[Bremner53]

I was thinking about this last night in bed :lol: I know, my brain never stops, LMAO!!!

Does anyone here think that a dog with Dog Aggression could have something to do with its nerves?? I am not talking Dominance, but a dog that actually goes out looking for fights. I am also not talking Game pits, cause that is what they are bred to do.

I think that it does have something to do with their nerves and their confidence level. I could be totally wrong and off on this, but that is what I observed with Dozer. He was kinda weird, he would be Dog aggressive at times. Like if we were at OB training, and another dog came to close, he would get this worried look on his face then he would try to go after the other dog. But if he didn't feel threatened he would not show dog aggression at all.

Opinions anyone?

 

[Kasco]

Of course I'm no expert...but I don't see why not. Animals have the fight or flight instinct. They feel threatened, they lash out. A weak nerved dog feels threatened in circumstances where a stable dog would not and they act accordingly. Just my opinion.

 

[Bremner53]

Of course I'm no expert...but I don't see why not. Animals have the fight or flight instinct. They feel threatened, they lash out. A weak nerved dog feels threatened in circumstances where a stable dog would not and they act accordingly. Just my opinion.

Good way to put it, but yeah that is what I was trying to say, lol!! Makes sense,eh? I know alot of people don't agree with that though.

 

[Cookies Mom]

I don't know but CC is like that but when she sees another dog she doesn't growl, she wines like when she wants to play, but if you getclose to the other dog, she get down right nasty. but she didn't start that till she got bit in the face.

 

[PeterC]

Dogs' aggression stem from many reasons.

Fear Aggression - want to protect one self. Lack of confidence. Bad breeding. Not being socialized. Lack courage. For me, this is the kind of dog I dispise the most. Being aggressive out of fear. Fear biter. The worst of the spectrum is a dog with bad nerves. Bad nerves makes them unpredictable and makes them lash out.

Social or Dominance aggression - This is the alpha syndrome. I am the top dog. I like this sort of dog, depending on the degree. Stare at a dominat dog's eye and he will not just threaten. He will take action. Again. There are degrees. I have know dogs when an owner stares into his dog's eye, the dog takes a dominace stance. Naturally dominance.

Territorial aggression - protecting the territory and protecting the pack.

So, it depends WHY your dog is aggressive.

With my Chucky, it is out of sheer dominance. A dog that walks by without staring at him creates no interest. If ANY dog or human tries to eye him, he will take action. Zero threat display.
With Ice, it is more territoriality. She is not very dominant. She likes every dog and every human, as long as they are not in our yard.

 

[Lisa]

I agree that dog aggression can often be attribued to nerves/fear. I have seen a few dog aggressive dogs who were also nervy but like previously mentioned, dog aggression isn't always due to nerves, you can have domiant dogs also. If you see a dog acting nervy in other situations and it is also dog aggressive, good chance that aggression is also due to nerves.

Very interesting thread!

 

[Bremner53]

Thanks PeterC I was hoping you would reply to this

 

[Miakoda]

I agree that dog aggression can often be attribued to nerves/fear. I have seen a few dog aggressive dogs who were also nervy but like previously mentioned, dog aggression isn't always due to nerves, you can have domiant dogs also. If you see a dog acting nervy in other situations and it is also dog aggressive, good chance that aggression is also due to nerves.

Very interesting thread!

I concur. While some dogs are just naturally confident and/or dominant in nature towards other dogs, some dogs are just plain scared & their dog aggression is nothing more than defensive scare tactic. And anyone familiar with "little dog syndrome"?

 

[E-Dogg]

And anyone familiar with "little dog syndrome"?

LOL! Like every other Chihuaha in existence?! :lol:

Great thread.

 

[BanterBull]

Dogs' aggression stem from many reasons.

Fear Aggression - want to protect one self. Lack of confidence. Bad breeding. Not being socialized. Lack courage. For me, this is the kind of dog I dispise the most. Being aggressive out of fear. Fear biter. The worst of the spectrum is a dog with bad nerves. Bad nerves makes them unpredictable and makes them lash out.

Social or Dominance aggression - This is the alpha syndrome. I am the top dog. I like this sort of dog, depending on the degree. Stare at a dominat dog's eye and he will not just threaten. He will take action. Again. There are degrees. I have know dogs when an owner stares into his dog's eye, the dog takes a dominace stance. Naturally dominance.

Territorial aggression - protecting the territory and protecting the pack.

So, it depends WHY your dog is aggressive.

With my Chucky, it is out of sheer dominance. A dog that walks by without staring at him creates no interest. If ANY dog or human tries to eye him, he will take action. Zero threat display.
With Ice, it is more territoriality. She is not very dominant. She likes every dog and every human, as long as they are not in our yard.

Good answer Peter. Mosley is the dominant type. With other dogs, he's fine until one gives him "the look," then it's on.
Montana is more territorial. I had the experience that happened at our house. A friend of a friend was there. He didn't know how to act toward a dog he hadn't met before. Montana wasn't having any of it. It worried me at first, but after putting her in other "classroom" type situations, she was fine. It was this dude, acting strangely toward her, standing in front of my daughter's bedroom door...she didn't like it at all. But, that's the only time it happened.

Messiah, he's too young to tell yet. I don't think he's going to be very dominant. He's just goofy. He'll stand his ground if aggressed upon, but doesn't act dominant until that point. Also, me treating him as the bottom of the pack, I'm sure doesn't help...one of the downfalls of keeping a pack order in the house...

~S

 

[Tia]

My Dog female Dixie is a great dog, no weak nerve at all. Will jump at moving power saws! She is great in any situation and is very stable but any dog that comes near her she is ok, but as soon as they go to smell her way,look at her she takes the threat out (well tries too i NEVER have her near other dogs now) She will fight through fences. I honestly think she thinks she is the leader. Her tail is always wagging i think she gets off on it soemtimes

 

[Beetle]

I'm no expert either, but that sounds like fear aggression to me. But, I think fear aggression extends to nervousness and stress, as well. Like when a dog is in a new environment, for example, he might not be outright fearful of anything in particular, but nervous and stressed. Nervousness and stress may cause him to feel vulnerable, and a dog that feels vulernable views other dogs as a threat. So, I would tend to think it does all come down to nerves, and how a particular dog handles stresses.

 

[Stormy]

I'm still not sure with Storm, as we don't know her history but she goes looking for fights.

When walking her and she sees a dog in the distance she'll try to pull to it with her tail wagging but if she were to get close enough she attacks. She'll throw herself in the air and all to attack.

 

[Tara<3Boss]

Good thread and interesting thought! Boss has not shown any signs of dog aggression as of yet. But he IS dominant. Very much so. Has never been submissive with other dogs, but has never been aggressive. He's been growled at by dogs before, he doesn't "take action" he stands his ground and does nothing, really. I'm not an expert at all, but IMO dog-aggression does not always mean the dog is just dominant, it could quite possibly mean the dog is insecure. Also, a lot of game dogs were not and are not necessarily dog-aggressive. I'm sure we all know that's not what game is about.

Again good thought

 

[Tara<3Boss]

With my Chucky, it is out of sheer dominance. A dog that walks by without staring at him creates no interest. If ANY dog or human tries to eye him, he will take action. Zero threat display.
With Ice, it is more territoriality. She is not very dominant. She likes every dog and every human, as long as they are not in our yard.

Wait, so you're saying, if say I were to stare at your dog, he'd attack me?!? Or am I just not understanding?

 

[irishlas]

dog agression

You know, I have that trouble too. It's like Banshee goes looking for a fight. My sister has a bull terrier, 4 months older than my oeb, the two of them faught the first time they were together (drawing blood faught), i'm certain it was my dog picking the fight. So, they hadn't been together in months and we go to grandmas for Easter and put them together. Mine of course started it, but my brother in law walked amongst them like the dog whisperer and they were fine (until I got a ball out of my car and they fought again). They actually played for a few minutes. I feel so bad for her, she has no friends! And the wierdest thing is that she just passed the canine good citizen dog obedience class - only 3 out of 10 passed! I'd like to think she could be normal, but I don't ever see it happening. And if it's not a dog, it's a person. At first I thought it was men, my husband has a twin and she tried to bite him (they are identical), but she loves my other brother in law. There are a couple of my sons friends that she goes after, I don't know if she's ever actually bitten any of them, but she's right up their butt snapping away. My girlfriend is very short and she kind of went after her too. And she's a dog lover! I can't trust her with anyone but immediate family. You can feed her treats and she's fine, but don't turn your back, she tried to bite my brother in law as soon as they were gone. The people at the dog classes said she had fear aggression? but I don't know a whole lot about that stuff. My neighborhood goes on high alert when she gets out and she's really never done anything to any of them ( she does jump up but that is friendly ). She is a devil. What is wrong with her??????

 

[MissyTootse]

I would say I would have to agree with you!