What to Do if another Dog Attacks Your Dog

By Linda Cole

Walking your dog is a healthy activity for you and your dog. Going to dog parks provides a safe and enclosed area where you can let your dog run off leash and play with other dogs. Sometimes, however, a dog comes from out of nowhere and attacks your dog. Breaking up dog fights between your own dogs at home is one thing, but trying to break up a fight when you're away from home is something completely different. How can you protect your dog and yourself if another dog attacks your dog?

It can be hard to figure out why another dog suddenly attacks your dog. A dog's body language can be subtle, and signals from both dogs can be missed by the person holding the leash. However, whatever it was that caused the hostile reaction doesn't really matter when two dogs are locked in battle, with you on the other end of your dog's leash. Of course, it's best to avoid a fight all together, but that's not always possible and breaking up dog fights can be dangerous for dogs and people.

Dog attacks while walking your dog are not uncommon, and you have to be prepared for possible encounters. What you should do depends on who you talk to. Some dog experts recommend carrying a heavy duty walking stick to use on an attacking dog. Other experts say to drop your dog's leash and stay out of the way. For me, neither one is a good option. It's my job to protect my dog, and I also don't want to hurt another dog.

My dogs look to me as their leader, and it's my responsibility to protect them. Dogs can come out of the blue to attack your dog and you don't always have an opportunity to read his body language. If you do encounter a dog that is off leash while you're out walking alone or with your dog, stay calm and keep a close eye on the dog. Be aware of what's going on, and expect the unexpected.

Having a sturdy walking stick does have a purpose. It’s something you could use to get in between two fighting dogs. If you have a chance to prepare before the dog attacks, when he starts moving toward you, yell “No” and take a step towards him. Try to read his level of aggression by looking at his eyes (intense and focused) without staring at him, ears (laid back on his head), hair standing up on the back of his neck or along the rump and movements that are stiff. If you can get him to back off, move away slowly, but don't turn your back on him. Try to keep your dog as calm as you can. Any show of aggression from him can prompt an attack from the other dog.

You can carry a backpack with some clothing or a small blanket inside – anything to give it bulk to use to push the other dog away, or to put in between the dogs to give you some protection from snapping teeth. Carrying one or two cans of pepper spray or bear spray is always good. Don't be afraid to use as much as needed and spray directly into the dog's nose and eyes. Be mindful of the wind so you don't spray yourself. If you have to use the spray on your dog as well, don't hesitate to do so. A bright flashlight can be directed into the eyes of an attacking dog to temporarily blind him. Another useful thing to carry is an air horn. The loud noise could persuade the dog not to attack in the first place. If he does attack, the horn might help break up either dog's focus during a fight, and will help call attention to other people in the area to come help.

Your best defense against another dog attacking your dog is to be alert and try to prevent an attack from happening. If that's not possible or it happens before you're aware there's even another dog around, try to stay calm. A mind that's in panic mode doesn't function well. Think about what you would do before you have an encounter. Carry a stout walking stick and anything that might be helpful in a convenient pocket where you can quickly grab what you need.

Understanding dog behavior is one of your best weapons if another dog attacks your dog. I recently wrote on article on understanding dog fights that might help you. There are no simple answers though. The best thing to do is to stay alert and calm, and think about what to do before you encounter an attack.

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How to Deal with Food Aggression in Pets

By Linda Cole

You may have a loving pet who would never do anything to hurt a family member – as long as no one touches his food. A food aggressive dog or cat is more apt to be given to a shelter or put down because their owner didn't know how to deal with the problem. Food aggression doesn't mean you can't live with the pet; it simply means you need to change their behavior to one that's acceptable to you. Here are some tips on what to do (and what not to do) when dealing with food aggression in pets.

Food aggression in dogs is a serious and potentially dangerous issue that needs to be stopped before it gets out of hand. When a dog growls at other pets or people while he eats, or even when his bowl is empty, he's showing food aggression. It's never cute, and a puppy who shows signs of food aggression needs his behavior changed before he grows into an adult.

Punishing the dog won't work. If you take away his food, you reinforce his fear and proved to him he has to protect his food. Yelling only leaves him with negative thoughts. Neither one will stop his food aggressive behavior. Dogs learn what's acceptable when we use positive reinforcement and rewards to get rid of unacceptable behavior.

If your dog displays mild aggression, meaning he doesn't try to take your hand off when you get near his food, try holding him back from his bowl while you pick it up. Have him watch as you add something tasty like cheese or cooked chicken. Let him eat that, then repeat the process. He's learning that not only are you not trying to take his food away, you're adding something tasty to his bowl.

To deal with a more serious food aggression problem with a dog, you need a different approach. Put his bowl on a table and have him sit. Feed him one piece of food at a time. If he tries to grab or snap it from your hand, wrap it in your fist and tell him “careful” or whatever word you want to use. Give it to him when he's being gentle. He'll learn that you control his food. It might take a couple weeks to change his behavior, so stay consistent and positive. After a week, put his bowl on the floor with half his normal amount in it and add more food as he eats. Drop in some CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ treats with the food to reinforce his good behavior.

Cats aren't as likely to have food aggression issues, but some may. Usually, they're showing aggression that comes from other sources. I’ve had cats that insisted on dining alone and made it clear they didn't want to share. However, that behavior is more of a hierarchy issue than a display of food aggression.

Food aggression can be difficult to diagnose in cats because there can be other factors involved that have nothing to do with food. Anytime a cat exhibits any aggression, they should be checked out by a vet to make sure there's no medical problem causing it. If they get a clean bill of health, observe your cat to see if there are other reasons that could be making them aggressive, like another pet.

Stray cats or ones adopted from shelters can have food aggression issues if they had to fight for or protect their food at one time. Even though we provide them with daily food, they still think they have to protect it from other pets and sometimes, their owner. Food aggression, in most cases, can be stopped by feeding the cat in another room, away from other pets in the home. If it's a dog upsetting the cat, feed her where the dog can't get to her food. Most cats will resolve their own food aggression once they learn no one is going to “steal it” from them. If your cat protects her food from you, an effective and humane way to deal with an attacking cat is to spray her in the face with a squirt bottle filled with clean water. Be careful not to spray in the eyes or ears. It'll get her attention and help refocus the mind so she can learn the behavior you want.

Food aggression in pets can be dealt with as long as you recognize the problem and then work on resolving it before someone in the family gets hurt. It's up to us as responsible pet owners to let them know what is acceptable behavior, and it can be taught with patience, understanding, positive reinforcement and praise.

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Medical and Behavioral Causes for Canine Aggression

By Ruthie Bently

Have you ever been growled at or bitten by a dog that as a rule is a calm, even-tempered animal? I have, and it was because I made a mistake. I had given my dog a bone and he kept trying to take it into the bedroom to chew it in his favorite place: my bed. I kept taking the bone into the kitchen and placing it on his rug where he was allowed to chew it. That just didn’t suit him.

I got bit when I approached him from behind and reached around him to take the bone away. The proper way to remedy the situation would have been to put him on a sit/stay, pick up his bone while facing him and crate him with his bone, so he could enjoy it in peace and my quilt wouldn’t get dirty. In his defense it was the first beef bone he’d ever been given and he was two years old. He had no idea who was behind him; he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head and was protecting his property. This aggression was caused by a behavior I was able to correct with patience, understanding, love and CANIDAE Snap Biscuit treats.

Behavioral causes for canine aggression can include protection of their persons, perceived property or other four-legged companions. Some dogs will show this aggression when being walked by their owners. They are walking happily down the sidewalk when all of a sudden there is a barking, snarling mass of fur at the end of a leash. If you are walking with or without your dog in the other direction, I suggest crossing the street before continuing on your walk.

A dog does not necessarily see property lines in the same manner that humans do. It doesn’t matter if they are behind or in front of a fence – in some dogs’ minds the property ends with their line of sight. If you have ever parked in a parking lot and been accosted by a dog in the car next to you showing teeth and/or growling, it may be because the dog sees you as a threat to the car they are in. They don’t know that you could care less; they were left there by the alpha family member and are doing their job.

Fear can cause aggression. A dog may be afraid of thunder, fireworks or other loud noises. They may be fearful of noises made during the normal running of appliances that they may not be used to (i.e., the dishwasher, clothes washer or dryer). A dog may be afraid of another dog, and may show aggression to make himself look more threatening to a dog that is approaching them with body language they don’t like.

Dominance can also cause aggression. Dogs may fight over territory, a female they both covet, food or even a family member. Jealousy can also cause dominance aggression. I had a client with a male Akita, and she began dating several years after she became a widow. The Akita did not like the new man in her life and made his feelings known. By involving her new beau in the dog’s day-to-day schedule which included feeding, walking and training, the problem was resolved and they became a happy family.

Canine aggression can also be caused by medical problems. One report mentioned over fifty different medical reasons for canine aggression. Hypothyroidism is one of the most common and occurs when there is too little thyroid in a dog’s system. Your vet can perform a test for hypothyroidism and may prescribe thyroid medication to remedy the situation. Hypothyroidism currently affects more than fifty dog breeds. Hypoglycemia, which is low blood sugar, is another cause and may or may not be linked to canine diabetes.

A trauma caused by a blow to a dog’s head or a brain tumor, which can cause swelling, bleeding or injury to the brain, can result in canine aggression. Dogs can contract either viral or bacterial encephalitis. Rabies and distemper are both forms of viral encephalitis. Some studies show that dogs can contract distemper from a distemper vaccination. The lack of serotonin in a dog’s brain can cause them to become aggressive, as it is the neurochemical control for aggression. Epilepsy, which has many causes, has also been noted as a form of canine aggression. Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome associated with aging canine seniors can also cause canine aggression.

Canine aggression can be due to either a behavioral or medical cause. If you have a regularly well-behaved dog that begins behaving oddly for no apparent reason, it is time to visit the vet for a checkup.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently

Understanding Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

By Linda Cole

Even the friendliest dog can demonstrate aggressive behavior at times. There's a number of reasons why your dog can suddenly become aggressive towards you, another pet or a stranger. But what a dog considers to be normal behavior is certainly not acceptable to us. It's important to remember that just because your dog is acting in an aggressive manner, it doesn't mean he's become aggressive. Before you can change your dog's behavior or know if he even has a problem, you need to understand what caused the aggressive reaction in the first place.

Dogs are social animals and consider their people and other pets as members of the pack. It's normal behavior for a dog to protect his family and he may, at times, show a protective aggressive behavior if he feels a threat from outside his family. It becomes a problem when the dog can't distinguish between friend or foe. The dog guarding a new baby may be cute until no one is allowed to see the baby. It's natural for a mother dog to protect her puppies, but not to the point where she refuses to let anyone close to them.

Possessive aggression is where the dog will protect whatever he considers important to him. It can be his food or even his empty bowl. A dog may feel he needs to protect toys, beds, treats and his owner. If he feels threatened, it will trigger aggressive behavior. Some dogs will even take their favorite things and stash them in hiding spots around their home. If another pet or human is unknowingly near one of his hiding spots, the dog can become aggressive if he thinks his “treasure” has been discovered. The dog protecting his human may lash out at anyone or other pets who get too close.

Dogs who are afraid will show fear aggression. Usually, this dog won't attack someone or another animal unless they feel cornered or trapped. You can tell if a dog is fearful because they'll try to not look at what's causing their fear. Their tail is tucked between their legs and they may have a hunched back posture. Do not turn your back on a dog with fear aggression. There are different reasons why a dog is fearful and if one is showing fear, caution should be used because they can lash out in an aggressive attempt to get away from what's scaring them. This kind of aggressive behavior can be sudden with no warning signs.

Territorial aggression is a bit like protective aggression. The dog feels a need to protect his home and yard from strangers or other animals who violate his space. Like the protective dog, this can be a problem when people come to visit or if other animals, wild or domestic, wander into the dog's territory.

A dog who has been injured or is in pain for any reason can exhibit pain elicited aggression. Even the most loving, friendly dog can lash out at the person or animal who caused his pain. Many owners have been bitten while trying to treat a dog's minor injury or while grooming a dog with painful hips or joints. Long haired dogs who need their coats combed to remove tangles can bite when a stuck tangle pulls too hard.

Predatory aggression is when the dog chases bikes, cars, people running down the street, the neighborhood cats, squirrels, rabbits or anything else he sees moving. When his prey drive is activated, the dog with a more aggressive behavior may act on his natural instinct to capture his prey and he may harm what he catches if it's another animal. A dog showing predatory aggression is also apt to bite the person on the bike or the person jogging down the street.

Other types of aggressions include defensive aggression, social aggression, frustration elicited aggression, redirected aggression and sex related aggression.

A dog can show aggressive behavior at any time in their life. Any one of the above conditions can trigger a forceful response. Aggression can be reduced if you understand why they became that way in the first place. Any time your dog displays aggression towards you, another family member, other pets or outside people coming into your home or yard, it's always best to speak with your vet, because medical conditions can spark an aggressive outburst. However, if there's no medical reason for your dog's behavior, your vet can recommend a qualified behaviorist who can help you and your dog deal with his aggression. There are different ways of dealing with different types of aggression, and some are more controversial than others. Always make sure you are comfortable with any recommendations given to you by a behaviorist.

Read more articles by Linda Cole