Redirected Aggression in Dogs

Effects

• Redirected aggression takes place in dogs when they become aroused by a trigger and redirect their aggression towards a source that is not directly linked to the aggression trigger in the first place. A classical example is a dog fighting with another dog, then one or both attacking the owner who gets in the middle to try to stop them. In another case, two dogs may be barking at something over the fence and the two dogs, quite aroused, end up fighting each other.

Considerations

• As with any other type of aggression, redirected aggression can be potentially dangerous, especially when the subject of the dog's aggression is a human. While the circumstances under which the dog may redirect its aggression can be at times predicted, it is best to consult with a dog behaviorist. Some cases may be quite severe such as dogs barking at the door and biting their owners as he or she attempts to stop the dog from barking.

Forms

• A dog may resort to redirected attention for self defense; in other words, the dog, overwhelmed, senses a treat and mistakenly reacts to the wrong source of it. In another case, the dog may redirect aggression because it is extremely frustrated, such as a dog barking at a mailman may bite at the owner trying to restrict its movement. Finally, dog that has been physically punished by its owners in the past, may be prone to redirecting its aggression towards such owners because they are perceived as part of the threat.

Prevention/Solution

• Knowing what triggers redirected aggression plays a vital role in minimizing the episodes. For instance, you should never get in the middle of a dog fight. Instead, find a way to stop the dog's fighting without placing yourself in danger. A blanket can be tossed on the dogs fighting to disorient them, a hose with lots of water pressure may be used to startle them. If nothing else is available, the dogs can be removed by grasping the hind legs causing them to become unbalance and dragging them away from each other being extra careful that they do not turn around to bite.

Treatment

• Consult a dog behaviorist consulted promptly. As with other behavior problems the prognosis is generally better when caught early. He or she will come into the home to assess the situation. Video footage of the aggressive behaviors may be helpful. The behaviorist will particularly look into the dynamics that provoke redirected attention and will come to a solution that will work for both dog and owner. Treatment mostly consists of desensitizing and counter-conditioning the behavior. Changing behavior in dogs requires consistency and patience. If followed through, most dogs will show signs of improvement. However some case can be quite severe and not respond to any approaches.