ANSC 378 LECTURE 7

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA COMPANION ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR

Introduction

Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences

  • Focus: Dog aggression, fear, anxiety, and barking

Learning Outcomes

  • Behavioural Problem Identification:

    • Identify specific behaviour problems in dogs based on descriptions.

    • Evaluate underlying causes of these behaviours.

    • Recommend strategies to mitigate the issues.

  • Aggression Types:

    • Differentiate between types of aggression in dogs.

    • Evaluate underlying causes.

    • Provide recommendations for mitigation.

  • Fear and Anxiety Understanding:

    • Distinguish between fear, anxiety, and phobias.

    • Discuss potential causes in canine behaviour.

Aggression in Dogs

Behavioural Characteristics

  • Includes actions such as:

    • Growling

    • Baring Teeth

    • Snapping (without contact)

    • Biting (with or without puncture)

    • Can occur during play or in aroused states.

  • Control vs Cure:

    • Aggression is seen as "controllable", not "curable" in most cases.

    • Requires management and consistent guidance.

Aggression Spectrum

  • Aggression in dogs is a continuum:

    • Increasingly fearful aggressive

    • Normal aggression

    • Increasingly assertive aggressive.

Aggression Towards People

Statistics and Issues

  • Prevalence:

    • 70% of cases in behavioural clinics relate to aggression.

    • According to Friend and Bench (2020), it is the #1 reason for post-adoption returns to shelters.

  • Gender Differences:

    • Dominance-related and territorial aggression occur more frequently in males than females (80% of cases).

  • Hormonal Influence:

    • Testosterone activates aggressive tendencies in adult males.

    • Castration may reduce certain types of aggression in some males.

Types of Aggression Towards People

  1. Dominance-related Aggression

  2. Aggression Towards Children

  3. Fear-related Aggression

  4. Pain-related Aggression

  5. Territorial Aggression

  6. Abnormal or Idiopathic Aggression

Aggression Types and Behavioral Roots

  • Conflict Aggression:

    • Occurs when the dog exhibits conflicting feelings toward aggression.

Early Life Experiences

Learning Influences

  • Aggression can be reinforced during rearing if dogs learn that threats cause family members to back off.

  • Techniques to reduce aggression:

    • Operant Conditioning

    • Desensitization

    • Counter-Conditioning

Pharmacological Interventions

  • Very little clinical evidence suggests the efficacy of drugs in treating aggression.

  • Aggression may sometimes be secondary to other diseases or brain lesions.

Different Types of Aggression

Dominance-related Aggression

  • Most common type; results from:

    • Owner’s inability to control the dog.

    • Dog’s refusal to accept authority, often influenced by interaction inconsistencies.

  • Prevention Strategies:

    • Follow safety guidelines.

    • Avoid triggers of aggression.

    • Reinforce obedience.

    • Castration may help.

    • Desensitize the dog to triggers.

Aggression Towards Children

  • Occurs when a new baby or small child is introduced, typically due to a lack of accustomed interactions.

  • Preventive Measures:

    • Teach children how to interact gently.

    • Simulate baby presence with dolls during training.

    • Manage affection during the dog's interaction with the baby.

Fear-related Aggression

Behavioural Indicators

  • Signs include:

    • Hiding, trembling, lowering posture, or tucking tail.

    • Barking while threatening and backing away.

  • Fear Characteristics:

    • A normal state that triggers a fight or flight response.

    • Some dogs become aggressive as a coping mechanism.

Types of Fear-related Aggression

  • Aggression directed toward specific people, often due to:

    • Lack of socialization.

    • Past mistreatment.

  • Resolution:

    • Implement social punishments for aggressive behaviour.

    • Use desensitization techniques and avoid spontaneous approaches to fearful groups.

Pain-Induced Aggression

  • Results from a dog’s natural inclination to protect against pain.

  • Dogs may snap if a painful area is handled; stoicism can occur in some species.

  • Resolution: Remove pain source and employ desensitization techniques.

Territorial Aggression

  • May arise due to a lack of habituation to visitors.

  • Use a distance gradient for habituation, and counter-condition with rewards during stranger visits.

Idiopathic Aggression

  • Characterized by episodic rage with no clear trigger, often reflecting a central nervous system abnormality.

  • Safety is primary; euthanasia may be considered in severe cases.

Inter-dog Aggression

Aggression Dynamics

  • Types include:

    • Aggression in the presence of an owner.

    • Aggression when there’s no established dominance hierarchy.

    • Predatory aggression towards small dogs due to inadequate socialization.

  • Resolution: Early socialization with positive reinforcement of controlled interactions.

Anxieties and Fears

  • Adaptive responses to noise or unfamiliar animals.

  • Common in new situations; younger animals tend to habituate easier than older ones.

Definitions and Distinctions

  • Anxiety: Vague emotional reaction signaling unease.

  • Fear: Specific negative emotional response prompted by defined stimuli.

  • Phobias: Excessive fears disproportionate to actual threats.

Causes of Fear in Dogs

  1. Lack of habituation to fear-evoking stimuli as a puppy.

  2. Owner reinforcement of anxiety through comfort during fearful reactions.

  3. Adverse experiences leading to conditioned fears.

  4. Low behavioural thresholds leading to intense fear responses, potentially genetic.

Separation Anxiety

Symptoms

  • Common symptoms include digging, biting, excessive vocalizing, and inappropriate elimination.

  • Misunderstood as punishment-driven behaviour rather than panic responses.

Causes of Separation Anxiety

  • First-time left alone, changes in owner routine, or after traumatic events.

Treatment Recommendations

  • Maintain low-key arrivals and departures.

  • Use desensitization techniques for severe cases.

Fears Related to Objects and Situations

  • Employ desensitization strategies, starting from mild stimuli, to lessen fear of inanimate objects.

  • Teach children to avoid abrupt actions that could frighten dogs to reduce fear responses.

Excessive Barking in Dogs

Communication Purpose

  • Barking serves as a form of communication - natural alarm response for dogs.

  • Can signal frustration, territoriality, or anxiety, especially in response to separation.

Types and Causes of Barking

  • Barking can be a response to environmental stimuli, social facilitation, or learned behavior reinforced by outcomes.

Addressing Excessive Barking

  • Eliminate triggers and avoid rewarding barking behaviours. Reinforce quiet behaviours instead.

References

  • Hart, B.L., Hart, L.A., and Bain, M.J. (2006). Canine and feline behavior therapy. 2nd edition. Blackwell Publishing.

  • Additional sources from Microsoft Clip Art and cited literature in Behaviour Therapy.