Beyond Basics: How to Work with Aggressive and Reac8ve Dog Behaviors Allie Bender, CPDT- KA July 18, 2015 Defining aggression Digging deeper Outline Working with aggressive shelter dogs July 16 19, 2015 1
What does aggression mean to you? Defining aggression What does aggression mean to you? July 16 19, 2015 2
What does aggression mean to you? What does aggression mean to you? July 16 19, 2015 3
Social definilons Defining aggression Social definilons of aggression Growling, lunging, baring teeth Expressing yourself in such a manner that the rights of the other person are violated in the process Teeth bared, growling, aggressive barking, lunging, bilng. But wouldn t necessarily categorize warning signs as aggression. July 16 19, 2015 4
A note about dominance What is dominance theory? Originated from a 1947 study on caplve wolves Social hierarchy in which the alpha controls all the resources Individuals fight to gain dominance and the alpha posilon Why is dominance theory incorrect? Original study debunked Dogs are dogs Hierarchies and control of resources are fluid Dominance is a relalonship between two individuals at a given point in Lme PresentaLon terminology Defining aggression July 16 19, 2015 5
DefiniLon of aggression E.O. Wilson, 2000 A physical act by one individual that reduces the freedom or generic fitness of another PresentaLon terminology AgonisLc behavior: Any behavior associated with conflict between two individuals (e.g., warning signals) Aggression: A physical act by one individual that reduces the freedom or generic fitness of another Trigger: A slmulus in the environment that causes a change in behavior Threshold: The point at which a slmulus produces an effect ReacLvity: A display of agonislc behaviors July 16 19, 2015 6
PresentaLon terminology The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again. Causes of agonislc behavior Digging deeper July 16 19, 2015 7
Causes of agonislc behavior Fear Fight or flight Resource guarding and territorial behaviors FrustraLon RedirecLon Mouthing Resource guarding Causes of agonislc behavior Medical GeneLc and mental abnormaliles Predatory Learned It always works! Incorrect applicalon of behavior modificalon techniques July 16 19, 2015 8
IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior Digging deeper IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior Body language Environment IdenLfying triggers July 16 19, 2015 9
IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: body language Fear signals: Ears back Head low Tail low Weight back SLff body Dilated pupils Whale eye Hackles raised Tap out Shut down Other common stress signals IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: body language FrustraLon signals: Ears alert and forward Head high Tail high, slff, flagging Weight forward SLff body Dilated pupils Hackles raised Other common stress signals July 16 19, 2015 10
IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: body language Warning signs: Hard stare Freeze Commissure forward Commissure pulled back, molars showing Snarling, lip curl Growling Muzzle punch IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: body language But the bite came out of nowhere! Subtle warning signs Conflicted body language Learned suppression July 16 19, 2015 11
IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: environment IdenLfying causes of agonislc behavior: idenlfying triggers On leash vs. off leash Men vs. women vs. children Time of day (oeen medical related) LocaLon specific Trigger stacking DocumentaLon July 16 19, 2015 12
Safety precaulons, management, and prevenlon Working with aggressive shelter dogs Safety precaulons Muzzle training Bite gloves, arm guards, etc. Buddy system GuilloLnes Tethers Trust your gut! July 16 19, 2015 13
Management Avoid triggers: Visual barriers Quiet walking localons Don t bother ealng dogs Separate for feeding Etc. PrevenLon Read your dog s body language Socialize puppies Set up the environment for success July 16 19, 2015 14
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell Working with aggressive shelter dogs Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: types of behavior Overt behavior Behavior that we can observe, measure, and assess Covert behavior Internal behaviors that we cannot see or assess: thoughts, feelings, molvalons, intenlons Constructs AssumpLons about covert behaviors July 16 19, 2015 15
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: behavioral science Classical condiloning EmoLonal state Involuntary In training Useful for fear- based behaviors Counter condiloning: Scary thing predicts great thing SystemaLc desensilzalon: expose while keeping under threshold Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: behavioral science Operant condiloning Learning state Voluntary In training Use under threshold Dog makes conscious decision regarding behavior; operates on his environment July 16 19, 2015 16
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: humane hierarchy Talk to your vet first Reward appropriate behavior Set up the environment for success Reward incompalble behavior Ignore inappropriate behavior Common shelter issues and solulons Working with aggressive shelter dogs July 16 19, 2015 17
Common shelter issues Jumpy, mouthy Leash reaclvity Barrier reaclvity Resource guarding Jumpy, mouthy Common shelter issues and solulons July 16 19, 2015 18
Common shelter issues: Jumpy, mouthy Common solulons for shelter sejngs: Jumpy, mouthy What behaviors do you observe? Cause? Trigger? People going in? Playing with toys? People leaving? EmoLonal or learning state of mind? For example: Touch paws, give cheese July 16 19, 2015 19
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: humane hierarchy Talk to your vet first Reward appropriate behavior Set up the environment for success Reward incompalble behavior Ignore inappropriate behavior Common solulons for shelter sejngs: jumpy, mouthy Antecedent arrangement: Don t walk in with toys Reward appropriate behavior: 4 on the floor Reward incompalble behavior: Default sit/down Place Back up Jump to a target Ignore inappropriate behavior: Turn back when dog jumps Leave the run July 16 19, 2015 20
Common solulons for shelter sejngs: jumpy, mouthy Leash reaclvity Common shelter issues and solulons July 16 19, 2015 21
Common shelter issues: leash reaclvity Common solulons for shelter sejngs: leash reaclvity What behaviors do you observe? Cause? Trigger? All dogs? Only bigger dogs? Only reaclng dogs? All people? Only men? People making eye contact? Threshold? EmoLonal or learning state of mind? For example: Car approaches, give cheese July 16 19, 2015 22
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: humane hierarchy Talk to your vet first Reward appropriate behavior Set up the environment for success Reward incompalble behavior Ignore inappropriate behavior Common solulons for shelter sejngs: leash reaclvity Antecedent arrangement: Off- leash intros Quiet walking areas Reward appropriate behavior: Look at That (LAT) Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) Reward incompalble behavior: Watch me Obedience heel Basic manners Ignore inappropriate behavior: Emergency U- turns July 16 19, 2015 23
Common solulons for shelter sejngs: leash reaclvity Barrier reaclvity Common shelter issues and solulons July 16 19, 2015 24
Beyond Basics: How to Work with Aggressive Common shelter issues: barrier reaclvity Common solulons for shelter sejngs: barrier reaclvity What behaviors do you observe? Cause? Trigger? Dogs? People? High excitement Lmes? EmoLonal or learning state of mind? For example: Man walks past and tosses cheese July 16 19, 2015 25
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: humane hierarchy Talk to your vet first Reward appropriate behavior Set up the environment for success Reward incompalble behavior Ignore inappropriate behavior Common solulons for shelter sejngs: barrier reaclvity Antecedent arrangement: End runs Visual barriers Large kennels Reward appropriate behavior: Click for quiet Reward incompalble behavior: Place Back up or recall Quiet on cue Ignore inappropriate behavior Reward dogs who are quiet and ignore barkers July 16 19, 2015 26
Common solulons for shelter sejngs: barrier reaclvity Resource guarding Common shelter issues and solulons July 16 19, 2015 27
Common shelter issues: resource guarding Common solulons for shelter sejngs: resource guarding What behaviors do you observe? Cause? Trigger? Object: rawhide, food bowl, toy, etc. From dogs or people? Aeer one amempt? Many amempts? EmoLonal or learning state of mind? For example: Toss treats to food guarders July 16 19, 2015 28
Behavior modificalon in a nutshell: humane hierarchy Talk to your vet first Reward appropriate behavior Set up the environment for success Reward incompalble behavior Ignore inappropriate behavior Common solulons for shelter sejngs: resource guarding Antecedent arrangement: Don t take things away! Don t give him items he guards Reward appropriate behavior: Trades Reward incompalble behavior: Drop it Leave it Ignore inappropriate behavior July 16 19, 2015 29
Common solulons for shelter sejngs: resource guarding AddiLonal resources Working with aggressive shelter dogs July 16 19, 2015 30
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