05/03/2026
If youโve ever had the slightest inkling of worry about your dogs behaviourโฆ and even if you havenโt. You need to read this. Please. Thank you Adaptive Behaviour for such a salient post ๐พ
๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐
(this is a long one so get comfy! ๐)
With the recent spate of dog attacks making headlines, canine aggression has been on my mind (and maybe yours too). I was recently interviewed by The Press about this but wanted to elaborate further, since it is a complex topic that deserves more-in-depth discussion than a few brief quotes.
First itโs important we acknowledge a somewhat uncomfortable truth: ๐ผ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ช๐ข๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ.
Bites rarely happen โout of the blueโ and to be able to design effective interventions to address this issue, we need to look beyond the individual incidents to understand the environmental and behavioural precursors that contribute to these events.
๐ง ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ด๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป?
Aggression is not misbehaviour, or even one behaviour. Itโs a survival response made up of a group of escalating distance-increasing signals (e.g., stiffening, hard stare, growl) and contact behaviours (snap, bite) - i.e. the "Fight" in Fight/Flight/Freeze. The function of aggressive behaviour is to remove a perceived threat to a dogโs safety or wellbeing.
Evolution doesn't favour rushing into a fight; it's high-risk and costly, and therefore typically only used as a last resort. However, if a dog is repeatedly punished for growling (a lower level warning) or placed in overwhelming situations without a way to escape, they may learn that more peaceful solutions are ineffective. This increases the likelihood that they will escalate straight to a bite in the future.
โ ๏ธ ๐๐ผ๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐
To prevent bites, we must examine what makes them more likely. Stress is an underlying theme, as this increases sensitivity to potential threats, and makes individuals more likely to (over)react. Some important influences include:
โบ ๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ: Genetics influence characteristics like the aspects of the predatory behaviour sequence that have been specifically modified by selective breeding (e.g. terriers vs. labradors) and dictate the potential severity of a bite. Furthermore, puppies bred without consideration to temperament and physical health (which is strongly influenced by their parents genes) are more likely to struggle with health and behaviour issues.
โบ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ญ๐บ ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ช๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด: Prenatal and postnatal environments also have a measurable impact on resilience and development - stressed mothers and deprived or demanding early conditions have negative long-term effects on behaviour.
โบ ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ด: Dogs left confined and/or isolated for long periods, or those lacking adequate sleep, physical exercise, mental enrichment, and safety, often experience frustration and chronic stress. This can result in unwanted behaviours like roaming, barking, guarding and unwanted (natural dog) behaviours like chasing, herding, hunting.
โบ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ: Research shows that up to 80% of behavioral problems are linked to pain or health issues. A dog that is sore or uncomfortable is more likely to be more sensitive about space, defensive and reactive. Note chronic pain can be difficult to diagnose and is often missed in a typical 10 minute physical check-up.
โบ ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ถ๐ฎ๐ข: Dogs that have experienced trauma can become more sensitive and reactive. For example, in a recent local incident, the dogs involved had reportedly been pepper-sprayed by police crossing their yard several weeks beforehand. The use of aversives and force in training can also result in stress and trauma. Stressful events, large singular ones, as well as smaller chronic ones, can create strong negative associations, making dogs more likely to perceive threats in similar situations.
โบ ๐๐ช๐ด๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ: Dogs communicate through subtle body language. These signals can be misinterpreted - a wagging tail is assumed to be friendly, a cautious approach is thought to be an invitation to touch, a roll over is taken as a request for belly rubs. Bites occur when early warning signs of discomfort are missed or deliberately ignored.
๐ก ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Following a bite incident, it is common to see calls for stricter laws and harsher penalties. However, behavioural science shows us that removing freedoms, relying on threats, and aversives is not the best way to produce successful, sustainable behaviour change in dogs or humans. Punishment is reactive and produces resistance, stress and other undesirable side effects. Developing understanding and skills by encouraging preferred choices in a way that promotes agency is much more effective in modifying behaviour.
Laws and boundaries are necessary for public safety, however we should also consider a bottom-up approach that proactively addresses the root causes - changing the culture around dogs and empowering people with the resources, knowledge and ability to make better, safer choices.
This requires education on:
๐ Ethical Breeding: Ensuring potential guardians and breeders understand the importance of genetics, breeding decisions, and early environments.
๐ Selecting the right dog : Matching families with dogs that fit their lifestyles and homes
๐พ Meeting Needs: Dogs are intelligent, sentient beings with complex needs that go beyond food, water and shelter - it is the responsibility of guardians to adequately meet these.
๐ Training as lifelong learning: Socialisation and training is an ongoing journey, not just for new puppies, or as a band-aid applied after problems arise. Positive reinforcement training produces less negative side effects (like aggresion) than punishment-based training.
๐ Canine Communication: Learning to read dog body language so dogs do not need to resort to aggression.
If we want to stop bites, we need to treat the underlying problems that create these behaviours, not just the results. This begins with a better understanding of all sides of the story, especially the dogsโ.
