When our dogs display problem behaviours, we can be quick to blame ourselves and wonder where we went wrong. Reactive behaviours can develop for many different reasons and often there is a combination of factors occurring.
Genetic Pre-disposition
Some dogs will be inherently more prone to reactive or aggressive behaviours. Despite what some people think, puppies are not born as blank slates, they can inherit behavioural traits and all puppies are born with certain characteristics and predispositions. If the breeding line includes individuals who are more nervous or display reactive behaviours, it is very possible that these traits can be passed onto future generations.
Doing your research, not only by talking to a breeder, but also by observing their dogs and getting to know their traits, is the best way to ensure you choose a puppy with a stable temperament and reduce the risk of reactive behaviours developing later on.
Socialisation
Socialisation begins well before your puppy arrives with you at 8 weeks, in fact right from birth (or before!) a puppy is learning and forming associations. If they miss out on positive experiences while still with their mother and littermates, they can be more likely to develop fear-related issues, including reactivity or aggression.
Socialisation is vital for puppies but it’s not always easy to keep it positive, many owners will miss signs which indicate their puppy is uncomfortable or fearful in different situations.
Puppies may be handled by lots of people or approached by people on the street, and stress signals, such as cowering or yawning might be missed. Allowing these interactions to continue without noticing the signals of stress and fear, can lead to problems developing later on.
Similarly, puppies may be taken to ‘puppy play’ groups or busy dog parks and experience other dogs behaving roughly or inappropriately, these negative interactions can cause the puppy to feel fearful around dogs.
Fearful responses can be easy to miss in puppies, especially if the signals are subtle, such as freeze, flight or fool around behaviours. If these early signals are ignored, clearer reactive behaviours may be displayed and what was once easy to ignore, becomes a big problem when the dog is barking and lunging at other people or dogs. These more overt signals can often appear around adolescence, and this can come as a surprise when the previously quiet puppy becomes increasingly vocal and threatening.
Negative Experiences
We try our best to give our dog’s a good life and avoid anything bad happening to them, but unfortunately we can’t always protect them from everything. Whether it’s an out-of-the-blue attack from a dog in the park, or an accidental scare from an unfamiliar person, negative experiences can leave lasting damage. Some dogs are able to go through traumatic experiences and seemingly bounce back with no issue, while others might be left with bad associations from the same situation.
Every dog is different and this means they will differ in the associations they form. It also means we can never be sure what they will consider to be traumatic. We might barely notice the old man who pops his umbrella up a few metres away, while our dog is so spooked by it that they develop a significant fear of men and umbrellas! What may appear to be a relatively insignificant incident, could be enough to cause a fear response which leads to reactive behaviours developing.
It's not always possible to pinpoint negative experiences which may have resulted in reactive behaviour, but in some cases it only takes one moment to leave lasting trauma, in others it will be a succession of events which lead to reactive behaviour developing.
Pain and Medical Causes
Behaviour is closely linked to the internal workings of the body, and any behavioural change can be a red flag of something going on inside. This could be pain, which is a common component in reactivity … just think when you have a headache and someone keeps pressuring you to do something, your tolerance is lower than normal and you snap more quickly. It’s no different for our dogs. If they have an injury or another condition which is causing pain, they are likely to have a much lower tolerance and this can cause an increase in reactive behaviours.
They may also display reactive or aggressive behaviours in response to a painful event, for example, a dog who has arthritis or hip dysplasia may feel a jolt of pain when someone sits close to them on the sofa, they may respond to this spike of pain by snapping at or biting the person who just sat down. This is not the dog being dominant by controlling the sofa, it’s simply an instinctive response to the pain and the perceived cause of it.
The first place to start with any reactivity or aggression is at the vet. Getting a thorough medical exam and a pain assessment or scans will mean any underlying medical causes can be treated or ruled out before you begin to work through the behaviour.
At The Hound Spot, we are experts at understanding reactive behaviours and helping you unravel possible causes and contributing factors. Get in touch with us today and find out more about how we can help you and your dog.
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