Aggressive dogs are often fearful and generally diffident dogs. They scrutinize the world through eyes of anxiety. Their bodies reflect their tense sense of mind as they filter the world as a grim place to be. Most of these dogs are constantly in a stressful fight or flight situation. This has become their fist line of defense. Unfortunately, more often than not, these aggressive dogs are the result of negative human interactions. Abusive owners might have stripped these dogs from their confidence, allowing them to grow aloof and uptight.
In other cases, aggressive dogs are the aftermath of a lack of leadership. These dogs have been missing the essential guidance element from their owners. They have unceasingly been allowed to do as they please without considering their need for a pack leader. These dogs may display aggressive behavior over possession of food or toys or may even growl and snap when wakened up from their sleep.
Finally, some dogs may have grown aggressive because of a temperamental issue deep down in their genetic core. Basically, these dogs are "wired" wrong. Among all the forms of aggression, this may be never cured but only managed.
Aggression in dogs in the wild is quite average. If we would observe dogs in the wild, we would acknowledge that they quite often have altercations over rank order. These conflicts seem to mostly generate over food, a female in heat or sleeping areas. It is all about hierarchy. Aggression towards human kind appears to sometimes stem under the same circumstances. When an owner is unable to demonstrate proper leadership skills, an unhealthy upside down relationship is established where the dog is the alpha leader enforcing the rules.
Restoring an aggressive dog requires time, patience and lots of effort. The underlying cause needs to be addressed in order to gain a trustful companion again. In some cases sadly, rehabilitation may not suffix and the dog is ultimately euthanized. These are ordinarily extreme cases where the dog reports no improvement within a reasonable length of time.
Should you rescue, foster or adopt an aggressive dog, there are many guidelines you must follow to ensure your safety and grant an acceptable level of success. Keep in mind, though, that severe cases require professional help, so do not try to play "good samaritan" if your dog suffers from a severe case of aggression. Below are some common scenarios of aggressive dogs' behaviors.
Food aggression
These are dogs which will not allow humans near their food bowl. They will snarl with lips raised and emit a mean growl. While this may be intimidating, owners must also show no fear as this is what teaches the dog to react this way. The only solution would be to crate the dog during meal times at first. Then slowly while the dog is crated, owners or rescuers should allow the dog to comprehend that their food is not at stake. Rather, rescuers should allow the dog to understand that pleasant things happen when humans get close to his food bowl. Rather than being intimidated by this aggressive dog, rescuers should try to approach the dog when crated. The dog will growl. As soon as he halts growling a treat is tossed. Gradually rescuers get closer tossing a treat at each step coordinating with the moments with no growl. The dog will learn that not only humans are not interested in taking away his bowl, but they actually are adding food into it. Only once the dog seems to get better, this exercise can be practised with the dog out of the crate.
Lack of leadership
In order to show leadership, owners must learn to practice NILIF. This form of training stands for Nothing in Life is Free and it consists in letting the dog work for almost anything. Have the dog sit and stay in front of the food bowl. Let him eat the food only when you give him a command to eat. Let him sit before being pet, before giving water, before putting on his leash, before giving a toy. This way your dog will learn that you are in charge of almost everything and he must earn his way to it. Consistency is the key to this method, you cannot let him eat freely from your dish one day and let him sit and wait in front of his bowl the next.
Bad manners
Some dogs may lack proper manners and turn aggressive with owners when they are not left to have it their way. From now on, take away privileges. No dog is to be allowed on beds or on sofas. Generally, all elevated areas are left for owners only. Also dogs must wait for the owner to get out of the door first and the dog must stay next to the owner or slightly behind when walked. Alpha dogs in the wild have privileges and as the new leader you must demonstrate you are entitled to priviledges as well.
Aggression towards other dogs
This may take lots of time and patience. These dogs have never been properly socialized with other dogs. They lack social manners. They may be very domineering towards other dogs or fearful aggressive with the end result of escalating into fights. Extra care needs to be taken when introducing aggressive dogs to other dogs. A muzzle must be mandatory at first until the dog seems to relax and accept other dogs in a more comfortable matter.
Fear aggression
Such dogs need to gain trust in humans again. They must learn not to over react to the human presence. They may need a behaviorist to assess the level of fear and the triggers. Most of these dogs have been abused or neglected during their lives. They need to learn that humans and the environment are not a threat and that they must not get overwhelmed by their presence.
An aggressive dog may still have hope. Not necessarily does aggression in a dog translate into a one way trip to the vet for euthanasia. There are many cases of dogs being successfully rehabilitated with time and patience. The process may require a tremendous commitment but hopefully, the efforts will be paid back with time, once these dogs make a turn for the best and exhibit much more heartwarming and acceptable behaviors.