Agression in Animals

Aggression ladder

Concept that aggressive behavior is rarely from neutral to biting and instead is a progression of subtle cues before attack

What are the steps on the aggression ladder? (Dog)

Yawning, blinking, nose licking

Turning head away

Turning body away, sitting, pawing

Creeping, ears back

Standing churched, tail tucked

Lying down, leg up

Stiffening up, staring

Growling

Snapping

Biting

Majority of people do not recognize the lower level steps of the aggression ladder and therefore often claim that aggression came out of nowhere (T/F)

True

What percentage of dog owners reported moderate to severe aggression in their dogs?

57.5%

Types of aggression

Fear induced

Status related

Redirected

Protective

Predatory

Intermale

Learned

Medical causes

Fear induced aggression

Occurs in all species

Often part of other types of aggression and is the most common type in dogs

Animal feels threatened and is aggressive towards apparent threat

Treatment of fear aggression

Avoid fearful situations

Reduce the amount of the threat

Use-non threatening behavior

How to remove a fear biter from a cage

Back into the cage

Do not make eye contact

With thick glove slowly remove the animal

Status related aggression

Varies by situation (ex. Food vs. toys)

Common in dogs, hoses, cattle, and pigs

Occurs mostly during the onset of behavioral maturity

Related to the animals position in a hierarchy

If status related aggression is directed towards people what can that mean?

Poor socialization and social skills

Never learned humans were leaders

Mismatched personality

What are possible triggers with status related aggression

Grooming or petting

Trying to control situations (ok with some people but not the owner)

Disturbed while resting

Management of status related aggression

Avoid triggers

Keep dog off the furniture

Utilized gentle leader and drag leash

“Nothing in life is free” work for everything

Desensitize/countercondition trigger

If status related aggression is directed towards other dogs what can that mean?

Poor social skills

Inability to give/understand other dog communications

Top dog is challenged by # 2

Dog is reinforcing its position

Management of dog directed status aggression

Prevent by avoidance

Always side with highest ranking dog

How can status related aggression be triggered in livestock

Disruptions of established social order

New introduction into herd

Member removed from a herd

Presence of young

Estrus

Redirected aggression

Aggression directed towards a person, animal or object that is not the trigger stimulus

Tends to occur in situations of high arousal

A common and often under appreciated form of aggression

Most common in cats

Treatment of redirected aggression

Leave the animal alone until it relaxes

Prevent access to known cause

Animal may need to be temporarily confined after vet visits

Protective aggression

Can present in many ways

Most common as resource guarding

Typically directed towards person or animal approaching

Onset typically occur as puppy or young adult

Treatment of food aggression

Give a meal and leave the area

Leave the animal alone when it is eating

Give small amount of food at time, do not give if animal threatens

Treatment of material aggression

Take item away and never give it back

Ignore the animal while it has the object

If the object needs to be taken away use bribery

Teach dog drop it with low value items

Territorial aggression

Type of protective aggression

Defense of a specific space not inherently individuals in the area

Strongest near the center of the area

Can occur in cats, dogs, and burros

Treatments of territorial aggression

Confine away form situations likely to trigger behavior

Why is treatment of territorial aggression difficult

Reinforced by internal reward

Protection of group members

Form of protective aggression

Seen in many species

Can be a form of Intermale aggression

Dogs will protect those of a higher ranking (i.e. you hopefully)

Predatory aggression

Normal behavior that is difficult to treat, involves natural prey drive

Impossible to eliminate internal drive and punishment if rarely successful

Prevent access to triggers

Intermale aggression

Can occur in any species

Typical equal standing male (intact x intact or neuter x neuter)

Not related to dominance or social orders simply a hate of male presenting

Management keep separate

Learned aggression

Animal learns to control interactions with aggression

Often starts with another form of aggression

Irritable aggression

Pain-induced aggression, can occur in all species

What are medical causes of aggression

Seizure-induced

Hormone imbalance

Hydrocephalic

Hypothyroid

Mental lapse syndrome

What are issues with living with aggression instead of treating it?

Potential for injury (People and animals)

Liability issues

What are some general treatments for aggression that do not involve behavior modification?

Rehome the animal (new owner must be aware)

Euthanize the animal

What are some issues with rehabbing an aggressive animal?

Liability issue remains

Owner must be capable and dedicated

Always a guarded prognosis

Owner commitment may change