Preventing Dog Aggression

Snapping or nipping in younger dogs can easily be prevented or corrected, but biting in older dogs is more difficult to treat. No guarantee can be given that a mature dog will not bite again given similar circumstances. Many have to be destroyed. To prevent the dog from growing up to be a biter, a dog owner must understand why and under what circumstances a dog will bite.

Breeding

Some breeds are selected for their guarding or fighting abilities, whilst other individual dogs are bred from lines with a history of biting. These dogs are not born aggressive, but require more care and knowledge in their management, training and socialisation.

Socialisation

Positive and regular socialisation with people should begin in the first few weeks after the dog's birth and continue throughout its life. Dogs not socialised adequately to both children and adults may feel threatened by them.

Training

Dogs can be deliberately or accidentally trained by their owners to be aggressive. Owners who want a dog to protect themselves or their property often have the dog attack trained. As a result they limit the dog's ability to make its own decisions when meeting people and end up having to supervise the dog in all of its interactions. A dog encouraged to bark or growl at strangers from an early age may bite as it gets older when barking or growling are no longer effective. Dog owners who play rough games or tug of war with their pup may be teaching the dog to use its mouth to gain control.

Punishment/trauma

A dog that is beaten for misbehaviour or has a traumatic experience involving people as a young dog, can become frightened of its owner or other people and bite because of fear.

Isolation

Many owners shut their dog away or restrain it when visitors arrive because they are worried about the dog's anti-social behaviour. Isolation from visitors can make the dog intolerant or frightened of them and generalise this towards all people. If the dog has to be shut away because of its jumping, mounting or general unruliness, then this problem should be treated by training the dog to behave appropriately and making it more acceptable to visitors.

Teasing

Teasing dogs is similar to attack training them, but without having the control over the dog. It facilitates the aggression. Many dogs that bite have a history of being teased by family members or neighbouring children. A dog should not be restrained or kept near a fence-line where passers-by have the opportunity to tease it.

Dominance

Many owners or other family members are threatened or bitten when a dog attempts to, or assumes a dominant position in the household. Common signs include a dog growling when moved from a favourable position, or refusing to obey its owners. Basic obedience training by all family members will help to prevent this by allowing them to have control over the dog.