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AGGRESSION by Bill Whiteford
My heart is grieving as I write this article; I have just put
down my friend and hunting partner, Bailey; Many of you knew
him. Bailey was the picture of health, very athletic, and a super
hunter and trial dog. He qualified in two Invitationals and was
eligible for the upcoming one In 1999. He loved to hunt, and
had been in many different states, doing just that. He had one
problem, and that was dominance aggression.
I will try to relate my story as best as I can, to be
informative, and hopefully share with you a little of what I have
learned over the past three years. I have consulted many
veterinarians who have specialized In animal behavior, as well as
trainers, both pro and amateur, on this subject. Realize, I speak
from personal experience, on this subject, even though it may be
somewhat limited.
Aggression - It's like a four-letter word. You avoid talking
about it, especially if it is happening with your dog. It makes you
feel ashamed, guilty and can even be fearful. Even so, we need
to come out of the closet, and get it out in the open. You can
only hide it for so long, before it will resurface.
There are three recognized types of aggression. Protective
aggression is a type which might show when a bitch growls as
you approach her newborn pups. Your dog may growl or even
snap at a stranger. This is not abnormal, but In extreme can be
a problem. Fear aggression occurs when an insecure dog
perceives they will be Injured and or pressured, and reacts. It
may also occur when you suddenly startle a dog or awaken one
that is sleeping. Although this is not abnormal, it is harder to
control, as a fearful dog may react without reason. Dominance
aggression involves the animal being "King of the hill". He/she
has to be the best and will challenge the leader, always. It can
be directly or happen covertly. This one by far is the worst to
deal with, because we are always asking our dogs to perform,
and we should be the boss. They must submit lf you are to work
together as a team; otherwise your performance In the home,
field or on the circuit, will be less functional.
There are things we can do to prevent or lessen the
episodes or aggression. Even so, It will occasionally rear It's ugly
head and we, as handlers must be prepared to deal with it in a
mature and informed way. My first piece of advise for you is,
you must deal with it right away. Any behavior, which has been
reinforced either in a positive or disciplined way will be repeated.
It can be tricky, and do not be afraid to get help. You will need
it. Talk to friends, trainers, animal behaviorists and vets, to get
a grasp on the situation. Remember, this is your dog, be
committed to getting this problem taken care of, quickly.
Bailey's problem became apparent when he was 4 months
of age. I can see that now, but was not aware of it at the time.
He was a pup which did not like to get on his back. He also did
not like to lie down when being trained. I really had to spend a
lot of time on this, more so than any other dog I have owned.
This is a submissive posture for a dog, and it would allow me to
win. He would not do this willingly, but finally, after much
training complied. Once during an episode in the house, he was
told to get down and he snarled at me. I disciplined him for the
snarl, and he came back at me with more white teeth. I quickly
controlled the situation, and that was the end of it. I figured he
had been taught his lesson. I could not have been more wrong.
Looking back, I now would have made sure he was comfortable an his back. I would have been slower with getting
him to lie down, and reinforced him in a positive way, instead of
making him do it. Bailey was one of two males in a litter of fourteen.
The other male was the dominant pup, and Bailey was tired of being
picked on, and already had a fear of being on his back. I should
have recognized this, but when you are In the midst of a lot of
puppies, you kinda go brain dead. The breeder was not one who
socialized with the puppies, and this is also an important factor to
consider when selecting your next companion.
There were no other signs, that I remember, during his training
which would have alerted me to a possible problem. It was not until
he reached the age of 2 1/2 years old, that I again, saw aggression
with this dog. My wife and I had a French exchange student living
with us far eight weeks. It was during this time, I saw Bailey growl
at this student, when he approached to pet him, while Bailey was
lying on a couch on our screened porch. I was surprised, but
shrugged it off, as a fluke and it went away. I told the boy, who had
been in our house, only a week or two, not to pet him on the couch,
and everything was fine. It was not until it happened again, when
Bailey was lying on his cedar bed in front of the fireplace, that I
became concerned. One day, it happened with my wife, and then I
started asking questions, and trying to find a solution to the
problem. Bailey was trying to find his place in the real world as he
was reaching social maturity. My having people leave him alone,
and allowing him to keep his place, on the couch or bed, rewarded
his inappropriate behavior. Now I know better. Even though I
stopped it from happening, I did not correct the situation.
Bailey was doing well in the trial circuit and was hunting great.
He was a handsome dog, and I had decided earlier, I would try and
breed him. He was a natural pointer, and I really wanted to see if
his offspring would perform as well. I bred him thinking this would
not affect him. You have to understand, his aggression was not an
everyday occurrence; and, I thought I really and truly had this
under control. I had talked with breeders as well as vets and
handlers, and after careful consideration, felt it would be OK to go
ahead with the process. Again, knowing what I know now, I would
have neutered him at an earlier age, before other problems started.
We ask a great deal from our dogs, and they are super
athletes. We should do all we can to make it pleasant for them with
the exception of with holding proper discipline. To discipline means
to teach, not necessarily to punish. There are many ways to teach,
and I encourage you to find out all you can about aggression, should
your dog show any signs at all. Some things I have seen since being
aware of this with Bailey, and having had the opportunity to judge,
include the fallowing: dogs growling at thier handler when releasing
the bird; biting the handler's hand when lining the dog for a retrieve; biting the handlers leg when trying to steady the dog on the line,
etc. Mind you, none of these incidents in and of themselves are
necessarily a problem. Just know that your dog is telling you
something, and you need to take heed. Stop it mere, before It
snowballs into bigger problems.
Maybe I am like a drunk turned sober - going around preaching
against drinking, in this case against aggression. It is like being
inoculated with a disease. Your body quickly picks up on the
exposure, and alerts you to make antibodies to fight off the
offending Intruder. I too have been inoculated, and I see it in a few
of the dogs being run in the circuit. Please take care of this problem
in a mature fashion. Talk about it, train properly and please, do not
continue to reinforce It. It will get uglier, and someone, maybe you
or a family member will be injured. No dog is worth that, not even
my own Bailey. "Bailey, may you rest well. You were one heck of a
dog"!
Bill Whiteford
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