Fear Aggression VS True Aggression

What is fear aggression?

Fear aggression is a natural self preservation response in all animals and is not a sign that a dog is “bad”. Any animal, in this case dogs, may have this response if they feel cornered, like they are unable to choose “flight” as a fight or flight option. Many things can cause fear aggression in dogs such as: not being socialized, traumatic experiences, genetics, pain, and medical issues. Not socializing your dog can lead to fear aggression, they haven’t been exposed to new things or reassured that new things aren’t always bad. Traumatic experiences can reshape a dog's behavior just as it can reshape ours, and they will likely need time and patience to overcome their triggers or they might never get over it. Genetics can play a part in fear aggression as some dog breeds are more prone to fear and anxiety however this does not mean that the entire breed is condemned to having fear aggression, it relies more on the dog itself. If a dog is in pain or has a medical condition it might be prone to fear aggression because it is in pain, which is typical for most animals. Though this version is defensive it is not truly aggressive maliciously. 

Fear Aggression

What is true aggression?  

True aggression is much less common than fear aggression but it is much less manageable and dangerous. True aggression usually stems from resource guarding and predatory aggression. Resource guarding can be displayed as being territorial over anything and everything that is theirs, such as food, toys, a house, their owner, etc. Anything they think could be taken away from them. This behavior is protective but not in a desirable sense. Resource guarding can be genetic, however any dogs can display the behavior. Resource guarding behavior can be reinforced by owners who use punishment in response, for example if a dog has a toy and they are growling when someone goes close to them, then their owner responds by yelling and taking the toy away the dog is more likely to have a more aggressive response the next time because they dont want the toy to be taken and just growling didn't work

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Food bowl guarding: When a dog eats and guards their food, or lays by their food bowl to keep everyone away from it.

Possession guarding: When a dog guards bones, toys, etc. 

Location guarding: When a dog guards furniture and home space. 

Owner guarding: When a dog guards their owner or other family members. 

Predatory aggression: 

It is often seen as a common behavior problem, one that can be dangerous toward livestock, wildlife, and even other pets. Owners of predatory dogs usually look for ways to suppress this behavior, however, it’s important to understand that predatory behavior has been strengthened in dogs through selective breeding, and it can impact a dog’s welfare. Predatory aggression often looks like this: Search > Approach > Watch > Attack-group > Attack-individual > Capture. These kinds of dogs strive to posses whatever it is they locked on to.

True Aggression

How do you tell the difference?

Fear aggression is defensive and often a fight or flight response. True aggression is oftentimes malicious. Fear aggression in dogs is a defensive response due to insecurity, where the dog tries to gain distance from a threat. Fear aggressive dogs often show submissive postures (tucked tail, flattened ears). True aggression is generally offensive, intentional, and confident, aimed at controlling what they are focused on without displaying fear. They will often times have their ears up, tail straight and approach confidently.

How do you help a dog with fear aggression? 

Desensitization: Carefully expose your dog to their fear trigger from far away while feeding them their favorite treats. This pairs the scary thing with something positive, changing their emotional response.

Avoid punishment or negative responses: Reward calm behaviors with praise and treats. Focus on rewarding them for looking at a trigger and then looking back at you, rather than barking. Punishment, such as yelling, hitting, or using choke/prong collars, can worsen fear-based aggression by confirming that the trigger is scary and dangerous. If you are responding negatively, being nervous or angry, their fear will feed off that.

Safety and boundaries: Advocate for your dog, give your dog a quiet, secure area, such as a crate or a specific room, where they can retreat when they are overwhelmed. Play games that include scent work, teach them simple tricks, and allow your dog to make choices, like choosing the direction on a walk, to help them feel more secure.

Seek professional help: Consult a certified professional dog trainer or a veterinary behaviorist who specializes in positive, reward-based methods to create a training plan. In severe cases, consult your vet about behavior modification medication to help lower your dog's anxiety levels enough for training to be effective.