Seeing as how we have had us some new animal control ordinances implemented here in Pickens County, some folks have asked me to talk a little about dogs that are demonstrating aggressive behavior.
This here is part of a three part series where I’m gonna try to give you all a little insight into dog behaviors.
First, there is a difference between a dangerous dog, an aggressive dog, and a dog exhibiting aggressive behavior. Dangerous dogs are aggressive dogs that have just been made mean in one way or another.
Aggressive dogs may be born with genetic predisposition to aggressive behavior and have had the alpha chain of command skewed incorrectly to favor them over humans. And all dogs exhibit aggressive behaviors at some time or another.
It is a dog’s way of communicating, protecting, and defending themselves and their pack.
Aggressive behaviors include barking, growling, snarling, lunging, snapping and biting.
Puppies start doing this as soon as they can totter around -- at about three weeks. These actually start out as play behaviors. When playing pups can get pretty rough with one another and they learn quickly that rough play is rewarded with Mom laying down the law with a cuff to the head.
Now when people start playing with their pups, they need to inhibit these behaviors even more than Mom did. And with big dogs in particular, they need to teach them that some of these behaviors ain’t allowed with humans. Wrestling around with a snapping and snarling and play-biting Great Dane is foolhardy.
And even though jumping up on people is a submissive behavior, try telling that to your neighbor when your Bull Mastiff is sitting on them.
Non-play aggressive behaviors occur in so many circumstances that I just can’t cover them in this article. The most commonly seen form of aggressive behavior is territorial protective barking. A dog protecting his territory will run up, stop a few feet away and bark. Some would never consider biting you. Others might if you don’t back off.
And confusingly, a friendly dog might run up and jump on you. Or like my friend Daisy, run up barking her head off then wiggling around wanting to be petted. It is not dangerous but try telling that to the recipient as the dog gallops forward.
A dangerous dog might run and attack you leaving a nasty bite wound that requires medical attention. How are you supposed to know the difference in all this before it’s too late? Maybe you can’t.
So, among other organizations, the American Kennel Club recommends the following behavior when you are around a strange or potentially aggressive dog:
• Stand Still.
• Do not look directly at it and do not make eye-contact.
• Do not run. Do not fight.
• Do not shout.
• Let the dog approach and sniff.
Why? If you stay still the dog can determine you are not a threat and lose interest.
If bitten? Experts say stand still. Unless trained to attack, the dog will let go when it sees you are not going to fight back. More on a serious attack next time.
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| A painting by Robin Tondra of Crazy Dog Art Gallery |
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