Lisburn City Council :: Aggression

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AGGRESSION

Every year thousands of people are attacked or bitten by dogs. But the question remains: what makes a dog bite?

In the wild dogs use their teeth to determine who is the strongest and domestic dogs have not forgotten this primal instinct. Pet dogs will therefore bite as a method of demonstrating their dominance over other dogs, animals and humans.

In the wild, dogs live in packs, where one dog assumes leadership. Over centuries of domestication dogs have relied on us as "leader of the pack" and they have learned to serve us accordingly. A dog is happiest when it is serving but a dog's willingness to serve and in turn its happiness can deteriorate for various reasons - including

lack of training
inappropriate training methods
spoilt indulgent lifestyle
lack of exercise
lack of social contact
general neglect

This causes the dog to resort to its primitive instincts. It should be remembered that some breeds are naturally more aggressive than others.

Signs of Aggression

Aggressive dogs show the following signs :

Crouch and hug the ground
Stiff facial expression
Flattened ears
General stillness

How to avoid aggression in your dog

Select the correct breed for your disposition and purpose.

Select a female or a castrated male. as uncastrated male dogs can be more aggressive. All male dogs should be castrated to reduce aggression. Following castration there can be a marked reduction in the dog's dominance and aggression. The dog is more ready to obey commands.

Always ensure that puppies are socialised from an early age: regular interaction with other dogs, animals and humans, as well as being introduced to a variety of environments will make the dog less fearful, nervous and aggressive in later life when faced with uncertain situations. Puppies may also "inherit" fears from their mothers.

General Advice

Don't approach a strange dog, especially one which is tied up or confined.
Before you attempt to pet a dog, ask permission from the owner. Let the dog become familiar with you by first allowing him to see and sniff the back of your closed hand.
Never leave children unsupervised with any dog, no matter how trustworthy.
If a dog is not to be trusted with children or visitors to the home, then consider muzzling it. Modern muzzles allow free air passage and drinking, and do not frustrate the dog.

If threatened by a dog

Stand still
Don't scream
Avoid eye contact with the attacking dog but don't lose sight of him either. Try to remain motionless.
Keep your hands reasonably high. Moving hands tend to be the first part of your body to be bitten.
If you have anything to hand, like a briefcase or shopping bag, use it to block the approach of the dog. If you are a cyclist, don't cycle harder because most dogs can outrun a cyclist. Jump off your bike and position your bicycle between you and the dog.
If you are knocked down, lie still, curl into a ball, and play dead - this is especially important for children.
If you are carrying food, use it to distract the dog.
If these things are not getting the dog away from you and you cannot see the owner at hand, then shout 'sit' because most dog owners have trained their dog to sit and many dogs will obey it automatically.
Don't ever turn your back on the dog and never, ever run. The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey. Most dogs do not have the courage to confront someone who is still but they may have a bite of someone's backside if they are on the run.

Aggression