

Dog aggression towards its owner is most often associated with improper upbringing or pain. In the second case, a negative reaction may occur while cleaning the ears or combing the fur. But if an animal attacks you for accidentally pulling out a hair, then such antics require mandatory correction.

Young children are more vulnerable and may become victims of redirected aggression. It occurs in animals that are encouraged to attack other pets. Never allow such behavior for fun, since the bully you brought up will sooner or later choose one of the family members as an object of attack - perhaps a child or a fragile woman.

On other people

A similar reaction is typical for service, guard, fighting and hunting breeds. They have a genetic distrust of strangers, so if their territory or property is encroached upon, they immediately attack the intruder.

On other animals

Dogs with poor socialization, strong territorial instincts, or dominant behavior often attack other animals. In addition to neighbors' dogs, they can also harm those who live in the same house with them.

Aggression due to pain

In response to medical procedures or before them, when the dog has already had a negative experience, it sometimes develops aggression, expressed in growling or biting the owner’s hand. It may also be a response to pain from careless childhood play.

In any situation, such a reaction must be dealt with, the animal must be calmed, but in no case should it be punished.

Doberman breed description - briefly

The breed standard is characterized by the following qualities:

Color ranges from black to yellow-brown.
There are also chocolate-colored dogs.
The size of males at the withers is 68-72 cm, females - 63-68 cm.
The ideal option is when the length of the body is proportional to the height.
A male weighs 40-45 kg, a female from 32 to 35 kg.
Life expectancy is 11 years.
Country of origin: Germany.
Where is it used? Army, police. They often play the role of devoted friends and family members.

Predator aggression

Dogs with a highly developed hunting instinct may experience a pursuit race, for example, when they see running children, passing cyclists, or small mammals (birds) appearing in its field of vision. The animal is dangerous at such moments.

The behavior can only be prevented by taking your dog through an obedience course. The commands “TO ME” and “LIE” must be practiced until unquestioningly executed.

It is advisable to start practicing commands while playing with any object, using a long leash. This will help in managing the dog and establish the owner as a leader.

Whose blood flows?

The Doberman Pinscher is a relatively young breed.
It arose as a result of crossing many breeds, including the German, French Shepherd, English Greyhound and German Pinscher. The father of this breed is the German tax inspector Louis Dobermann. The dog's appearance shows the features of a miniature pinscher, however, in terms of strength and size, it is a full-fledged guard dog. Unfortunately, the breeder did not leave any records about the breed, so modern experts can only speculate and speculate about their origin. It is worth noting that the Doberman Pinscher is the only representative of the German breed that received the name of its owner. There is a legend that Doberman specifically bred this watchdog for his own protection. This dog's introduction to the world occurred in 1876.

They appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Immediately after their appearance, dogs began to be widely used for search purposes. In the middle of the 20th century, this breed acquired official status by the International Cynological Association.

Modern Dobermans are individuals of the highest class, which have repeatedly become prize-winners of international exhibitions.

final grade

Well, it’s time to summarize and give a general assessment of this animal. So, the assessment takes place according to a 10-point system.

Doberman characteristics are as follows:

Hostility is 6 out of 10.
Adaptability 8.
Activity 10.
Playfulness, friendliness 8 out of 10.
Intellectual abilities 6.
Training 10 out of 10.

So, the overall score is 8 points, which characterizes the dog on the positive side. The love and devotion that comes from the kind heart of a Doberman is beyond the power of years.

Consider taking medications

In some cases, training alone is not enough. Aggressive dogs may also require medication to deal with the problem.

It is important to understand that a dog that is afraid, stressed or anxious is unable to learn new things.

Think of medication as a tool to help your dog overcome this fear. Many dogs only need medication temporarily. Talk to your veterinarian about your options.

What do Dobermans get sick with?

Despite the fact that these dogs do not have characteristic diseases such as cataracts and allergies, they are susceptible to other ailments. It is worth noting that cases of diagnosing heart pathologies have become more frequent in European countries. In addition, American breeders note the emergence of new hereditary problems, in particular Wobbler syndrome, a blood disease.

Other diseases are represented by the following disadvantages:

Incorrect bite.
Pigment spots.

Create a plan

A dog trainer or trainer can help you find the best way to deal with your dog's aggression. In most cases, you will use positive reinforcement to teach your dog new behaviors.

For example, if your dog is mildly aggressive towards strangers, start by moving away from someone your dog doesn't know.

You need to be far enough away that your dog won't growl or snap his teeth. Then reward with lots of treats and praise, gradually decreasing the distance between the dog and the stranger while continuing to use positive reinforcement.

Ideally, your dog will begin to understand that strangers are equal to treats, and you will notice a decrease in his aggression. This same procedure can help your dog become accustomed to a variety of other situations.

Interesting Facts

Dogs of this breed rightfully occupy a place in the Guinness Book of Records, as they have excellent detective skills.

In the Western Pacific Ocean on the island of Guam stands the Faithful Rider Monument. It was built in honor of the 25 dogs who laid down their lives for the liberation of the island back in 1944. In the German town of Apolda, a monument was also erected depicting a whole family of Dobermans.

In conclusion, let’s summarize and highlight the main pros and cons of this breed:

High level of owner protection.
An excellent watchman.
Minimum requirements for care and maintenance.
Excellent learning ability.

At the same time, the Doberman dog is very capricious and requires a strong hand. As noted above, every owner, when bringing an animal into the house, raising a dog, caring for it, must remember that aggression may not manifest itself in the best way in its character. Each dog is individual in its character - in some, anger as such may not manifest itself, while in other dogs, aggression can be directed not only at other animals, but also at the owner, children and household members. What are the causes of aggression and how to overcome it, raise a pet, correct it with training or even medication - this will be discussed further.