Understanding Dog Aggression: A Guide for Responsible Owners

I love dogs. One of my favorites is the Pitbull.  People ask me all the time why that breed?  I say I love Pitbulls because they are smart and protective.  Let me introduce my dog Aldo.  He is 4 years old and I got him from a friend whose dog had puppies.  He was such a cute baby.  I loved Aldo at first sight.  I think he feels the same way about me.

I have heard The Pitbull can be very aggressive.  I have seen people cross the street to avoid Aldo.  I am sure Aldo can hurt someone if he had to but, he is such a gentle and loving animal.  I researched aggressive behavior in dogs and what I found is aggression has an underlying cause. Maybe, the animal was abused and certain behaviors will trigger him to attack.  Also dogs are natural hunters and they are closely aligned to wolves so they may exhibit aggression.

We can place aggression into 3 categories.  A dog may become aggressive because of: Fear, Pain or Frustration.  If a dog is placed into a situation that he believes his life or the life of someone he loves is in danger he will attack.   A dog will have his guard up if he encounters another animal that he may perceive as threatening.  It is the not knowing that may produce fear.

Pain is something that can be felt. Sometimes it is so uncomfortable that the dog has no other choice.  Animals are smart and they can sense a dangerous situation.  Their first line of defense is to attack.

Frustration occurs when an animal feels trapped or feel that they have lost control of a situation.  Here again, they will attack to regain a stronger footage.  We must remember any breed can attack.  Pitbulls are sweet dogs but, their reputation for aggressive behavior precedes them. Always give the animal a chance. Do not bother them when they are tired and sleepy. Make sure you tell them how much you love them and show them the respect they deserve.  All animals want a loving home.  They don’t want to attack you or anyone in the home but, they will attack if they feel someone is invading their space.