What Makes a dog Aggressive?

We decided to persevere and work out precisely why he behaved that way. Early on, we realised that he hated the cage that came with him. Apparently, during his first year of life, he had two owners and both had resorted to putting him into it to try and control his behaviour. We got rid of the despised object and that certainly helped. Locking a young Springer Spaniel in a confined space for any length of time is cruel. They are highly active dogs and need ample exercise to keep them happy and Joe is no exception.

The other major problem was trying to put him on the lead and trying to take him anywhere. After a while, we realised that this was a symptom of insecurity. We were his third home during his first year of life and he was terrified of leaving it.

Now we understand better the actions that trigger his aggressive behaviour, we have been able to help him overcome his fears. We now make sure that he goes for a walk every day so that he learns that he does come home and is not left anywhere.

If you have an aggressive dog, working out the cause is very important. Very few dogs are born aggressive. In most cases, the behaviour is caused by fear or anxiety. Some aggressive dogs are resource guarders. Others defend territory and their owners. Understanding the cause of the problem is the most important step to finding a solution. If the problem is on-going then a consultation with a behaviour specialist is recommended. Your veterinary surgeon will be happy to recommend one.