Does your dog go out of control each time he sees another dog? Does he continually try to attack other dogs, bark and misbehave upon seeing other dogs, strangers, or even the mailman? If you’ve said “yes” to one of these questions, then your dog is definitely not an aggressive dog. This is because most dog owners fail to see the difference between aggressiveness and reactivity.
Let us discuss the difference then.
In simple words, reactivity can be described as an extreme emotional reaction towards a certain stimulus – fear, overstimulation or excitement, mostly. The dog that is being reactive would bark, lunge and/or try to pull on the leash; however, he is not threatening people as he just reacts to the particular trigger with some emotional response.
In contrast to reactive, aggressive dogs want to do someone harm or scare him; aggression is manifested in such actions as growling, snarling, hissing or biting and is directed to creating space between the dog and the trigger.
To say it in another way, most of the “aggressive” dogs are rather reactive and have never been taught how to handle their emotions.
Triggers for Dog Reactivity
- Another dog, especially another dog on a leash and when there is no place to go
- People moving too fast or too close
- Loud noise, bike, skateboard, anything that moves fast
- Narrow places like corridors or doorways
- Overstimulation after an energetic walk
Indicators that It Is Not Aggression But Reactivity
- Barking and lunging only while the trigger is present
- Tail wags or is stiff but not frozen
- It recovers quickly once removed from the trigger
- Behavior is unpredictable – sometimes it reacts, sometimes not
- There was never a bite before
Helping a Reactive Dog
- Increase the distance between your dog and the trigger
- Reward your dog for being calm the second it sees the trigger
- Don’t throw triggers at your dog at once. Start with gradual exposure to one at a time.
- Keep calm – dogs sense stress through leash and body language.
- Seek help from a certified professional dog trainer.
Time to Visit a Professional Behaviorist
If your dog has ever bitten, is showing consistent signs of aggression (stiff body posture, growling and direct eye contact), his behavior gets worse and worse even though you try to train him. In this case, you need to visit a certified dog behaviorist or even a veterinary behaviorist as soon as possible.
Concluding Thoughts
As you can see, most “aggressive” dogs are actually just overwhelmed and reactive dogs, that cannot control their emotions yet. This understanding will completely change your approach to the training. Instead of punishment, now you can help your dog cope with difficult emotions – it is more efficient way to train your puppy.
Disclaimer
This article is written for educational purposes. If you suspect your dog is aggressive and has bitten someone before, you should seek advice of a professional behaviorist.
