Why dogs become aggressive
Learn more about your dog’s aggression and what you can do to prevent it.
There is no place it rings truer that a dog is a man’s best friend than in Randfontein and it is important for a dog owner to know what triggers their best friend and what to look out for.
As part of their awareness campaign, ER24 spoke to veterinarians at the South African Veterinary Association – Community Veterinary Clinics (SAVA-CVC) in order to inform the public about why dogs attack.
Quixi Sonntag and Dave Kenyon, two veterinarians and members of the SAVA gave the following answers on dog behaviour.
Why dogs bite:
If a dog feels threatened by the actions of humans, they will bite in order to defend themselves. Most people don’t know how to read a dog’s body language and as a result inadvertently contributes to the dog biting them.
Dogs are threatened when they feel their personal space is being invaded or if something valuable is taken from them such as a bone or food.
Pain is also a cause of defensive aggression especially if a dog thinks it cannot escape from the situation. If a dog is on a chain he will become more aggressive as he wouldn’t be able to move freely.
If a dog is protecting his territory he will be more aggressive as well by fear of losing control over his territory. If someone unknown enters the territory, the dog will bite them in order to protect his territory.
Dog bites are often the result of frustration. If a dog is barking at another dog on the other side of the fence but cannot reach it he will bite anyone that comes near him out of frustration.
Less commonly, dogs may exhibit predatory behaviour towards someone they would think is prey. This happens when humans show signs of weakness such as a person who moves in an uncoordinated manner such as people with disabilities or people who are drunk.
Preventing aggression:
Prevention starts at the beginning. Puppies should be exposed to different types of people and should get good physical handling during their development period which is between two and four months.
Puppy schools offer assistance with regards to teaching the owners how to control their dogs to prevent them from becoming a nuisance or danger later on.
Reward-based methods help dogs recognise good behaviour from bad behaviour.
Lastly, sterilisation can reduce aggressive behaviour as well.
Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us an SMS/ WhatsApp message with your name and cellphone number to 079 413 8726.
Familiarise yourself with our WhatsApp service disclaimer.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Roodepoort Record, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
