Dog Aggression & The Residential Dog Copyright©2012 by Karyn Garvin

When you go for a walk in your neighborhood, do you feel unsafe because of a dog that barks ferociously at you when you pass by its home?  As a local resident and fellow dog owner I want to share some insight with you as to why we have a growing concern with aggressive and biting dogs, not only in our own community but across the United States.

In my work as a dog behavior specialist, I see numerous cases of inappropriate dog aggression. Most dogs have some degree of natural protective instincts, and this is a good thing!  Being protective is part of a dog’s divine nature.  If it is appropriate for a dog to be protective of its home and property, then when is it too much of a good thing?

It is a rule of life is that too much of anything is not good.  The key is moderation. For people, the secret to living a fulfilled life is about balance.  Dogs need levels of moderation and balance in their lives, too.

One of my favorite stories is about a Native American Chief speaking to his grandson, teaching him about life’s lessons.  “Grandson, inside of every person there is a good wolf and a bad wolf.  The good wolf possesses those characteristics that you would think of as good qualities in a human being:  love, forgiveness, caring and sharing, integrity and honor.  All of these qualities that are good for the human spirit are what the good wolf is made of.  The bad wolf possesses other characteristics:  jealousy, anger, hatred, dishonesty and violence.  Characteristics that injure our souls.  All human beings have both a good wolf and a bad wolf inside, and throughout their lives they are going to battle.” The grandson inquired, “Well, Grandfather, which one will win?”  The grandfather replied, “Whichever one you feed the most.”

Lao Tzu was the first one to teach us to watch our thoughts.  As thoughts become our actions, our actions become our habits.  Our habits become our character.  Our character becomes our destiny.

This insight is also true for dogs.  Here we are kindred spirits.  Yes, dogs have thoughts that lead to actions, which become habits that influence their very character and can become their destiny as well.

The dog’s spirit also has a good wolf and a bad wolf.  The good wolf has all of the characteristics that we love about the dog:  intelligence, desire to please, loyalty, devotion, protectiveness, and most of all, their gift of unconditional love.  The bad wolf on the other hand has other  characteristics:  fear, anger, distrust and a willingness to injure another.  The bad wolf acts out as it rehearses aggressive behavior.

Statistically, we know that dogs on chains can have a greater propensity for biting.  This is a huge part of the reason that we have outlawed it in our community, as have many communities around the United States.

Residential dogs that behave in the same way are equally dangerous.

What is the connection to aggression and being tied up or confined all the time?  For many dogs it is the boredom factor that increases the aggression.

Some dogs, being bored and lacking freedom, begin entertaining their bad wolf selves by barking at passers by.  Here comes a person, the dog barks, “This is my territory,” and the passerby leaves.  Very rewarding for the dog!  “If I bark they leave! My barking works!”  Of course the dog will get bored with its own performance and notice that if it acted a little tougher it might scare people as well.  How fun that is!  Scare them and they leave!  “I am so tough.  I am so powerful.”  With all of this comes the adrenaline rush that makes it so rewarding.

The residential dog rehearses:  “If I could get over this fence I would bite you. There may be a glass window between us but if I could get out there I would bite you.”  The residential dog that rehearses this behavior from its home, to extreme levels (it’s the dog’s favorite form of entertainment and it does it frequently), becomes as dangerous to our community as the dog living on a chain behaving the same way.

Whatever the dog repeats becomes a habit, and habits become character, and character becomes the dog’s destiny.  Being so aggressive only increases the likelihood that the human guardian (not knowing what else to do) keeps the dog on the chain and/or the residential dog at home.  Unless someone intervenes!

Dogs That Live on Chains  &  Dogs That Live Behind Fences or Windows

Same Behavior    EQUALS     Same Result

What can you do?  Can you intervene?  Sharing this insight with people you know is a great start.  Most of our community is unaware.  People know to be wary of dogs on chains but they don’t realize that the residential dog rehearsing the same behavior is no different.

If you own one of these dogs, seek out a professional dog trainer for solutions.  We know how to put an end to feeding the bad wolf and how to start feeding the good wolf.

Finally, if you have dogs like this in your neighborhood, by all means take another route on your walk.  Most dog attacks that happen to people and people out walking their dogs are in residential neighborhoods.

You don’t want to feed the bad wolf!