In 2012, a study conducted by Dr. Vincent Egan at the University of Leicester’s School of Psychology, found that canine aggression has more relevance to an owner’s desired perception than the breed of the dog. External and internal factors influence aggressive behavior. These factors are associated with the age of the owner, dog’s gender and the training the dog has received.
Aggression is situation dependent and dependent on the history of owners and dogs. Younger people who are less agreeable are more likely to prefer aggressive dogs. They may be shy, tense or undisciplined. The owner’s age also plays a role; dogs owned by people younger than twenty-five are nearly twice as likely to be aggressive than those owned by people older than forty.
Human factors influence the dog-human bond more than canine factors. Psychological profiles of both a dog and its owner influence dog aggression. In relationships, attachment styles determine the quality of connection. Attachment style is how a person relates to others based on how they perceive themselves and the people around them. Canine aggression is associated with owners with avoidant attachment. People with avoidant attachment have trouble showing their emotions. People with high scores of avoidant attachments had lower scores in conscientiousness. Owners with higher levels of conscientiousness show more concern regarding their dogs’ behavior.
What other factors contribute to aggression?
- Neutered male dogs are twice as likely to be aggressive as neutered female dogs.
- Lack of training, dogs who attended puppy-training classes are 1.5x less likely to be aggressive to strangers.
- Dogs trained using punishment and negative reinforcement are twice as likely to be aggressive to strangers and three times as likely to be aggressive to family members.
- Medical conditions and age, dogs with arthritis, hip dysplasia, or blindness.
- Fearfulness, fearful dogs are five times more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior than non-fearful dogs. This is the most common motivation for aggressive behavior.
- Dogs living in a single dog household
- Owner’s first dog
- Small body size
- Early weaning
An owner’s behavior affects their dog’s behavior. Reinforcing inappropriate behavior leads to the formation of undesired habits. Sometimes owners can unknowingly contribute to unwanted behaviors. Activities like wrestling or tug of war can create dominance-aggression. Dog walking is a great activity to reduce aggressive behavior.
What can I do?
When possible, avoid conflicting situations and punishments. Punishment or domination makes aggression worse. Dogs begin to form negative associations with stressful events. When they are uncomfortable, dogs need to remove themselves from stressful situations. Owners should provide a safe, quiet spot for their dog to retreat.
The treatment of behavioral problems is more difficult as the behavior becomes more established. Trainability and sociability decrease with age. It is recommended puppies should attend training classes before sixteen weeks old. The puppy phase is the most critical period of socialization. In this phase, a dog should establish positive contact with as many things, situations and living things as possible. Positive reinforcement training helps dogs learn desirable behaviors.
Aggression is a natural part of a dog’s behavior, but excessive aggression disrupts the relationship between the dog and its environment. Identifying demographic and environmental factors associated with this behavior can help owners and trainers understand how to prevent these occurrences.
Understanding the occurrence of aggression is necessary for animal welfare and the safety of their caregivers. The owner’s age, dog’s gender and the level of training the dog received all contribute to the development of aggressive behaviors. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of aggression by improving owner education. Early detection of dangerous traits leads to better management and prevention.
