Bullmastiff and aggression. Types of aggression.
Your Bullmastiff is aggressive if it growls, postures or snaps and
shows teeth. Aggressive dog is very dangerous for anyone around. It
may lead to a serious dog bite. Those people around dog of the kind should always be on guard. Sometimes dog aggression is a single
event and it can be long-term behavioral in nature.
There are many causes for dog aggression. They are the following:
- Agonistic aggression.
It occurs when there is a conflict between two dogs and one or
both dogs may without cause exhibit aggression.
- Barrier frustration
aggression. This type of aggression may occur when a
dog is tied up. In this case a dog may feel hopeless, unable to
escape, so it becomes aggressive and ready to attack anyone.
- Competitive aggression.
If two dogs live under the same roof or in the same yard they may
fight, over social status. Each dog wants to be top dog.
- Displaced aggression. A dog that has been "thrown out" from
its home, especially one that is walking the streets alone and
frightened may show aggression towards anyone it meets.
- Dominance aggression.
Sometimes the dog thinks that it is the leader of the home
including people and shows aggression in order to keep
everything under control especially in situation when the dog
thinks there is some conflict that endangers dog's dominance.
- Drug-induced aggression.
It occurs when
your dog takes medications with side-effects like
aggression.
- Encephalopathic aggression.
It is a condition in the brain that causes aggression.
- Fear-induced aggression.
A dog that snaps, growls or bite is often scared and thinks that
it protects its life in threatening situation. Dogs that have
been abused are prone to aggression.
- Food Guarding. Abused dogs
that live on the streets, search for food hard and may not
realize that humans give food and do not take it away. These
dogs are afraid that people will take away food and show
aggression towards them. This kind of aggression may also be
towards dogs or other pets.
- Wrong socialization.
A dog that has been isolated and not socialized as a puppy can
become aggressive as well.
- Intra-sex aggression. It is
aggressive behavior that dogs of the same gender show towards
each other.
- Irritability. When the dog is in pain it also shows
aggressive behavior.
- Maternal protective
aggression. You can see this type of aggression when a
female dog is protecting her young puppies.
- Owner protective
aggression. When the owner is being attacked
by an intruder and dog defends him it is an appropriate behavior but it is not ok when dog
growls at a parent who wants to kiss goodnight his kid thus
inappropriately protecting the child.
How to curb your dog's aggression:
- Always spend time with your dog. It should feel that you love
it.
- Teach your dog correct behavior.
- Socialize your dog when it is a puppy.
- Have your dog surgically sterilized to reduce its hormonal
output that may cause aggressive behavior.
- Do not physically punish your dog. It will fear you and show
aggression towards you.
- Keep children away from dogs that exhibit aggression. Small
children should not be left alone around any dog.
- If your Bullmastiff's behavior is constantly aggressive you
should consult a professional trainer or vet to identify real
cause of your pet's aggression. Do not deal with this problem on
your own if you lack experience.
