BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM
Aggression in dogs is a serious personal and liability risk for pet owners and is, unfortunately, a too common scenario. Aggression includes several behaviors such as stiff posture, raised hackles, barking, baring teeth, growling, lunging and biting. Often, dogs exhibiting aggressive behavior, either toward strangers or family members, are re-homed or euthanized.
A new study by researchers Emma Williams and Emily Blackwell at the University of Bristol in the UK explores owner behavior and confidence and their role in training or re-training the aggressive dog. This study attempted to include owner perceptions of efficacy, use of positive reinforcement and owner confidence in their ability to train their dog in the results of handling aggressive behavior. The researchers also explored the impact of other factors such as the owner’s emotional state and social influence. The study entitled, “Managing the Risk of Aggressive Dog Behavior: Investigating the Influence of Owner Threat and Efficacy Perceptions”, was published May 28, 2019 in Risk Analysis: An International Journal.
The study suggests that the most important factor for managing aggressive behavior is owner’s perception of ability to use training techniques at home and in public situations. Other important factors that influence training include the owner’s perception of the severity of behavior and the stress and anxiety that result from said behavior. Owners report that this anxiety reduced their confidence in their abilities to handle their dogs.
The results of this study suggest that it is not sufficient to just give owners techniques to try to help reduce aggressive behaviors in their pets. Veterinarians, behaviorists and trainers should also work with owners to give them practical experience and allowing owners to gain confidence in executing proper techniques and in their ability to not only train their dogs but to control their dogs in situations that may trigger aggression.
While many other factors play a role in dog aggression, it is possible to control this behavior in many dogs with proper training and positive reinforcement. With the large number of dog bite incidents that occur in America, this approach to helping owners train their dogs can help reduce the number of pets that must either be re-homed or euthanized due to intractable aggression. Veterinarians can help owners by directing them toward resources to educate owners on dog aggression and trainers to get further one-on-one help.
