Guide Dogs Puppy Development and Advice Leaflet. No. 4 Identifying and preventing aggressive behaviours inguide dog puppies

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1 Guide Dogs Puppy Development and Advice Leaflet No. 4 Identifying and preventing aggressive behaviours inguide dog puppies 1

2 Table of Contents 3 Standard 3 What is aggression? 4 Motivators for aggressive behaviour 2

3 Standard Aggression is a natural canine behaviour, and as a result, a puppy may display a degree of aggression during its maturation process. By the end of formal training it is inappropriate for a dog to show aggressive behaviours. It is therefore essential during puppy walking that Guide Dogs provides both puppies and their puppy walkers with training to minimise the risk of aggressive behaviours. During training, any aggressive behaviour, or displays of aggressive behaviour, that present themselves during puppy walk must be closely monitored, recorded and managed in line with the current best practice. What is aggression? In general, aggression is a natural aspect of a puppy s communication repertoire to deal with a perceived conflict or threat. Aggression may be defined as threatening or harmful behaviour by one individual directed at another individual. Aggressive behaviour is a natural reaction for any dog or puppy. Dogs instinctively use a range of body postures, sounds and facial expressions to convey their intentions and moods. Aggressive displays are very much part of this communication process and can range from mild (grumbling and lip curling) to severe displays (attacking and biting). Aggressive behaviour is always caused by something; very few dogs will be aggressive without good reason and more often than not, aggressive behaviour stems from fear. By understanding the reasons for the puppy s reactions we can avoid creating situations that we know may cause them to respond in this way. The intensity of the aggressive behaviour will depend on a number of factors including: the puppy s temperament, health, age, breed and previous learning (e.g. if it worked last time it may work again). Guide dog puppies are selectively bred to ensure they have a balanced temperament. In addition, trainers, owners and puppy walkers are trained not to create situations in which a puppy feels it needs to show aggression. As a result, severe aggressive behaviours are rarely seen in guide dogs and guide dog puppies. However, it is important to remember aggressive behaviour is natural for any dog and a degree of this behaviour may be seen on occasions as a puppy matures. If you witness any aggressive behaviour in your puppy, please contact your supervisor for advice straight away. 3

4 Motivators for aggressive behaviour To help you identify situations that may induce aggressive behaviour, the various motivators that can give rise to this are explained below. Pain Pain or the fear of impending pain can result in a number of unpredictable and extreme behaviours. When in pain, a puppy may feel it is appropriate to defend or protect itself and as a result may display a range of aggressive behaviours. The level is likely to depend on the pain the animal is in, or the pain it thinks it may receive. Puppies are likely to show aggression as a result of pain following obvious injury, for example as a result of a road traffic accident. In these cases, a puppy raises its lips, growls as the handler approaches or snaps at the handler when the painful area is touched. This is extreme and to be expected and, other than preventing the accident, little can be done to prevent this behaviour. In day to day situations, milder reactions may be seen when grooming and checking a puppy, especially those with longer hair or with some minor injury. Again, growling or grumbling may be heard, the puppy s body may stiffen on contact and the head may whip around towards the handler or item in contact, i.e. a brush or comb. You may also see this reaction during visits to the vet or during treatments. Although understandable, this behaviour is inappropriate. You must contact your supervisor, but in the meantime if you believe that pain or the fear of pain is the motivator for aggression then the subsequent advice must be followed. Most importantly, do not tell the puppy off. Remember its reaction is based on anxiety and admonishment may increase this and therefore the resultant aggressive behaviour. Reassure the puppy with a calm voice and confident attitude but equally be aware not to reward the behaviour with praise. If you suspect the puppy s behaviour is the result of an injury or illness, arrange a vet appointment. Avoid over-handling the painful areas, limit contact with children or other dogs as this may increase the incidence of pain and develop a negative association in the future with children, body sensitivities or other dogs. Minimise or restrict routine exercise which may cause more pain. 4

5 Food Puppies exhibiting food-related aggression often react inappropriately to people or other animals when they are approached while eating. This is fairly common in the dog world, although we minimise the risk of this occurring in guide dog stock by maintaining a disciplined feeding routine and making sure our puppies are well nourished. Food aggression is only seen when the puppy is eating either its own food or food it has found. This behaviour usually happens because the puppy fears the food will be taken away. Therefore the puppy s intention when displaying aggressive behaviour is to try and prevent this from happening. Displays of behaviour will vary and may include freezing, stopping eating when approached, or bolting food. In some situations a puppy may block access to food with its body, grumble, growl, snarl and snap. Eye contact may either be averted away or directed at the person or animal approaching. The following advice will help to prevent a puppy ever feeling it needs to display these types of behaviours: never remove a puppy s food while it is eating don t tell your puppy off if it displays aggressive behaviour over food; again remember this is based on anxiety, but do inform your supervisor avoid handling your puppy while it is eating feed the puppy in a situation where it will not be antagonised by people or other animals maintain discipline at feeding times; feed in conjunction with the whistle and expect good manners from your puppy feed in an open area; avoid feeding the puppy in corners which it may feel it has to defend maintain a good standard of basic obedience at all times 5

6 Territory Puppies may display their fear of intrusion by exhibiting aggression towards people or other animals when defending an area that they perceive as their own. Again, due to the temperament of our stock, extreme displays of this kind are rare. However, protection of territory remains a basic motivator for the majority of animals, and as a result, evidence of this may be visible in our puppies as they develop. Typically, territorial aggression may be exhibited when people or animals enter the house, approach the dog s bedding or walk alongside territorial boundaries, for example past the garden. This behaviour is usually seen in and around the home or in the car, as these are the areas which the puppy perceives as its own territory. Depending on the puppy, behaviour can vary from barking on hearing the doorbell, (this should not be confused with a puppy s excited reaction to someone knocking at the door), chasing and barking at other animals on the other side of the fence, to snarling, growling and biting visitors who enter the property or approach what the puppy perceives to be its bed. Usually, a puppy that is prepared to defend its territory will be a confident one and, as a result, may have a high tail carriage, erect ears, fixed eye contact and generally a solid stance. The following advice will help to prevent a puppy ever feeling it needs to display these types of behaviours: maintain a good standard of basic obedience at all times discourage all protective barking (as appropriate) from the moment it starts supervise periods in the garden; this will allow you to step in if any aggression is shown to visitors or passers-by do not encourage territorial behaviour, even if it may be a comfort to you allow your puppy two or three bedding spots, so that it does not become protective of a single area 6

7 Possessiveness Pet dog owners frequently experience some degree of possessive behaviour by their dogs. Possessive aggression is seen in situations when a dog is either worried that a possession is going to be taken away, or is reluctant to give up an object, either to people or other animals. This is usually evident in situations involving toys or, in the case of puppies, something that is stolen, e.g. socks or tissues. Although being possessive is a normal and natural behaviour, it is important to understand the main reason why a puppy becomes aggressive when asked to give up an object. This is usually because the puppy perceives the situation as a negative one; in this instance something is being taken away. If we, as handlers, can ensure this is a positive experience, the anxiety involved in giving something up can be reduced. When being possessive about an item, a puppy will usually first try to retreat with the object to prevent its loss. Slinking away under furniture is common and lying with, or standing over, the object is usual. In addition, the puppy may freeze when approached and clamp its jaws around the object (or even try to swallow it). It is only usually when approached that aggressive behaviour will be seen, which could include grumbling, growling, lip curling and snapping at people or objects which invade the puppy s perceived safe area. The following advice will help to prevent a puppy ever feeling it needs to display these types of behaviours: Initially advice should be sought from your supervisor to develop appropriate techniques to deal with any concerns. However, in the meantime remember this behaviour is based on anxiety and therefore telling the puppy off may heighten the response. Alternatively, teach swapping games from an early age; this can be done during play and obedience exercises. By giving a replacement item, the puppy feels less anxiety and loss. If you have given a high value (usually edible) item to your puppy however, do not try and take it back immediately - leave the puppy with the reward. By teaching the puppy the release command leave it, the puppy will gain a better understanding of what is expected and required of him. If your puppy has an object that you wish to have, do not play games that involve chasing the puppy when it has the object, as this will encourage retreat behaviours. Give the puppy access to a number of favourite toys so it does not become possessive over one special toy. Maintain a good standard of basic obedience at all times. Minimise the opportunities for the puppy to steal or gain possession of prohibited objects. However if your puppy steals objects, do not overreact. Try if possible to swap the stolen item for one of higher value to the puppy (favourite toy or food). If the object is safe for the puppy to have, ignore the puppy and do not give the attention the puppy may be craving. 7

8 Fear Fear is probably the most common motivator for aggressive behaviours in domestic dogs and can result from any situation or object that the dog perceives as fearful or threatening. By exposing our puppies to people and other animals in a positive way when young, we are ensuring good social interaction is achieved, helping to reduce levels of fear. In addition, the familiarisation of environmental features during the puppy walking stage results in reduced fear towards objects that are regularly seen. It is usually dogs who have had little or poor socialisation periods when young, in conjunction with inappropriate handling, that end up being aggressive as a result of fear. The signs of fear are usually fairly straightforward to spot, although a puppy s signals can appear conflicting in fearful situations. Initially, warning barks may be given by a fearful puppy with a submissive and lowered body posture. Tail carriage is usually low, as is the head and ear carriage, and where possible a puppy will retreat or bolt from the object causing concern. In extreme cases, a puppy may urinate through fear. If denied the opportunity to escape from the object, or if the puppy is forced to confront it, aggressive behaviours may be seen: hackles may rise, lip snarling and growling may begin, which could lead on to biting and snapping. Any attack will usually be very quick and carried out in panic. The following advice may help prevent a puppy ever feeling it needs to display these types of behaviours: Effective socialisation and familiarisation is key to reducing anxiety and fear so that aggression does not develop. This involves the introduction of people and objects in a positive and non-threatening way. Never tell a puppy off if it is scared; even aggressive behaviours must not be reprimanded as this will increase levels of anxiety, which may in turn increase the aggressive behaviours. Be aware that your puppy will sense your fears and anxieties. If you are startled or feel anxious, your puppy will too. If your puppy reacts to an object in a concerned way, remain calm and relaxed. Do not fuss or praise the puppy, as this may act as a reward for the behaviour. Provide support but try to be as indifferent as possible towards the puppy. Reward the puppy when it has passed the stimulus and when it is in a more relaxed frame of mind. If a puppy appears frightened of an object or person it may be best to remove the puppy or the stimulus from the situation. Re-approach at another time or under different circumstances. Never force a puppy towards an item it is concerned about. Allow room for manoeuvre, lengthen the lead to prevent the puppy from feeling cornered. Without the ability to get away from the source of fear, a frightened puppy may attack it. 8

9 Maternal aggression Although a relatively rare motivator for aggression, it is important to consider this form of maternal behaviour when raising adolescent dogs. Maternal aggression only ever occurs in those bitches that are pregnant or under the illusion that they are pregnant and, as a result, may perceive that they or their nest is under threat. As well as displaying the physical signs of pregnancy, such as lactation, puppies with phantom pregnancies may embark on nesting behaviours. These include: storing soft toys behind objects, hiding themselves away, digging, becoming socially destructive and generally being less sociable. Aggressive behaviours usually only occur when the nest site is approached and may often result in the same aggressive behaviours seen during possessiveness. As this behaviour is hormonal there is little that can be done to prevent a phantom pregnancy occurring. If signs of aggression do occur and are linked with other maternal or nesting behaviours do not reprimand or punish your puppy; this will heighten the puppy s perception of threat. Please contact your supervisor for advice as in this case the phantom pregnancy is the issue that needs to be resolved. Predatory Predatory aggression tends to be seen in those puppies that have a marked instinct to chase and catch prey: this may be directed to other animals or moving objects including people and vehicles. Although this behaviour is a natural one for dogs, thousands of years of domestication have reduced many individuals desire to chase and kill food. This is especially so among guide dog stock, although predatory behaviour can still be seen in some breeds, for example German Shepherds. Signs of this behaviour are usually seen in free-run situations or in the garden, and usually start as the puppy increases in confidence at around sixteen weeks. Puppies with predatory instincts will often stalk perceived prey this may be a toy to start with. They will often chase anything that is moving, be it other animals, running children or even car wheels! If allowed to develop, further chasing, barking and nipping can be the result and in more extreme cases, chasing and killing of prey animals may follow. The following advice will help to prevent a puppy ever feeling it needs to display these types of behaviours: Understand the breed s inherent traits and characteristics, especially herding and hunting breeds; ask you supervisor for further advice on these breed traits. Select appropriate environments to free-run and walk your puppy in and wherever possible limit the proximity of cyclists, ball games, wildlife and livestock. Be aware of the development of your puppy s confidence, especially during free-running from 16 weeks. Do not encourage the behaviour by playing games which promote chase behaviour, e.g. running after and finding the children, chasing a thrown toy, using ball chuckers, Frisbees etc. If necessary, control chase behaviour by using the lead during socialisation walks. 9

10 Play aggression Play between puppies, or between people and puppies, can often become a little rough and, if allowed to continue, may get out of hand. It is on these occasions that play aggression can develop and is generally defined as situations where play-induced excitement escalates, resulting in a lack of inhibition and self-control. It is usually easy to predict when this behaviour is going to occur. It always starts with general play, which becomes rougher until reaching a flashpoint. This is when aggression occurs and can result in sudden biting and vocalisation. Every puppy has its own temperament and personality, so precisely when the flashpoint will occur will vary from puppy to puppy; you can only learn when your puppy will exhibit play aggression once an initial incident has occurred. It is, however, useful to look for changes in play behaviour, such as direct eyecontact, body contact, mouthing and vocalisation. control play with other puppies; ensure that tug games and rough play do not get out of hand pick suitable play partners to prevent play escalating out of control educate family members to stop rough- and-tumble games well before flashpoints interrupt inappropriate behaviour during play maintain a good standard of basic obedience at all times, even during play control mouthing behaviours (see Social Behaviour advice) 10

11 Redirected aggression The last type of aggression to consider is redirected aggression. This is an unintended form of aggressive behaviour, usually seen when a puppy is frustrated in its attempt to display its desired behaviour. This can be evident in all animals, but is frequently evident in the dog world, for example when handlers attempt to pick up puppies or physically interfere when a puppy is already showing another form of aggression and is in a heightened mental state, for instance during a dog fight. By its nature, this aggression is not intentionally directed towards the recipient, but can nevertheless be painful and will occur suddenly, when the puppy reaches a flashpoint of frustration. when the puppy is showing signs of aggression (due to any cause or motivator), do not physically handle it or put yourself in a situation where you can become the target of its aggression. Instead, divert the puppy away with something positive or appealing prevent the initial aggressive behaviour treat the primary cause of the aggressive behaviour rather than the redirected aggression These points must be followed at all times to support the agreed training process within the puppy walking department of Guide Dogs. Copyright 2014 A charity registered in England and Wales (209617) and Scotland (SC038979) 09/14 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. 11

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