It’s a well-known fact that dogs can bring more happiness into your life, but it’s important to understand that there are challenges involved. With adopted dogs especially, their pasts can be a mystery, and it’s hard to know what experiences have shaped their behavior. Pay close attention to any behaviors that seem unusual, as they might indicate aggression. If you want to know more, here are ten warning signs of an aggressive dog that you shouldn’t ignore.
10. Growling
One familiar sign of dog aggression is growling, which means “back off!” in doggie language. This usually happens when you lock eyes with the dog, and they sense that you are coming to touch them. This is usually a sign of either boundary setting or fear, especially when you’re a stranger to them.
What to do: The first thing to do is to back off and respect the dog’s wishes instead of letting them attack you on the spot. If they don’t usually do this to you, still back off and observe what triggers your dog.
9. Freeze
If you’re playing with your dog and you suddenly notice that they froze, it means that you may have done something that they don’t like, or they suddenly felt nervous over something that you did. This posture indicates a precursor or aggression. Some dogs may suddenly attack or bite you if you don’t back off.
What to do: Of course, the first thing to do is to back off when your dog suddenly does the freeze position. Talk to them in a calm tone and assure them that everything is alright. Don’t touch them unless they’ve calmed down.
8. Whale Eye
Whale eye is when a dog is looking away, yet you can see the white of their eyes. This happens when they notice a trigger, so they’re trying to plan their attack. While this may be funny to some dog owners, don’t trigger your dog further and stay away.
What to do: Let your dog rest when doing this, and don’t trigger them further. Triggering them will result in them being aggressive to you, and you wouldn’t want that, right?
7. Destructive Behaviors
If you notice that your dog always destroys things such as cushions, pillows, shoes, and even their toys then you might have an aggressive dog. They destroy anything that their paws and teeth could land into, and it could become a problem between you and your dog. This might also affect them, as they may accidentally swallow a foreign object due to excessive chewing.
What to do: Owners must first know that this behavior is unacceptable and must be solved as soon as possible. But don’t punish your dog for this behavior; the first thing to do is to put away the possible things that your dog can destroy. After, consult with your veterinarian and listen to their suggestion, as this could be due to a physical pain that they feel. They might suggest for a behavioral modification therapy from dog behavior specialists.
6. Disobedience
If you’ve been dealing with a disobedient dog for quite a while now, it has been a nightmare living with them. You spend long hours of your day trying to chase them down, or they might whine to you about wanting to go out despite taking them out for a walk already. They won’t listen to your commands, and you’re having a hard time making them follow your orders. This behavior is not okay as they should be the ones listening to you, not the other way around. Sooner or later, your dog will be aggressive if their wants aren’t met.
What to do: To prevent this behavior, remember not to spoil them and give in to their demands all the time. But if you’re currently experiencing this right now, then you should get a professional trainer to calm and teach your dog and prevent their disobedience from turning into aggression.
5. Change in Body Language
If your usual gentle dog has suddenly turned on you by becoming rigid and staring at you wide-eyed, looking alarmed by your presence, then you should definitely take a step back. Unusual body behaviors may be caused by a sudden trigger, making them feel anxious or scared around you.
What to do: Talk to your dog gently, and don’t shout at them, as it might make things worse. Touching them or going near them might make them attack you or turn aggressive. If things get worse, bring them to the veterinarian and have them checked, as this sudden aggressiveness may be due to an illness or pain they’re experiencing.
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4. Hiding
If you notice that your dog keeps hiding at the sight of visitors in your home then you should be aware. At the least expected moment, they might launch an attack on your visitor. In dog language, hiding means that they’re in an emergency mode and they feel fear towards the presence of your visitor. This could happen to any dog, but this is common with rescue dogs due to their experiences.
What to do: In this case, make sure that your dog is locked in a cage or a room where they couldn’t attack your visitor. You can also hire a dog behavior specialis, as this could be a sign of trauma growing on dogs.
3. Tail Twitching
We all know that a wagging tail is a sign of a happy dog. While it’s true, a wagging tail could mean a lot of things, and one of them is aggression. You would know when a wagging tail is an aggression when a dog’s tail is wagging between their legs. It could mean that they are anxious and they needed space from whatever is causing their fear.
What to do: Respect the dog’s boundaries and don’t go near them for a while. Make sure to observe what is triggering your dog.
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2. Staring
Like tail twitching, staring goes a long way since it could also mean a lot of things. It happens when a dog is alert towards something. You would know what they’re staring at, and you should be able to detect what it is.
What to do: Again, don’t touch the dog when they’re staring or focusing at something. Holding them might surprise them, resulting in them accidentally biting you or becoming aggressive towards you.
1. Inserting themselves between you and another person
This behavior may not be seen as aggression, but when a dog does insert themselves between you and another person, it may be because it wants to seek attention since the other person is taking your attention or they want to protect you from potential danger. This is dangerous on the part of the other person as the dog may possibly attack them.
What to do: If you know that your dog has aggressive tendencies, make sure that your dog is away when there’s another person near you. Still, this behavior can’t go on, so it’s better to fix their behavior by seeing a dog behavior specialist.
From The Club
As dog owners, it is our responsibility to look after our dogs and make sure that they and the people and other animals are safe around their presence. Although problems such as anxiety and trauma can’t be helped, we should be able to give them the medical and psychological help that they need. After all, by bringing them into our homes, we took on the responsibility that comes with raising them.
