In Defense of Aggressive Dogs...

[K9soul]

Good post Sophie. I too have a dog that shows reactive aggression in certain situations (Tasha), only if she feels trapped, and in my opinion, it is very mild. The main thing I have to worry about with her is when I am out walking on a leash and someone passes us the opposite way, particularly a man, Tasha will try to nip their heels as they go by us with her head lowered and hackles up. She also will bark/growl/hackles around strangers but as long as she is not leashed or trapped she will just keep out of reach and bark until they leave or sit down or settle.

She started showing this fear/mistrust of people outside her 'pack' at 5 months or so old. I had a consult with a behaviorist who felt she is really a good dog and watched her behavior melt away to puppyish curiosity when he laid on the floor and showed no threat to her. How many people would label her dominant? It couldn't be farther from the truth. Tail is tucked, body hunched down to make herself smaller, etc.

I took her to obedience classes for socialization. She got used to the people in the class and relaxed around them and had no problem, but would still react to strangers, mostly men who are the scariest. She's also always gotten along pretty well with other dogs.

So I did a lot of work with her, perfected her off-leash heeling. She is so, SO good. But when I go trail walking in an area with people, I put a basket muzzle on her. It's very light, plastic and doesn't bother her, and if a jogger suddenly runs by us and she tries to nip his heels, I won't have an incident on my hands, though generally I can sense her tension, have her sit, etc. if someone goes by us. There are always times of surprise though, I can't control someone's kid racing up to us for example, so I take the better-safe-than-sorry route to assure her teeth cannot so much as give a bruise or nick.

I'm sharing this to just show another example of what people may blanket under the term aggression as well.

And here is an older (bad quality) video I took to show Tasha's work in off-leash heel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XuBzP7fL7o
(and she was chubby then! I hadn't improved her diet as much yet )

[Daisy and Delilah]

Giselle and Jess:

As long as I've been on this board, I have considered myself fortunate to be among some incredible people. Both of you epitomize that type of people. The knowledge and eloquence you both have is unparalleled.

Thanks to both of you for always being the voice of reason. Both of your comments are so well done. I feel blessed to have such information available to me.

[chocolatepuppy]

There are *extremely* few and *extremely* rare cases in which a dog actually has unprovoked aggression.

Giselle, I really believe that to be true. I wonder how many dogs lose their lives due to being a misunderstood attack? Your post is very educational.
I think a lot of dogs labeled 'aggressive' are most likely showing what is considered normal dog behavior. Behavior that can be managed with training.

[kokopup]

I have had some experience with aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners and when the two get together you have disaster. I have a
recent example. I had a renting neighbor that felt that she MUST have a dog or dogs for her kids. This was a woman that had lost custody of her kids because of drug use. The kids came to visit her on a weekly or every other week. First she had two unaggressive dogs that she kept in a small fenced area, about 10x10. She never went in the fenced area and just poured food and water through the fence. These poor dogs walked in their own poop all day. They never had fresh water. She would go off for days at a time and leave them unfed or watered. If I had not intervened on several occasions the dogs would have died. I called the authorities on several occasions and she was only warned. She then decided to get a Pit Bull. The dog was great with the kids when they were there but on several occasions The kids would get occupied with being kids and the dog would take off a do what ever. It went to my mother-in-law's and came after her. She used to walk to my house through the wooded trails that I had built but became afraid to even get out of her house. It came to my property and attacked me on two occasions. The final blow was it going to another neighbors and killing two of their goats. I live on 20 acres and all my neighbors live
on acreage. We should not live in fear that another neighbor will have
a dog that she will let run unattended. An unattended aggressive dog
at that.

The problem dog became history when another neighbor bought the
property just so he could evict her. That is how I ended up with Rascal my cat. When she moved out she left everything behind and I mean everything. The Neighbor that bought
the property , did it to protect his grandkids that lived through the woods from her
rental property.

What do you do with this dog? Socialize it? There is no defense for this aggressive dog. My mother-in-law did not provoke it, she lives a block away. I did not provoke it, and I'm almost positive the goats did not provoke it. The owner did nothing. She did not get this dog for any other reason than to have it for her kids when they came to visit. She was like a lot of RED NECKS , she had to have a Pit Bull and of course either put it in a small fence or put it on a chain.

There are people that should not have any living thing under their care,
animal or child.

[Twisterdog]

An aggressive or reactive dog, paired with a knowledgable, responsible owner willing to be realistic and proactive, is certainly a manageable, even fruitful, relationship.

However, an naturally aggresive or reactive dog, paired with an ignorant, "macho" owner who finds the behavior "cool" and encourages it, is a recipe for disaster.

Therein lies the entire difference.

I suppose Pepper would be defined as an "aggresive" dog. She hates children isn't crazy about men. She has been known to bite the shoe of a young or male houseguest. However, she is a thirteen year old, mostly toothless, chihuahua/smooth fox cross. Not exactly a threat. I simply pick her up and put her in the bedroom.

As far as the "all aggressive dogs should be euthanized" statement ... I don't think anyone said or meant that. I said something to the effect of IF your dogs are truly aggresive, and IF they attack someone, they WILL be euthanized. I don't think anyone is or was making the gross generalization that "all aggressive dogs should be euthanized", simply trying to get across the fact that dogs that DO bite are killed.

[lizbud]

An aggressive or reactive dog, paired with a knowledgable, responsible owner willing to be realistic and proactive, is certainly a manageable, even fruitful, relationship.

However, an naturally aggresive or reactive dog, paired with an ignorant, "macho" owner who finds the behavior "cool" and encourages it, is a recipe for disaster.

Therein lies the entire difference.

As far as the "all aggressive dogs should be euthanized" statement ... I don't think anyone said or meant that. I said something to the effect of IF your dogs are truly aggresive, and IF they attack someone, they WILL be euthanized. I don't think anyone is or was making the gross generalization that "all aggressive dogs should be euthanized", simply trying to get across the fact that dogs that DO bite are killed.

I agree 100%.