ca basset

My Matilda Mae is 4 years old. She has always been aggressive towards other dogs and some people, mainly her vet. I have to muzzle her for her check-ups and shots. I'm sure this is not normal. Is she just being protective of me? Have I babied her too much? Please Help

charady2

I have no clue but I wish you luck! I am very frustrated with my pup who picked up food aggression since being sick, so hopefully if you get some info here I can use some of it.

Hope someone comes along and gives you some suggestions soon!

Mikey T

most aggression in dog is born out of fear. During early socialization periond 3-16 weeks give or take most puppies are receptive to new thing when presented in an unthreatening manner. If however they have a bad experience it can lead to life long fear hence the term "fear period" so that lead to some people protecting the dog from anything during this time which actual is counter productive, Because after this imprinting perion things a dog has not experience it reaction is going to natural be fearful.. So a dog that does not have experience with other dogs or certain types of dog ie tall specific preed etc can react fearfully towrad them the same with people. If the only or majority of humans the dog encounter during this periond are female it will like fear men. If it never interact with childeren, babies and toddlers it can be fearful of them. and it can get very specific, ie dog afraid of men with facial hair, wearing hats etc.

When it comes to vets it may be more specific. ! the dog may be touch sensitive. It is general recommended that you accustom the dog to be handled like a vet would. But that said there are time like shots etc that vets are going to cause pain to the dog and the dog may very well associate that pain with a vet and be fearful of it. Just like many humans have fear of dentist. It is common enouth that a don't think it can be consider "not normal" or abnormal.

Another factor than can contribute mightly however is your own reactions and fears. If you going to the vet expecting their to be a problem or concern that the dog might bite etc. the dog will quickly pick -up on that anxiety and become more anxious and fearful. Beding calm and confident goes along way to reasuring the dog.

Which brings up one other very big Point. Often times so called aggressive dog are onlu so on leash. In such cases IMHO it is best to refer to them as reactive. Because it is a very different dinamic at play. Often at the root of on leash aggression is restraint fustration. That is such dog if off leash would react much differently. The restraint of the the leash creates a fustration on the part of the dog not being to go up meet etc theses people. dogs, animals etc and it can take out this fustration on them also the owner reaction is to further restrain, and becoming anxtious when other approach exaserbating the situation see.

AGGRESSION: A Case History with Harry T

Handling on-lead Aggression

FEISTY FIDO - HELP FOR THE LEASH REACTIVE DOG,

[url=http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB825] Click to Calm [url]


Mariah is a reactive dog with resource guarding and touch sensitivities. We have had her since 1 year of age she is know nearly 10 she certainly is not cured but is easily managed. She has her own muzzle for vet visits and I can say without a doubt she is much better at the vet with me rather than her mother because of feeding of the fear of others, There is nothing she dislikes more than the stethiscope We have also found that she is better when her head is cover with a towel and if she does need to be restrained is by someone she knows and not a vet tech. I will also say the right vet is important as well. When she had lip fold pyoderma surgery to eliminate the lip fold causing the problem obviouse she could not be examed with a muzzle on. The Vet actual examend her in the waiting room where she is more comfortable and with me hold her head and flews up. but she stayed at a distance not presuring her and everything remained exceedingly calm. Another vet in the same office we will never let exam again because of manner and demeaner but more so fear of her that ofcourse cause more anxiety and reactivty on her part.

While a complete cure is not likely sometime it does happen but with a little work you can make the situation a whole lot better and easier to handle for yourself as well.


Also I thing there is a tendency to in the present culture toward misunderstand doggy comunication and labeling behavior as aggressive when it is actual just the opposite but rather cummunication to avoid problem. Thinks like growling and snaping are labled aggressive when in fact most dogs are using normal dogin communication tools to avoid a problem and simply gain more cofort space. A growl is a kin to shout back-off. While no one can miscontrue it as a freindly gester labeling it aggressive is not fair either. I had to spend over two years to teach Mariah to growl. It was obvious in her past that she was punished in the past for growling that she no longer. Thats good many may thing but it did not change her underlying fearful emotional state it simply removed a tool to deal with it with very little confrontation. By punishing her for growling the turn her into a dog that would bite first without warning , now that is a dangerious dog.

see Dogs Use Non-Aggressive Fighting to Resolve Conflicts

Mikey T

any resource guarding is normal adaptive behavior on the part of the dog. Part of survival require maintain control of valuable resourse like food. Normal however does not mean appropriate or proper behavior espeical in the context that the dogs survival requires that it adapt to human society and not that human society adapt to doggy ways.