PUSHY PUPS:
Preventing and Handling Aggression in Dogs
Most puppies are friendly and playful, but as dogs mature, they may become increasingly harder to control. Although genetic factors do play an important role in behavior development, how you handle, train, and control your new puppy is also critical in shaping its adult behavior.
Canids (e.g., wolves, dogs) are a highly social “pack” species that develop a hierarchy among individuals within the pack. This allows the group to live together with minimal confrontation. In a pair of individuals, one will usually emerge as dominant. This is the leader who controls food, mates, and sleeping areas and usually comes out on top in conflicts. By contrast, the subordinate gives in or backs down, rather than challenging.
In the home, it is important to understand a dog’s instinct and work to prevent the dog from seizing control or exhibiting inappropriate behavior. Otherwise, you may soon find that the dog is unwilling to obey commands and may even challenge you when you try to approach, handle, or control it. Dogs displaying such behavior may be exhibiting signs of dominance aggression. Some dogs, even those that are not particularly domineering, can be overly possessive or protective of valued objects, such as food or a favored toy. Another common cause of aggression is fear, which can make the dog bite or act defensive when challenged, confronted, or punished.
The dog of choice
Although studying puppies can be helpful in determining personality, many problems such as fearful or possessive behavior may not develop until long after you select your puppy. Therefore, it might be more valuable to research the typical behavior of the breed. Take a close look at both the parents and the offspring from previous litters and see what behavior other family members exhibit. When selecting an adult dog or older puppy, temperament and personality testing will be more valuable since the dog’s personality is already formed. For specific information on testing a dog’s personality, ask your veterinarian or a pet behaviorist.
Handling your hound
By setting up your dog to succeed, most problems can be prevented. Constant supervision ensures that desirable behavior is rewarded and undesirable behavior is interrupted. Keeping your puppy on a leash can also help. Training your dog to obey verbal commands and accept all forms of handling are important in gaining control and leadership and should begin from day one. Although physical punishment should be avoided, reward-based techniques- rewarding your dog with food, favored toys, and praise when it displays good behavior- are best ways to teach your puppy. (For more training techniques, see Basic Training: Teaching Your Puppy to Mind its Manners.)
Your dog should get used to accepting all forms of handling without resisting or showing fear or anxiety. At some point you will need to handle of lift your dog, bathe or groom it, brush its teeth, clean in or around its ears and eyes, or trim its nails. In addition, you should be able to gently grasp around the muzzle or hold your puppy in a down position on its belly or side. These forms of handling should be practiced regularly with rewards given for compliance. Pushy puppies are likely to struggle and resist, so you will need to be persistent, but never force the puppy to a point where it causes fear, retaliation, or escape. If you reach a part of the body or a type of handling that your puppy resists, proceed gradually until your dog becomes accustomed to the handling and accepts it. Rewards can be given for each successful step.
When adult dogs are lifted or handled in a way they are not used to, it can lead to fear or dominance-related forms of aggression. If you identify any resistance or threats, immediately cease and seek the guidance of your veterinarian or a behaviorist. With assistance, your dog can be properly trained to accept these forms of handling.
Drop it!
Possessive behavior or guarding over food, toys, and objects can emerge at any time as a puppy grows up. A number of actions can be taken to help prevent problems before they emerge. However, should your dog begin to display any aggression when in possession of food or objects, immediately seek the guidance of a veterinarian or behaviorist. This way, you can determine a safe and effective way to correct the problem.
The first step in preventing this type of guarding is to teach your dog to give up objects on command. Begin with a toy that is of minimal appeal and teach your dog to “give” the toy to you for rewards. You may need to prompt your dog with a treat the first time, but each time thereafter the food should be hidden and given only after your dog gives up the object. Once your dog reliably drops objects for rewards with each command, switch to intermittent food reinforcement (praise each time and food occasionally).
Although it is best not to bother a dog during meals, it is important that the dog understand that you control resources such as food and toys. Your dog should also be comfortable when family members are around during meal times. Train the dog to sit and stay while you prepare the food and place it on the floor. Then allow the dog to come and eat. During feeding, approach your dog once or twice, interrupt it with a “sit” or “come” command, lift up the food bowl, put in a special food reward, and give it back to your dog. It can also be helpful to place a small amount of food in your dog’s bowl at feeding times and pick up the bowl and refill it a few times during feeding. Againg, it is important to remember that if your dog begins growling and threatening to bite, immediately consult your veterinarian or a pet behaviorist.
Power plays
Of course puppies will not be trained immediately, and some dogs can be very difficult to train, even with the best of efforts. Problems often develop when the owner first allows or is unable to control the pushy behavior– pulling on walks, jumping up on greeting, nipping, or sleeping on furniture- and then later attempts to stop the problem. Dealing with these situations before they become problems is critical.
Whenever your dog begins to exhibit pushy, demanding, undesirable, or over-exuberant behavior, it should be ignored so that the behavior is not encouraged. Another option is to use a verbal command such as “quit” of “off”. Dogs that are mouth-oriented, stubborn, excitable, or hard to train can be better controlled with a leash and head halter. Unless your dog is responsive to your commands, games such as tug-of-war and rough-house wrestling should be avoided. These games are never acceptable if your dog initiates them, if they escalate into aggressive displays of nipping and growling, or if you are unable to stop them at will.
Even with the best of efforts, aggression problems can arise. By immediately identifying what causes the aggression, you improve your chances of resolving the problem. If you are having difficulty gaining control of your dog, or should aggression begin to emerge, contact your veterinarian immediately. Together, you can determine if help from a pet behaviorist is necessary.
THE SOCIAL SCENE:
Introducing Your Puppy To The World
Little puppies don’t come into our world with ready knowledge about humans or the world in which we live. They need to learn all about us-about car rides, vacuums, weaving bicycles, and more. If they don’t have a chance to learn about the people, animals, and things in their environment, they may grow up to be fearful, anxious, antisocial adults. This situation can usually be prevented with early socialization and exposure to as many people, animals, sights, sound, and places as possible. If you are considering getting a new puppy, it is best to obtain him at approximately seven weeks old. Before this time, a puppy needs to be socialized to his mother and litter mates. From seven weeks on, it is critical that puppies socialize with humans.
Socialization-making friends
Socialization is the process of developing relationships with other living beings in your environment. The first few months of your puppy’s life are the most critical for his development. If this time passes without the young pup making necessary social contacts, irreparable damage may result, leading to fear, timidity, or aggression. Since the most sensitive period for puppy socialization occurs during the first 12 weeks of age, you should begin the socialization process as soon as you get your new puppy (and then continue into adulthood).
Start with simple, quiet, one-person introductions and gradually include more people in noisier situations. Invite friends, relatives, and their pets to come to your home to meet, greet, and play with your puppy. As soon as your veterinarian says your puppy is adequately vaccinated, take him on as many walks and outings as possible. Initially avoid situations that might be high risk for disease, such as neighborhood parks or areas with stray dogs. To make the new introductions special, give a small biscuit to your puppy whenever he meets someone. As soon as your puppy can sit on command, have him sit when he meets new people, letting each new friends give the reward. This teaches your puppy to greet properly, rather than lunging or jumping up on visitors and passersby.
Networking
It is important that your puppy meets and receives treats from a wide variety of people of all ages and appearances. A puppy that grows up in a restricted social group (e.g., all adults or all females) may show fear and aggression when later exposed to people who appear or act differently (e.g., children, men with beards). Even if there are no children living at home, it is likely your puppy will encounter them sometime. Therefore, every effort should be made to see that your young pup has plenty of opportunities to play with and learn about children. Some pups seem to consider kids to be a completely different species since they walk, act, and talk much differently than adults. If you don’t provide your puppy with adequate, positive interaction with children during his early months, he may never feel comfortable around them.
Another excellent way to promote early socialization is to take your puppy to training classes. The new concept in training is to start puppies young, before they pick up bad habits and when learning is rapid. Many communities now have puppy training and socialization classes where puppies can be admitted as early as their third month. These classes not only help the pups get off to a great start with training, they also offer a wonderful opportunity for important social experiences with other puppies and people. Ask your veterinarian about classes available in your area.
Punishment during the early development stages can negatively influence the puppy’s relationships with people. Avoid training method that involve physical discipline, such as swatting your pup, thumping him on the nose, and rubbing his face in a mess. These methods can teach your dog to fear the human hand or to become a fear biter. In general, during the early months of your puppy’s life, avoid any interactions with people who might make him anxious.
Habituation-hello world!
Habituation is a fancy term that involves getting used to a varied environment. As your puppy matures, new sounds and situations can lead to fear and anxiety. Begin the habituation process at an early age. Frequently expose your puppy to different sights, sounds, odors, and situations.
For example, repeated, short car rides can minimize anxiety associated with traveling, provided nothing unpleasant occurs during the ride. Also expose your puppy to stimuli such as the sound of traffic, sirens, airplanes, water, elevators, or alarm clocks. If your puppy seems to be exceptionally cautious when first introduced to new situations or stimuli, start off with mild exposure and give food rewards for non fearful responses. Never give rewards while the pet is exhibiting fearful behavior- this only rewards the very response you are trying to discourage. Your puppy then can be gradually “built up” to more intense exposure. Tape recordings of a variety of environmental sounds are available if it’s difficult to expose your puppy to sufficient stimuli in your own neighborhood.
Properly socializing and shaping your puppy’s temperament requires an investment in time. You will find that your efforts are worthwhile when you become the proud parent of a social, friendly dog.