By Brett Titus S.W.A.T /K9 Handler & Trainer Denver Police Department
The dog is one of the most amazing creatures in the world. The unconditional love and companionship of dogs is unmatched by any comparison. Like anything managed by Mother Nature, they do come with faults. One of the greatest of these faults is the unwarranted aggression toward humans. Often times we attribute this behavior to abuse, especially when it's an adopted dog. But that is not always the case.
This is evident when we look at dogs that have been raised from puppyhood in a great home and the same behaviors occur. Abuse can create these problems, but more often than not, it's Mother Nature. When it is abuse and we know it for fact, the problem can be more easily dealt with. A Mother Nature-given problem can result in a serious lifestyle change. Whichever the root cause is, I always advise pet owners that it is NEVER cured. Once the dog has shown pronounced aggression behavior, it must always be managed.
To understand what is a pronounced aggression problem, we have to look at the incident individually. A growl is simply a warning. If a dog growls at a person, we have to look at the circumstance. For example, If a stranger approaches and the dog growls and you get a weird vibe as well, that may be OK. Dogs are good judges of people. If the growl occurred during feeding or over a toy, that may be food aggression or a dominance issue, and needs to be dealt with in a different manner. If a bite occurs, what was the circumstance? Also, with a bite, you have to determine if it was committed or not. There is a significant difference between a nip and a full bite. If a sleeping dog was stepped on and felt pain, a bite reaction may be acceptable. These are some of the variables that each and every dog owner should look at before a decision is made on the level of aggression their dog may have.
Always refer to a dog training expert before you decide what course to take. Let me share a few tips to help deal with an aggression problem. First, determine whether your dog has an aggression problem, then understand that it is forever and don't be fooled into thinking it's fixed. If any trainer gives you a guarantee that the problem will be fixed, walk away as fast as you can. To call the problem fixed gives the wrong impression. The problem can be managed but never fixed. To actually fix a problem, you have to show proofing.
To proof an aggression problem, you have to test the waters. To do this, you will put someone at risk of injury. The only way to see if the problem is fixed is to put the dog in the position where it is able to bite someone. This may open you up to a lot of heartache. At minimum, you may be disappointed. The worst case is you will face legal matters over a dog bite. A dog with aggression problems needs you and only you. To put the dog in uncomfortable situations is not healthy. Your dog may be trying to tell you something, such as he doesn't like other people, so don't force him to try. No matter what the problem your dog may have, taking a good training class will solve most issues. By communicating with dogs through training, they will become happier, better-behaved pets.
