Though the vast majority of dogs are safe, yet sometimes even a friendly dog may bite if he is threatened, angry, afraid or hurt. Most dog bites, however, are from those dogs that know the victim— it’s either the family or the neighbor’s dog. Sometimes, when you play rough games with the dog, he gets so excited that he bites you.

• Your dog’s territorial instincts: Just as we guard our things and families, so also do dogs protect their possessions—whether food, puppies or toys. They also protect their favorite spaces—theirs and their master’s. This can include the dog’s eating and sleeping areas, yards, porches and parked cars. A dog can be so fiercely protective of his and his master’s house that even if a child comes running through a fence and reaches the front door of the house, a usually warm and loving dog can turn nasty and growl and bark at the dog purely to protect his master and his family.

• Cornering or crowding over your dog: These are two more reasons for your usually placid dog to rise in self-defense and bite you. This is why innocent children who are unfamiliar with dogs should be wary of them to the extent of standing back and never putting their faces close to that of a dog. This is because cheek bites are very common with dogs.

It is good to be wary of all kinds of dogs you encounter. Here are a few:

1.  Stray dogs: If a dog is lost, frightened or injured, he is likely to bite because he has lost his bearings and feels very vulnerable. So, keep away from him, as he is dangerous to you and your children.
2.  Sick or injured dogs: If a dog is in pain or is sick or injured, obviously he will be unable

…

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More causes of aggression

At any age, you may develop aggression born out of medical disorders. These problems may arise suddenly and may be completely different from ordinary experiences of other dogs. While some medical conditions can cause aggression, but sometimes a combination of behavioral factors and medical problems cause the pet to exceed the level at which he displays aggression. The medical conditions that could strike your pet include rabies, hypothyroidism, psychomotor epilepsy, hyperkinesias, neoplasia and a variety of genetic and metabolic disorders, besides dental disease, arthritis and fever, fatigue or sensory loss.
• Cage rage: This is usually seen in puppy mill dogs that begin to see their cages or kennels as their territory because that’s where they have been shut in and neglected for indefinite periods. Naturally, they defend it very stoutly from others trying to touch it or enter it or even nose around it from outside. A dog that suffers from cage rage is usually a trapped and cornered dog that, in a confrontation, does not have the option of “flight” but can only “fight.”
In dogs from shelters you can see the faint beginningsof cage rage. Actually, it may or may not be aggressionas other dogs exhibit but just a dose of hyperactivity orboisterousness that might turn a prospective buyer off, since the latter may think that this is the dog’s true personality. But really, this is very often a temporary phase that the dog resolves as he gains a little freedom and does not stare at the world through the bars of his cage.
• Separation anxiety: This is a common complaint of all dog owners, in which the dog destroys objects in the house and howls and barks so loudly that the neighbors complain. This happens when you leave your dog alone and unattended all day…

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Recognizing the different kinds of aggression in your dog

Aggression is such a natural and innate type of behavior among dogs that willy-nilly, at some time or other, they will experience it. Today’s domestic dog no longer expresses aggression with slight facial expressions or a stiff tail. In fact, today these signs are interpreted to mean that the animal is ready for attack or to defend himself. Unfortunately, these days, dogs come into this world carrying genetic and hormonal baggage-based behavior problems, learned problems, problems acquired in training and those born out of improper primary socialization.
Animal behavior therapists now know 16 different types of aggressive behavior in dogs.
Aggression or intra-specific fighting involves using the teeth but in a controlled way so as not to kill but to force the victim submit into submission. This happens between dogs, usually of the same gender and within the same class i.e., two adult males.
Aggression can be when one dog wants to defend his space, be possessive over his food, bedding sites or affection in his master’s eyes. So, it is very natural for all dogs to be aggressive at some point of their lives. Inter-specific aggression is said to occur because we have included dogs into our social order and imposedours on them. This blurs the lines between man and dog and so it is not surprising that dogs react in much the same way to humans as they would to a fellow dog and for the same reasons.
Since pet owners often don’t know how to communicate to their dogs and what to say, they often end up getting hurt more often by dogs than other dogs would. Besides, no matter how well you know your pet, it is not often that you can read him so well that you can predict what he’s…

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It’s never been as common as now—the fact that dogs are attacking people, causing horrific injuries that sometimes lead to death. Is the sobriquet “dogs are man’s best friends” fair and true? Why do some dogs turn aggressive while others remain calm?
There are three undeniable facts that pertain to dogs: First, that nearly all dogs have an inherent protective instinct; Second, that though each dog is born with a definite temperament, it can be changed and molded by training and environment; Third, dog and master develop a strong bond very soon into their relationship which goes on to give the dog a sixth sense — one that includes knowing his master’s likes and dislikes.
This is why calm and mild tempered people have dogs of a similar nature while nervous and bad tempered people have dogs that mirror their personalities. In fact, a dog can also pick up a pet owner’s prejudices against race or class. Like us, dogs too can err. Sometimes, they misinterpret an action or fail to recognize a person and attack him out of the blue.
Another reason for a dog’s aggressive nature is his ancestry that goes back to the wolves of the wild. Some breeds like the pit bull are said to be more aggressive than others. In fact, it is known to be the cause of 72% of all deaths by dogs in the United States. And, it attacks without provocation.

The pit bull is the dog of choice of gangsters and street thugs who use this breed as weapons and because they make for good watchdogs. They are intentionally ill treated so as to bring out their aggressiveness. This obviously means that with gentle treatment aggression can be sorted out. However, the basic nature of a dog will always remain and may surface under certain…

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Have you ever seen a device or a program designed to correct a dog behavior problem that explained how smart dogs are and how they think? Most plans or gadgets enable owners,
literally, to declare war on their hapless pets. Little or no concern is afforded to what the dogs happen to think about them. In fact, the implication is that dogs don’t think at all … either they just react to external stimuli like robots , or respond according to genetically controlled “drives.” Dogs are rarely credited with the ability to solve a problem mentally; to analy%e a situation; imagine ways to manipulate or control it, then take a pre-planned course of action toward a goal that was preconceived in the dog’s mind. In short,the dog is considered a real dummy, then treated like a dummy. But this concept is not correct. Dogs are smart. They can, and usually do, think rings around their owners. And they can do it because most owners have never learned how to think like a dog.

Understanding Non-Verbal Thinking

We all wonder now and then what our dog is thinking. If we wonder aloud, perhaps when mealtime is approaching and the dog is looking expectantly at us, we might say something like, “I’ll bet Tippy’s thinking, ‘When is my dinner going to be ready?’ ” In all likelihood, Tippy isn’t originating any thoughts about ‘when dinner will be ready.’ It is more likely Tippy is imagining (or ‘imaging’ in his mind) the words and movements you usually say and perform before getting his dinner; something like, “You want dinner, Tippy?” All that tail wagging and those pleading eyes are aimed at stimulating you to say it.

But, an inability to originate thoughts in a spoken language does not make dogs unintelligent. Even people don’t actively think in…

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Melanie Schlaginhaufen

Do you remember a dog from your childhood who was so tolerant that you slept on him, hugged him and perhaps even rode him like a pony? Many of us do have memories of dogs that would put Lassie to shame, but the truth is…few dogs are this tolerant. And who knows, our memories may be flawed, those childhood dogs were probably not very happy while they endured those things from us and our playmates!

Children just naturally do various things that canines don’t particularly enjoy. Many dogs do not like to be restrained around the neck, and as dogs get older, many have pain issues with their backs and necks. For these reasons, we should always teach children not to hug our dogs and of course we should teach children not to do anything that may harm or aggravate a dog. That said, as responsible dog owners, we need to realize that any dog that is around children may, from time to time, be subjected to certain unpleasantries and we can up the dog’stolerance level through a carefully thou

Here are a few tips that will help “childproof” your dog.

1. Hugging. When working with an adult dog, start slowly, first by gently laying your arm on top of his shoulders for a moment, while quietly praising him. As soon as he seems to look forward to this type of attention, then progress to draping an arm around his neck, then both arms and eventually (take your time, even if these steps take a few weeks) give him the type hug a child might give. At the beginning, you will be talking in a very soothing tone (gooooooood dog, that’s goooood) but as the dog feels comfortable with this behavior, begin to add in a high pitched excited word or two…

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Cesar Millan has become a household name in the world of dog training and millions of television viewers tune in to his show every week.

Whether they are more impressed with Millan’s undeniable charm and charismatic appearance rather than his apparent correction of any dog’s behavioural problems remains to be seen.

Controversy grows as many professional dog psychologists, trainers, behaviourists and canine experts claim that Millan’s archaic use of choke collars and physical and mental force borders on animal abuse and cruelty.

Cesar Millan was born on August 27th, 1969. A native of Culiacan, in Mexico, he lived on his parent’s farm in Ixpalino. His parents were poor and Millan grew up without television or any of the things that are enjoyed by youngsters today. Millan does not feel that he had a deprived childhood. On the contrary, Cesar Millan thrived in a loving family environment.

His grandfather was a “campesino” (farm worker) who looked after a large herd of cows. Millan says his love of dogs stems from watching them work on the farm, herding cows and guarding the property. He realised that the dogs never needed training, rewards or commands as they worked through natural instinctive behaviour and respected his grandfather as a natural leader.

Millan’s early teachers were the dogs of his childhood as he watched how dogs on other farms behaved. Having no knowledge of canine psychology, Millan saw how his grandfather, just by being quietly assertive and consistent, managed to establish control over all the dogs.

His family moved to the city as his father was given a job as a government photographer. Proud of their first television set, Millan watched avidly shows such as Rin Tin Tin and Lassie which fuelled his desire to become a dog trainer. He began working at a local vet doing menial tasks such as…

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With the recent popularity of a television show about problem dogs, the controversy over which methods are the most humane and effective ways to address behavior problems in dogs has been renewed and is dividing dog lovers all over the world.

While behaviorists, trainers and other dog professionals recognize that the show is exposing dog owners to the possibility that their dogs’ behavior can be changed, the show gives the false impression that behavior can be changed within a matter of hours. Professionals are also concerned about the methods used, as many of those methods are known to incite or increase aggressive behaviors.

This article will explore the controversial issues and will attempt to separate fact from marketing. Wherever possible, additional links or book recommendations are provided as reference or to elaborate on the preceding issue.

Part II of this article responds to the most commonly asked questions .

DOG PSYCHOLOGY OR POP PSYCHOLOGY?

Since before Ivan Pavlov’s experiments with dogs, scientists have been studying animal behavior both in the laboratory and in the field, where behavior can be studied in the animal’s natural environment, without human intervention. It is the combination of these studies that gives us our understanding of dog behavior today and continues to provide us with startling new discoveries. For any one person to claim that they have it all figured out when our understanding of genetics and the brain (human or canine) is incomplete is preposterous.

Dog psychology or, more accurately, the study of animal behavior, is not a complete mystery that is left to the interpretation of a few individuals. While there are many areas in which our understanding is incomplete, there is a staggering amount of scientifically proven information available.

Many of the dogmatic concepts presented on the show appeal to people who have,…

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The Fearful Dog

Dogs may display a variety of behaviors when they’re afraid. A fearful dog will display certain body postures, including lowering his head, flattening his ears back against his head, and tucking his tail between his legs. He may also pant, salivate, tremble and/or pace. A frightened dog may try to escape, may show submissive behaviors (avoidance of eye contact, submissive urinating, rolling over to expose his belly), or he may freeze and remain immobile. Some dogs will bark and/or growl at the object that is causing their fear. In extreme cases of fearfulness a dog may be destructive (out of general anxiety or in an attempt to escape), or he may lose control of his bladder or bowels and, therefore, house soil.

Causes Of Fearful Behavior

Determining why your dog is fearful isn’t always essential to treating the fearful behavior, although the reason for his fear will dictate the relative success of the treatment. A dog that is genetically predisposed to general fearfulness, or a dog that was improperly socialized during a critical stage in his development, will probably not respond as well to treatment as a dog that has developed a specific fear in response to a specific experience.

It’s essential, however, to first rule out any medical causes for your dog’s fearful behavior. Your first step should be to take your dog to your veterinarian for a thorough medical evaluation.

What You Can Do

Most fears won’t go away by themselves, and if left untreated, may get worse. Some fears, when treated, will decrease in intensity or frequency but may not disappear entirely. Once medical reasons have been ruled out, the first step in dealing with your dog’s fearful behavior is to identify what triggers his fear. If he is afraid of startling noises see our handout: “Helping Your Dog Overcome…

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By nature, all puppies are friendly but as they grow, some of them develop personality traits that are difficult to control. Being an owner, it is your first duty to understand your pet’s instinct and ensure that he does not wrest control from you.
If you choose the right breed or pup, that can negate the possibility of raising an aggressive dog, since you will be forewarned of the breed’s temperament. This is why it is imperative that you spend enough time with the parents of the pup you’re interested in buying. You should also try to check out the offspring of previous litters. When picking out a puppy, make sure it is outgoing and friendly.
It is best to begin training your pup early. It is better to teach him with rewards such as food, toys and most importantly, praise rather than physical punishment. In terms of early training, begin by lifting the puppy to groom or bathe him. Make him lie still while you trim his nails and clean his ears. If you do this often, he will get used to being handled and held around the head and muzzle area, in the down position and on his belly or side.
You might bring home a pup that doesn’t like to betouched. Don’t stop touching him but do this in a gentlemanner until he grows used to your handling. Now, give him an occasional treat and lots of praise.
Almost any dog can become aggressive when defending its food. To reduce his aggressive tendencies, teach your dog to sit and wait for the bowl to be placed on the floor in front of him. Once it is set down before him, he should be allowed to eat. Get your dog used to being interrupted while eating. For this, give him a small…

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