Canine Behaviour Foundation Course
Module 3 - Section - 4 - Reactive Behaviour
Module 3 - Section - 4 - Reactive Behaviour
- General
- Types of Reactive Behaviour
- Triggers
- Dr. Dunbar’s Bite Scale/Ratio
- Signs of Reactive Behaviour
- Some Common Situations you may come across
1.General
Reactive or aggressive behaviour is not abnormal; it is totally natural behaviour, both in dogs, humans and all mammals.
We do not like the terminology Aggressive – much prefer the terminology Reactive behaviour. Reason for this is that the majority of reactive behaviour is fear based and therefore, the dog is only reacting to a situation that it believes to be threatening. The best definition we have come across to date for the word reactive is – “defined as the threat of harm.”
Reactive behaviour is an extremely serious behavioural problem and should only be undertaken by a qualified, accredited behaviourist with good knowledge and behavioural experience behind them. Reading about reactive behaviour is not enough – you need a lot of hands-on experience under the guidance and supervision of a professional in this aspect of behaviour. You also need to be very good at reading a dog’s natural behaviour, picking up signs of stress building, and backing off before reactive behaviour can occur. Remember that even though people may say the aggressive behaviour happened 'out of the blue', if one is skilled at reading body language normally there are umpteen subtle signs that have just not been noticed which indicated that aggression could happen. This can only be achieved by observation and experience.
In this course we give you the understanding as to why aggression happens, the different types, Dr. Dunbar’s Bite Ratio, signs of reactive behaviour, some common instances you may come across etc, but practical experience on this aspect of behaviour is only undertaken in our advanced course, where you can actually observe and start to work with dogs that are reactive and practical experience in daily behaviour problems is required before doing the advanced course. Before attempting to work with a dog with reactive behaviour, you need experience of reading dogs and working with them with everyday behaviour problems.
The majority of reactive behaviour is due to a lack of early and continued socialization and incorrect interactions with a dog most often with children.
Many behaviourists will say that they can 'fix' reactive behaviour - yes, you can show the dog another way of behaving, desensitize the dog to what it was aggressive towards etc and very often it looks as if a complete turnaround has been achieved. However, what we have to bear in mind is that aggression is in all of us and is simply a survival instinct - it is a biological reaction to the situation we find ourselves in. What does this mean to a dog that is aggressive? That no matter how much we desensitize, show the dog another way of acting, if the stress levels get too high or the dog feels that it is in danger in any given situation and the dog feels it cannot cope, aggression can be the end result as it is simply a default behaviour. So in our eyes, aggression cannot really be 'fixed' - all we can do is to change the dogs perception and show it ways it can cope.
We urge you to go out with as many different behaviourists as possible who work in this field and get hands-on experience to put in your behaviour tool box – lack of knowledge and experience could lead to a disastrous and dangerous situation. There is nothing to be ashamed off if you are asked to help with reactive behaviour in saying that you have not yet gained enough experience. Rather contact an accredited behaviourist and request that you accompany them and observe and learn.
The manner in which reactive / aggressive behaviour is dealt with between the old fashioned methods and the newer methods are very different as you will see from the diagram below. We believe that the older methods actually contributed to further aggression from the dog and have been called in countless times where the owner used the older methods such as the alpha roll and pinning the dog to the floor, and the dog turned on them.
2. Types of Reactive Behaviour – these are often classified under slightly different terminology
Genetic
This could be selective breeding such as the dogs that are breed for guarding, protection or fighting. Even in the fighting breeds such as the Pitti, good breeders will not use dogs that show any reactive behaviour towards people. It is when we have the irresponsible, backyard and puppy farmers (or casual back yard breeders) that reactive traits are often ignored or enhanced and the selection process is not done properly, that reactive behaviour can be passed down genetically.
Although one normally hears more about reactive behaviour in the general public arena from dogs such as the Pitti breeds, every single dog can be reactive, it is not a breed related phenomena. Having said that, many of the dog bites recorded are from the Bullie breed and in addition to the bite force of these breed being so strong, We are sure that this is due to bad breeding, insufficient socialization and irresponsible owners.
Where genetics are concerned, although there is no scientific proof that we have been able to find, there does seem to be a correlation that dogs who have eyes that are a lighter brown than normal, with definite yellow hue eye colour - seem to be a predisposed towards reactive behaviour and also unpredictability. Theory on this is that it dates back to their wolf origin but I think it is more likely to be a dominant gene which tends to get passed down – a bit like people with red hair are labelled quick to anger!
In several countries breeds such as the Pitti are banned and even taken away from their families as they have been deemed 'dangerous' dogs. Fortunately many canine experts refute the efficacy of BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) as a means to reduce dog bites and here is an article to find out a bit more about this aspect. http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/what-canine-behavior-experts-say-about-breed-specific-legislation.html
Medically Related
This is especially important when you come across a dog that was not showing reactive behaviour previously and the aggression has suddenly started happening. Unfortunately when talking to an owner about this aspect, there were often early warning signs from the dog, but these were not noticed by the owner and only when the reactive behaviour escalated was help asked for. In ALL cases of reactive behaviour, the vet must give the dog a full examination to ensure that there are no underlying physical components contributing towards the reactive behaviour. If there are, little done from the modification point of view will impact.
In all cases of reactive behaviour, it is a good idea for clients to take 20 mins or so, and very gently run their hands over all parts of the dog’s body and see if there are any areas where the dog appears uncomfortable – this includes the ears, inside the mouth, inside area of hindquarters, under the tail and the paws. Things for the owner to look for is the dog turning its head away, or turning to look at owner, ears going back, body going slightly stiffer, tail going down, sitting down or moving away, displacements of behaviour, to avoid the area being touched. Owner also to feel for any lumps and bumps and point these out to vet at the vet exam. A vet only has a limited time period with our dogs, so client doing their own examination in the home environment, where the dog is more relaxed, may show some tell-tale signs of areas that may be contributing to the behaviour – remember majority of dogs do not show pain unless severe.
Also ask the owner to observe the dog sitting down, getting up, walking, running, going up and down stairs etc. Further ask them to see how much the dog is drinking, eating and eliminating, as well as check the colour, consistency and odour of the excretions. Doing all above will give the vet additional insight.
Another point in the physical side is when a dog gets older and enters the golden years. Physical problems such as arthritis, decay in teeth etc are more likely to occur and doggy dementia (CCD) could be a component in the change of behaviour.
The vet will examine the dog further and also look at the dog’s coat and general condition and ask the owner if there is a weight loss or gain, if the dog’s energy levels have changed, as this may point to an underlying condition such as thyroid problems. Other physical problems that may result in reactive behaviour are seizures, hydrocephalus excessive quantities of cerebral-spinal fluid in the brain , tumours, HD and ED, Cushing’s, urinary tract infection, neurological, Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD), Hypoglycaemia (Low blood sugar): Encephalitis (Inflammation of the brain): or even damage due to trauma and arthritis.
If you are going to continue your studies into canine behaviour, it would be a good idea to make yourself reasonably knowledgeable as to the diseases above, the medication used and the possible side effects that can occur.
Redirected Reactive behaviour.
A word here – even your own dog can exhibit reactive behaviour if in pain, such as in an accident and you try to help the dog and it turns on you. So always be very careful in your handling of the dog in a situation such as this. This is only the dog reacting in a natural manner and does not indicate a breakdown in the relationship in any way or that the dog bit on purpose. This could either be directed at a human or another dog or animal.
Redirected reactive behaviour also happens when a dog becomes frustrated and will turn and take out the reactive behaviour on another dog or person close by. This is not uncommon when a dog walks past the gate and there are two dogs inside, and either one, or both, will then become reactive to its companion. Reactive behaviour at gates can also be labelled as Territorial Reactive behaviour.
Another instance of this is where a person may be trying to force a dog to do something it does not want to do and the dog will then direct the frustration towards the person that is trying to force the dog.
Pain Related Reactive Behaviour – non medical
Dogs that have had equipment such as shock collar, prong collars etc can also respond in a reactive manner. Scotty tells of a client she hadwhere a trainer had suggested a prong collar to stop the pulling – the end result was that whenever the owner went to put the collar on, or took it off, the dog was reactive towards him – apart from that their relationship was normal. As a matter of interest this was resolved in one session by the dog being desensitized to a totally different collar that was leather and had a clasp fastener - the excessive pulling was also resolved in the same session by two points of contact.
Protective (also maternal) Reactive Behaviour
This is normally found with the mom that is guarding her young pups and often still nursing and it could be that the dog was never reactive before the birth.
If a dog is resource guarding its owner, and became reactive, this could possible fall under this category as many people would see the dogs behaviour as being protective of the owner, rather than the dog resource guarding the owner.
Territorial Reactive Behaviour
Normally found in the dog that is guarding its home from what it perceives as an intruder. This is fine if the person that is trying to access the home is an intruder, but in some cases this behaviour can escalate and unless the owner is present the dog will try to stop all people coming into the home. In some cases the behaviour can be more intensive if the owner is present. This is not a situation that should be encouraged. Many dogs like this end up being locked in the back yard or an enclosure when visitors do come and all this results in is further frustration for the dog and the behaviour could escalate accordingly.
Predatory Reactive Behaviour
This is motivated by the dogs prey drive and can be aimed at smaller animals such as cats, rats, rabbits, gerbils and even children. As we discussed in the Chasing behaviour section this behaviour can be very self-rewarding. Many dogs will give chase and when they do catch the ‘prey’ will simply let go as they are not sure what to do next – however there are other dogs that will go straight into the ‘kill’ mode.
Idiopathic “a disease or condition the cause of which is not known or that arises spontaneously". (Aggression)
This is one of the few times that we will refer to Aggression in this manner. Idiopathic aggression means that there appears to be absolutely no cause whatsoever for the sudden aggression from a dog. Scotty witnessed this first hand when her son’s 9 month old dog suddenly, and with absolutely no reason or warning, attacked her son resulting in multiple bites to the head. The attack was sudden, totally unexpected and minutes later, it was if nothing had happened. Despite the dog being kept at the vet for over a week and every possible test being done, no reason for the attack was found.
It was impossible for the family to keep him and Scotty found a home for him with a good security company that controlled the border between SA and Zims and he was trained for this work. She kept in touch with them and about 6 months later he was euthanized as he had exhibited the same behaviour towards his handler which resulted in severe bites – also with absolutely no reason.
This condition is also known as Rage Syndrome and was initially thought to only be exhibited by Spaniels due to the large number of instances where this occurred in this breed (bad breeding). It has since been discovered that this condition can occur in other breeds such as Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dobermans, English Bull Terriers, GSD (which Scotty's dog was), Golden Retrievers, St Bernard and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. The condition is hereditary and normally presents at about 8 months of age although it has been observed in dogs from 4 – 24 months of age.
It has been observed that in some of the dogs exhibiting this behaviour that the eyes tend to go hard just before the dog unexpectedly attacks – otherwise there appears to be no warning. Idiopathic aggression is always unexpected, vicious and has no reason.
To read more about this condition, and more than worthwhile to do it, start with this link which has vet research in it - http://www.btneuro.org/?page_id=24
Resource Reactive Behaviour
This can occur both towards humans and other dogs and animals. It can be about virtually any resource the dog perceives belongs to it and this can be very varied, ranging from guarding its human, its food bowl, a toy, a location it lies in, a chair and even another dog. Food resource guarding towards human appears to be more prevalent in dogs that did not attend puppy school and get the basic information and also often in rescue dogs where lack of food may have been a common occurrence. .
Social Reactive Behaviour – often called Dominance
Pack hierarchy is a totally natural event between dogs and as in all societies it is necessary to have ‘leaders’ or ‘pack leaders’ whether it is an interaction between dogs or the combined human/canine social structure between dogs and owners. Hierarchy plays a very important part in most dog’s lives and a dog will do its utmost to establish its own position in the pack.
Most fights will occur between intact males and also between intact females. Fights can also occur between sterilized dogs as well, although they do not tend to be as aggressive in nature. Fighting between female dogs is normally much worse than between males (whether sterilized or intact) and whereas males tend to ‘get over’ it, between bitches the fights can be very serious and even lead to disability and death and tend to escalate rather than reduce. If the fighting is occurring when owner/s is present, it is much easier to resolve this situation (possibly resource guarding and if it is, modifications need to be undertaken where this is concerned), however, if the fighting is taking place when nobody is around, unless there is a resource involved such as toys or food that could have caused the fighting, virtually impossible to solve.
On average the worst scenario is between dogs of a similar age and it is not unusual for two female dogs to live together happily until around the adolescent age when plays for hierarchy position start to become an issue. Another aspect here is the breed, with the fighting breeds being more likely to be very serious about their status and the situation is much harder to resolve. Unfortunately owners do not often call for help when the behaviour is in the early stages – they shout when the fighting has become serious, therefore it is much harder to resolve.
Fear Reactive Behaviour
This is a common cause of reactive behaviour especially towards people, and although there are no statistics that I have been able to find on it, this type of reactive behaviour seems to be more common with the small breeds, especially the Toy breeds – due to the size the owner does not take the same steps to resolve the behaviour. This normally starts with little intensity, such as a snarl or growl, and then as the behaviour works and the perceived threat backs or moves away the dog will continue to exhibit the behaviour, especially if not reprimanded by owner. When the initial reactive behaviour may be ignored, the dog then has no option but to increase the reactive behaviour towards the perceived threat.
A dog that is a real fear biter can be dangerous as dogs like this seldom offer any calming signals – they will run in, bite, and then retreat.
Learned Reactive Behaviour
As soon as the pattern of reactive behaviour is started, especially in the case of fear reactive biting, this tends to become a learned behaviour, or, as we prefer, a learned response – the dog has found that the behaviour of biting works, therefore it keeps on doing it in any situation it perceives as threatening.
Genetic
This could be selective breeding such as the dogs that are breed for guarding, protection or fighting. Even in the fighting breeds such as the Pitti, good breeders will not use dogs that show any reactive behaviour towards people. It is when we have the irresponsible, backyard and puppy farmers (or casual back yard breeders) that reactive traits are often ignored or enhanced and the selection process is not done properly, that reactive behaviour can be passed down genetically.
Although one normally hears more about reactive behaviour in the general public arena from dogs such as the Pitti breeds, every single dog can be reactive, it is not a breed related phenomena. Having said that, many of the dog bites recorded are from the Bullie breed and in addition to the bite force of these breed being so strong, We are sure that this is due to bad breeding, insufficient socialization and irresponsible owners.
Where genetics are concerned, although there is no scientific proof that we have been able to find, there does seem to be a correlation that dogs who have eyes that are a lighter brown than normal, with definite yellow hue eye colour - seem to be a predisposed towards reactive behaviour and also unpredictability. Theory on this is that it dates back to their wolf origin but I think it is more likely to be a dominant gene which tends to get passed down – a bit like people with red hair are labelled quick to anger!
In several countries breeds such as the Pitti are banned and even taken away from their families as they have been deemed 'dangerous' dogs. Fortunately many canine experts refute the efficacy of BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) as a means to reduce dog bites and here is an article to find out a bit more about this aspect. http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/what-canine-behavior-experts-say-about-breed-specific-legislation.html
Medically Related
This is especially important when you come across a dog that was not showing reactive behaviour previously and the aggression has suddenly started happening. Unfortunately when talking to an owner about this aspect, there were often early warning signs from the dog, but these were not noticed by the owner and only when the reactive behaviour escalated was help asked for. In ALL cases of reactive behaviour, the vet must give the dog a full examination to ensure that there are no underlying physical components contributing towards the reactive behaviour. If there are, little done from the modification point of view will impact.
In all cases of reactive behaviour, it is a good idea for clients to take 20 mins or so, and very gently run their hands over all parts of the dog’s body and see if there are any areas where the dog appears uncomfortable – this includes the ears, inside the mouth, inside area of hindquarters, under the tail and the paws. Things for the owner to look for is the dog turning its head away, or turning to look at owner, ears going back, body going slightly stiffer, tail going down, sitting down or moving away, displacements of behaviour, to avoid the area being touched. Owner also to feel for any lumps and bumps and point these out to vet at the vet exam. A vet only has a limited time period with our dogs, so client doing their own examination in the home environment, where the dog is more relaxed, may show some tell-tale signs of areas that may be contributing to the behaviour – remember majority of dogs do not show pain unless severe.
Also ask the owner to observe the dog sitting down, getting up, walking, running, going up and down stairs etc. Further ask them to see how much the dog is drinking, eating and eliminating, as well as check the colour, consistency and odour of the excretions. Doing all above will give the vet additional insight.
Another point in the physical side is when a dog gets older and enters the golden years. Physical problems such as arthritis, decay in teeth etc are more likely to occur and doggy dementia (CCD) could be a component in the change of behaviour.
The vet will examine the dog further and also look at the dog’s coat and general condition and ask the owner if there is a weight loss or gain, if the dog’s energy levels have changed, as this may point to an underlying condition such as thyroid problems. Other physical problems that may result in reactive behaviour are seizures, hydrocephalus excessive quantities of cerebral-spinal fluid in the brain , tumours, HD and ED, Cushing’s, urinary tract infection, neurological, Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD), Hypoglycaemia (Low blood sugar): Encephalitis (Inflammation of the brain): or even damage due to trauma and arthritis.
If you are going to continue your studies into canine behaviour, it would be a good idea to make yourself reasonably knowledgeable as to the diseases above, the medication used and the possible side effects that can occur.
Redirected Reactive behaviour.
A word here – even your own dog can exhibit reactive behaviour if in pain, such as in an accident and you try to help the dog and it turns on you. So always be very careful in your handling of the dog in a situation such as this. This is only the dog reacting in a natural manner and does not indicate a breakdown in the relationship in any way or that the dog bit on purpose. This could either be directed at a human or another dog or animal.
Redirected reactive behaviour also happens when a dog becomes frustrated and will turn and take out the reactive behaviour on another dog or person close by. This is not uncommon when a dog walks past the gate and there are two dogs inside, and either one, or both, will then become reactive to its companion. Reactive behaviour at gates can also be labelled as Territorial Reactive behaviour.
Another instance of this is where a person may be trying to force a dog to do something it does not want to do and the dog will then direct the frustration towards the person that is trying to force the dog.
Pain Related Reactive Behaviour – non medical
Dogs that have had equipment such as shock collar, prong collars etc can also respond in a reactive manner. Scotty tells of a client she hadwhere a trainer had suggested a prong collar to stop the pulling – the end result was that whenever the owner went to put the collar on, or took it off, the dog was reactive towards him – apart from that their relationship was normal. As a matter of interest this was resolved in one session by the dog being desensitized to a totally different collar that was leather and had a clasp fastener - the excessive pulling was also resolved in the same session by two points of contact.
Protective (also maternal) Reactive Behaviour
This is normally found with the mom that is guarding her young pups and often still nursing and it could be that the dog was never reactive before the birth.
If a dog is resource guarding its owner, and became reactive, this could possible fall under this category as many people would see the dogs behaviour as being protective of the owner, rather than the dog resource guarding the owner.
Territorial Reactive Behaviour
Normally found in the dog that is guarding its home from what it perceives as an intruder. This is fine if the person that is trying to access the home is an intruder, but in some cases this behaviour can escalate and unless the owner is present the dog will try to stop all people coming into the home. In some cases the behaviour can be more intensive if the owner is present. This is not a situation that should be encouraged. Many dogs like this end up being locked in the back yard or an enclosure when visitors do come and all this results in is further frustration for the dog and the behaviour could escalate accordingly.
Predatory Reactive Behaviour
This is motivated by the dogs prey drive and can be aimed at smaller animals such as cats, rats, rabbits, gerbils and even children. As we discussed in the Chasing behaviour section this behaviour can be very self-rewarding. Many dogs will give chase and when they do catch the ‘prey’ will simply let go as they are not sure what to do next – however there are other dogs that will go straight into the ‘kill’ mode.
Idiopathic “a disease or condition the cause of which is not known or that arises spontaneously". (Aggression)
This is one of the few times that we will refer to Aggression in this manner. Idiopathic aggression means that there appears to be absolutely no cause whatsoever for the sudden aggression from a dog. Scotty witnessed this first hand when her son’s 9 month old dog suddenly, and with absolutely no reason or warning, attacked her son resulting in multiple bites to the head. The attack was sudden, totally unexpected and minutes later, it was if nothing had happened. Despite the dog being kept at the vet for over a week and every possible test being done, no reason for the attack was found.
It was impossible for the family to keep him and Scotty found a home for him with a good security company that controlled the border between SA and Zims and he was trained for this work. She kept in touch with them and about 6 months later he was euthanized as he had exhibited the same behaviour towards his handler which resulted in severe bites – also with absolutely no reason.
This condition is also known as Rage Syndrome and was initially thought to only be exhibited by Spaniels due to the large number of instances where this occurred in this breed (bad breeding). It has since been discovered that this condition can occur in other breeds such as Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dobermans, English Bull Terriers, GSD (which Scotty's dog was), Golden Retrievers, St Bernard and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. The condition is hereditary and normally presents at about 8 months of age although it has been observed in dogs from 4 – 24 months of age.
It has been observed that in some of the dogs exhibiting this behaviour that the eyes tend to go hard just before the dog unexpectedly attacks – otherwise there appears to be no warning. Idiopathic aggression is always unexpected, vicious and has no reason.
To read more about this condition, and more than worthwhile to do it, start with this link which has vet research in it - http://www.btneuro.org/?page_id=24
Resource Reactive Behaviour
This can occur both towards humans and other dogs and animals. It can be about virtually any resource the dog perceives belongs to it and this can be very varied, ranging from guarding its human, its food bowl, a toy, a location it lies in, a chair and even another dog. Food resource guarding towards human appears to be more prevalent in dogs that did not attend puppy school and get the basic information and also often in rescue dogs where lack of food may have been a common occurrence. .
Social Reactive Behaviour – often called Dominance
Pack hierarchy is a totally natural event between dogs and as in all societies it is necessary to have ‘leaders’ or ‘pack leaders’ whether it is an interaction between dogs or the combined human/canine social structure between dogs and owners. Hierarchy plays a very important part in most dog’s lives and a dog will do its utmost to establish its own position in the pack.
Most fights will occur between intact males and also between intact females. Fights can also occur between sterilized dogs as well, although they do not tend to be as aggressive in nature. Fighting between female dogs is normally much worse than between males (whether sterilized or intact) and whereas males tend to ‘get over’ it, between bitches the fights can be very serious and even lead to disability and death and tend to escalate rather than reduce. If the fighting is occurring when owner/s is present, it is much easier to resolve this situation (possibly resource guarding and if it is, modifications need to be undertaken where this is concerned), however, if the fighting is taking place when nobody is around, unless there is a resource involved such as toys or food that could have caused the fighting, virtually impossible to solve.
On average the worst scenario is between dogs of a similar age and it is not unusual for two female dogs to live together happily until around the adolescent age when plays for hierarchy position start to become an issue. Another aspect here is the breed, with the fighting breeds being more likely to be very serious about their status and the situation is much harder to resolve. Unfortunately owners do not often call for help when the behaviour is in the early stages – they shout when the fighting has become serious, therefore it is much harder to resolve.
Fear Reactive Behaviour
This is a common cause of reactive behaviour especially towards people, and although there are no statistics that I have been able to find on it, this type of reactive behaviour seems to be more common with the small breeds, especially the Toy breeds – due to the size the owner does not take the same steps to resolve the behaviour. This normally starts with little intensity, such as a snarl or growl, and then as the behaviour works and the perceived threat backs or moves away the dog will continue to exhibit the behaviour, especially if not reprimanded by owner. When the initial reactive behaviour may be ignored, the dog then has no option but to increase the reactive behaviour towards the perceived threat.
A dog that is a real fear biter can be dangerous as dogs like this seldom offer any calming signals – they will run in, bite, and then retreat.
Learned Reactive Behaviour
As soon as the pattern of reactive behaviour is started, especially in the case of fear reactive biting, this tends to become a learned behaviour, or, as we prefer, a learned response – the dog has found that the behaviour of biting works, therefore it keeps on doing it in any situation it perceives as threatening.
3. Triggers
In behaviour we always try to establish what the Trigger for the behaviour was – what event or circumstance caused the reactive behaviour to occur. Behaviour never happens in a vacuum, there is always a reason as to why the behaviour has occurred and not always visible to owners. It could be a visitor arriving, another dog, and the owner trying to put on a pinch collar. No matter what triggers the reactive behaviour, the reason for the behaviour is referred to in behaviour terminology as the antecedent (A preceding occurrence, cause, or event) All aspects have to be examined to determine same and each and every time the reactive behaviour occurred to determine if there is a common factor and whether a pattern exists.
4. Dr. Dunbar’s Dog Bite Ratio/Scale
This is excellent and should be used as a rule of thumb when dealing with reactive behaviour. Dr. Dunbar’s work is fantastic and a few years ago, under the auspices of the ABC, Scotty brought him out here to do seminars.
..................................................................................................................................................................................
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers 101 N. Main Street, Suite 610, Greenville, SC 29601 www.apdt.com •information@apdt.com • 1-800-PET-DOGS
Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale (Official Authorized Version)
An assessment of the severity of biting problems based on an objective evaluation of wound pathology
In behaviour we always try to establish what the Trigger for the behaviour was – what event or circumstance caused the reactive behaviour to occur. Behaviour never happens in a vacuum, there is always a reason as to why the behaviour has occurred and not always visible to owners. It could be a visitor arriving, another dog, and the owner trying to put on a pinch collar. No matter what triggers the reactive behaviour, the reason for the behaviour is referred to in behaviour terminology as the antecedent (A preceding occurrence, cause, or event) All aspects have to be examined to determine same and each and every time the reactive behaviour occurred to determine if there is a common factor and whether a pattern exists.
4. Dr. Dunbar’s Dog Bite Ratio/Scale
This is excellent and should be used as a rule of thumb when dealing with reactive behaviour. Dr. Dunbar’s work is fantastic and a few years ago, under the auspices of the ABC, Scotty brought him out here to do seminars.
..................................................................................................................................................................................
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers 101 N. Main Street, Suite 610, Greenville, SC 29601 www.apdt.com •information@apdt.com • 1-800-PET-DOGS
Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale (Official Authorized Version)
An assessment of the severity of biting problems based on an objective evaluation of wound pathology
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Level 1
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Obnoxious or aggressive behavior but no skin-contact by teeth.
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Level 2
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Skin-contact by teeth but no skin-puncture. However, may be skin nicks (less than one tenth of an inch deep) and slight bleeding caused by forward or lateral movement of teeth against skin, but no vertical punctures.
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Level 3
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One to four punctures from a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. Maybe lacerations in a single direction, caused by victim pulling hand away, owner pulling dog away, or gravity (little dog jumps, bites and drops to floor).
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Level 4
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One to four punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth. May also have deep bruising around the wound (dog held on for X seconds and bore down) or lacerations in both directions (dog held on and shook its head from side to side).
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Level 5
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Multiple-bite incident with at least two Level 4 bites or multiple-attack incident with at least one Level 4 bite in each.
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Level 6
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Victim dead.
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The above list concerns unpleasant behavior and so, to add perspective:
Levels 1 and 2 comprise well over 99% of dog incidents. The dog is certainly not dangerous and more likely to be fearful, rambunctious, or out of control. Wonderful prognosis. Quickly resolve the problem with basic training (control) — especially oodles of Classical Conditioning, numerous repetitive Retreat n' Treat, Come/Sit/Food Reward and Back-up/Approach/Food Reward sequences, progressive desensitization handling exercises, plus numerous bite-inhibition exercises and games. Hand feed only until resolved; do NOT waste potential food rewards by feeding from a bowl. (here he means what we call Work to Earn using daily ration of food – we take it further and feed throughout the day which I have found to be much more effective than just feeding at food time)
Level 3: Prognosis is fair to good, provided that you have owner compliance. However, treatment is both time-consuming and not without danger. Rigorous bite-inhibition exercises are essential.
Levels 4: The dog has insufficient bite inhibition and is very dangerous. Prognosis is poor because of the difficulty and danger of trying to teach bite inhibition to an adult hard-biting dog and because absolute owner-compliance is rare. Only work with the dog in exceptional circumstances, e.g., the owner is a dog professional and has sworn 100% compliance. Make sure the owner signs a form in triplicate stating that they understand and take full responsibility that:
1. The dog is a Level 4 biter and is likely to cause an equivalent amount of damage WHEN it bites again (which it most probably will) and should therefore, be confined to the home .at all times and only allowed contact with adult owners.
2. Whenever, children or guests visit the house, the dog should be confined to a single locked-room or roofed, chain-link run with the only keys kept on a chain around the neck of .each adult owner (to prevent children or guests entering the dog's confinement area.)
3. The dog is muzzled before leaving the house and only leaves the house for visits to a veterinary clinic.
4. The incidents have all been reported to the relevant authorities — animal control or police. Give the owners one copy, keep one copy for your files and give one copy to the dog's veterinarian.
Level 5 and 6: The dog is extremely dangerous and mutilates. The dog is simply not safe around people. I recommend euthanasia because the quality of life is so poor for dogs that have to live out their lives in solitary confinement.
Levels 1 and 2 comprise well over 99% of dog incidents. The dog is certainly not dangerous and more likely to be fearful, rambunctious, or out of control. Wonderful prognosis. Quickly resolve the problem with basic training (control) — especially oodles of Classical Conditioning, numerous repetitive Retreat n' Treat, Come/Sit/Food Reward and Back-up/Approach/Food Reward sequences, progressive desensitization handling exercises, plus numerous bite-inhibition exercises and games. Hand feed only until resolved; do NOT waste potential food rewards by feeding from a bowl. (here he means what we call Work to Earn using daily ration of food – we take it further and feed throughout the day which I have found to be much more effective than just feeding at food time)
Level 3: Prognosis is fair to good, provided that you have owner compliance. However, treatment is both time-consuming and not without danger. Rigorous bite-inhibition exercises are essential.
Levels 4: The dog has insufficient bite inhibition and is very dangerous. Prognosis is poor because of the difficulty and danger of trying to teach bite inhibition to an adult hard-biting dog and because absolute owner-compliance is rare. Only work with the dog in exceptional circumstances, e.g., the owner is a dog professional and has sworn 100% compliance. Make sure the owner signs a form in triplicate stating that they understand and take full responsibility that:
1. The dog is a Level 4 biter and is likely to cause an equivalent amount of damage WHEN it bites again (which it most probably will) and should therefore, be confined to the home .at all times and only allowed contact with adult owners.
2. Whenever, children or guests visit the house, the dog should be confined to a single locked-room or roofed, chain-link run with the only keys kept on a chain around the neck of .each adult owner (to prevent children or guests entering the dog's confinement area.)
3. The dog is muzzled before leaving the house and only leaves the house for visits to a veterinary clinic.
4. The incidents have all been reported to the relevant authorities — animal control or police. Give the owners one copy, keep one copy for your files and give one copy to the dog's veterinarian.
Level 5 and 6: The dog is extremely dangerous and mutilates. The dog is simply not safe around people. I recommend euthanasia because the quality of life is so poor for dogs that have to live out their lives in solitary confinement.
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This is one of the worst pictures we have ever seen and we got it from a website on Animal Control. This is the upper left arm of a boy about 12 years old. He was attacked by a dog that the family had recently taken in - a shepherd-pit mix. The mother of the boy told the story -" family was camping when the dog went after something in the dark. The boy tried to pull the dog back to the campfire when it turned on him". The boy has very little use of the arm left.
A dog that is biting is to be taken very, very seriously!
A dog that is biting is to be taken very, very seriously!
5. Signs of Reactive Behaviour
When working with dog’s with reactive behaviour it is essential that you have an excellent knowledge of a dog’s natural behaviour. This includes Calming or Appeasement Signals, Signs of Stress and when the stress starts to escalate, and the very first signs of the behaviour prior to becoming reactive.
Having this knowledge will help the dog to overcome its perceived fears as it will realize that you understand the signals it is sending you (by backing away, turning away, giving a break in the exercise being done etc), make the process of rehabilitation much easier for the dog and could well avoid you being bitten or a dog fight taking place.
In the advanced course, we take this knowledge a step further and teach you how to start to pick up the changes in a dog’s energy before the first signs of reactive behaviour start.
This may sound difficult but is really not, all you have to do is be observant and you will pick it up quickly. Here are the signs of aggression and do remember, you have to look at the body in total – not just the individual signs:-
- A wagging tail does not necessary mean that a dog has friendly intentions; it is one of the most ambivalent body signs and cannot be relied upon for friendliness. How high the tail is carried is more of an indication of the message a dog is trying to get across. A dog that is holding its tail high and wagging it rapidly is possibly showing its intention of feeling superior and reactive.
- If the head is held high and the ears very erect, this can signal reactive behaviour. If the body is leaning forward and the tail is high as well as the ears and the head, this can signal reactive behaviour.
- One of the easiest signs to see is that of the body stiffening and the rear legs placed slightly behind the body. This may be for a split second and it may seem as if the dogs ‘freezes’ at the same time. An extreme of this is when there is the stiffening as above, the eyes are staring and the body seems to have gone into absolute Stillness - we call this the Stillness before the Storm.
- The fur raising on the neck – pilo erection
- One dog putting its head above the other dog’s shoulders. Here there may even be an attempt to lift a paw up as a sign of dominance.
- Direct stare with fixed eyes – very often happens very quickly before the attack – the majority of dogs prior to biting will have hard eyes. You may even see a tightening of the skin around the lips and eyes.
- Whale eye – this is a sure sign that of concern and mostly ends up with reactive behaviour unless the perceived threat is removed and even the perceived threat moving away may trigger a reaction. You will see it by the dog’s eyes appearing to have a lot more white around them than usual.
- Mounting – this can be a sign of sexual arousal as well - interrupt the behaviour immediately as it will probably signal dominance.
- Lunging forward, often barking at the same time
- Mouthing – watch the body language here, especially the eyes and face. The mouthing may initially be gently but can increase.
- Muzzle punch – very deliberate movement and as if the dog is punching with its muzzle – the muzzle will be very tight
- A low guttural type bark that sounds threatening – this sounds as if coming right from the back of the throat.
- Show of teeth – here you may see the lips lifting and very stiff.
- Snarl – a combination of a low growl and also showing teeth.
- Growling or even a slightly raised lip. A lot of people will try to stop a dog growling – worst thing you can do! This serves as a warning to us that the dog is not happy and further behaviour may ensue that will be reactive. Care needs to pay attention to what the dog does before this and then change the situation accordingly.
If the behaviour then escalates the various types of bites that can be forthcoming are:
- Snapping
- Quick nip that will not leave a mark
- Quick bite that tears the skin
- Bite with sufficient pressure to cause a bruise
- Bite that causes puncture wound
- Repeated bites done very quickly
- Bite, hold and shake
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6.Stopping Dog Fights
Although you are not going to be working with aggressive dogs with clients, there are instances where one may well come across aggression and you need to know how to deal with it.
When out walking we suggest the following which will entail planning ahead – prevention is always better than cure! However what ever is doe, avoid getting bitten.
Although you are not going to be working with aggressive dogs with clients, there are instances where one may well come across aggression and you need to know how to deal with it.
When out walking we suggest the following which will entail planning ahead – prevention is always better than cure! However what ever is doe, avoid getting bitten.
- If possible take stock of what is happening rather than just reacting. This is not easy as no matter how well prepared you are, emotion kicks in – however having a plan can assist.
- If dog is coming towards you and your dog – step in front of your dog and stand still, hand held up like a policeman and say ‘stop’ – not shouting, but in hard and serious tone of voice.
- Carry a noise can with you that you can press – this may stop the dog approaching.
- A Tazer can be kept in your pocket and normally you just have to point and press – the noise and the electricity coming out of it normally stops a dog completely – very seldom do you have to shock the dog. It is necessary to desensitize your own dog to the noise first.
- If a fight actually occurs always have a jacket or jersey around your waist when out walking. Take this and throw over the dogs heads – this is very effective in stopping a fight.
- If in the home environment – water thrown over the dogs or banging pans or something together can stop the fight.
- Twisting a dogs collar to stop breathing can be effective but you must be careful touching the collar as the dog could swing around and bite.
- If you absolutely must separate the dogs, keep fingers and hands away from the mouth and grab one of the dogs where the back legs meet the dogs torso and lift it off the ground and at the same time pulling the dog back from the other dog. Try and do this in a circle and keep on going until the dog calms down – in this position it is very hard for the dog to reach the person and bite.
Assignment
A person contacts you and says they have had an aggressive dog in the past and although they really want to get another dog, they are worried about the dog becoming, or being aggressive. They ask for your help to try and do all they can to ensure that the pup they will get will not have an aggressive nature and what else they can do to try and prevent aggression. Make a list, in summary - in point form that you can give to client for basic guidelines and think back to all you have learnt staring from Nature and then Nurture .
A person contacts you and says they have had an aggressive dog in the past and although they really want to get another dog, they are worried about the dog becoming, or being aggressive. They ask for your help to try and do all they can to ensure that the pup they will get will not have an aggressive nature and what else they can do to try and prevent aggression. Make a list, in summary - in point form that you can give to client for basic guidelines and think back to all you have learnt staring from Nature and then Nurture .