Reply To: Want some input on my aggressive dog.

[Allie Dellosa]

I agree with everything Dustin said…to add to it: I would suggest going through the ethology streams to focus on how dogs relate to one another. Aggression is a natural behavior for dogs that can manifest seemingly without cause due to many variables like sexual maturation, changing relationships, real or perceived conflict, or unpredictable environments. Context is super helpful to understand the emotion behind the emotional response. I like to tell clients to think of it like crying….I can cry because I am happy, sad, scared, lonely, anxious…there are lots of emotions that can cause the same physical response. Like Dustin said, the nuance in the body language can help us have an idea of what the dog is feeling in that moment, understanding leadership can help us dissect their views on their environment. I love this video as a simple explanation, but the course work is where its at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owjyJh2NlfE&t=59s