Aggression & Reactivity

Alert Barking

Not to be confused with territorial aggression, this is barking to alert others to the approach of a potential threat. Read more about alert barking and other forms of aggression here: Classification of aggression types in…

Barrier Frustration

Aggression that manifests itself due to the frustration of not being able to engage with something when restrained by a leash or blocked by a barrier. The frustration itself may be the sole cause of the…

Dominance Aggression

In all animals, dominance is the first right to limited resources. There is no need to rewrite anything on this term or make it more complicated than a simple definition. It makes classifying an aggression "problem"…

Fear Aggression and Protective Aggression

These two are classified in the same section because there is only one key difference between the two for purposes of making training plans easier. Protective aggression is triggered by the instinct of a dog to…

Fear Biter and Pain Elicited Aggression

The "fear biter" should not be confused with fear aggression. While fear aggression is a proactive "I'm going to get you before you get me or us" behavior, the fear biter is reserved for dogs that…

Handler Aggression

Handler aggression is a blanket term that is used to describe a dog that shows aggression toward its handler, usually, during training exercises. There are multiple unrelated reasons why a dog may show aggression toward their…

Misdirected Aggression

True misdirected aggression is the result of the combination of barrier frustration paired with any other form of aggression that is causing a high degree of mental arousal. This may result in any nearby target, whether…

Play Aggression

Puppy and dog play, just like all social predatory animals consists of practice predatory behavior and practice fight behavior. More relaxed body and face postures, as well as the relative restraint during bites, mark the difference…

Predatory Aggression

This is aggression that is triggered by the dog’s instinct to hunt and kill. It can sometimes be focused on inappropriate targets such as other pets, domesticated animals, and even children. Most aggressive behavior is motivated…

Resource Guarding

Resource guarding is defensive aggression that is limited to guarding food, water, toys, or other objects that are within the "ownership zone" of under a canine's mouth and between the front legs. It is not to…

Skipping Steps in the Aggression Cycle

Ideally, a dog shows a lot of restraint when acting defensively. In many situations a dog may accomplish what is needed by just a posture and then escalating accordingly to a growl, snarl, snap at the…

Territorial Aggression

Territorial aggression will have a very similar presentation as protective aggression and can, in fact, be very intense. True territorial aggression is motivated by an instinct to protect the perceived territory from outsiders. This can be…

Interdog household aggression: 38 cases (2006–2007), Kathryn M. Wrubel, Alice A. Moon-Fanelli, Louise S. Maranda, Nicholas H. Dodman

Publication Kathryn M. Wrubel, Alice A. Moon-Fanelli, Louise S. Maranda, and Nicholas H. Dodman. Interdog household aggression: 38 cases (2006–2007). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 238(6):731–740 (2011). [5] Author abstract Objective—To analyze factors associated…