Dogs are instinctively an aggressive kind of animal. They evolved as pack animals who used their aggressive instincts to hunt for their prey and to protect their den and pack mates from danger. Although in the course of their evolution aggressive behavior in dogs was necessary to their very survival, in today’s society our dogs need to control their aggression. If your dog is an aggressive one,  knowing which reason causes your dog to be aggressive will help you figure out how to go about correcting his problem.

Here is a list of the 6 most common reasons for dog aggression.

• Dominance Aggression: When 2 dogs first meet they have a little ritual to establish who is the dominant dog, and conversely, who is the submissive dog. Dogs are pack animals, and developed a hierarchy system in order to maintain peace among the various pack members. Normally, the dogs quickly agree on who is the boss dog, and go on with their business without any problems. It is when one of the dogs does not agree to be submissive that leads to the possibility of a dog fight ensuing.

• Fear Aggression: Fear aggression is the other end of the spectrum from dominance aggression. In the case of fear aggression the dog is so overcome with anxiety that it may lash out at whatever is causing its fear. A dog that has suffered from abuse by someone, will often show their fear aggression in a response certain people. This type of aggression is easily recognizable-the  fearful dog will display a cringing, slinking body language that includes tucking its tail up between the legs and up against its stomach. A dog in this state may try to bite anything nearby, so don’t try to comfort a dog like this.

• Territorial Aggression: Many dogs display this type of common aggressive behavior to some degree or another. Territorial aggression is instinctive for a dog-he used it to protect his den and his pack, which today is your family and your home. You want to be sure your dog is not overly protective because his aggression could lead to him attacking another dog or person. An aggression problem like this is something you must be aware of and take steps to correct before the problem is out of control. The dog must learn to know to not let the barking turn into violence.

• Redirected Aggression: Redirected aggression is a type of behavior that may seem confusing at first.  An example would be two dogs that get so over excited by something on the other side of a door or fence that they can’t get at, that they snap at each other. It is similar to when sharks go nuts in a frenzy. The dogs aren’t normally enemies of each other, but momentarily lost control of their aggression and took it out on whoever was nearest.

• Predatory Aggression: All dogs are born with the instinct of a predator deep down. You probably see examples of predatory aggression almost every day. Your dog displays predatory aggression by chasing a cat up a tree, or by chasing birds, dogs or  other animals. sometimes dogs enjoy something just for the fun of the chase and are not really aggressive in a predatory sense. If the chasing is more serious and not just for the thrill of the chase, your aggressive dog could  cause serious damage, so be sure to correct this type of aggressive behavior.

• Medical Reasons Causing Aggression: An example of this would be the aggressive natures of some female dogs that are either pregnant or are taking care of a litter of puppies. A dog that is feeling unwell may have something that is causing him to respond with aggression.It is a good idea to check with your vet if you think your dog may have some condition that is affecting his behavior and causing his aggression. One other category that comes to mind is when a dog is just goofy-some dogs are just not right in the head. Unfortunately, just like some people I have met, that is just how it is with them.

By learning to understand the different reasons for dog aggression you can more easily pick the best way to correct your dog’s problem and be sure to have the well behaved pet you really want.

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