Introduction
- Aggression usually directed towards owners probably because they interact most with toys.
- Aggression is used to prevent person (or dog) from stealing an item which is of value to the dog, eg toy.
Defense of true food items, eg bones, is an entirely different category, ie food-related aggression. - Common in some gundog breeds.
Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
- Dominance aggression.
- Protective aggression
. - Maternal aggression .
- Rabies
Sequelae
Prognosis
Mild
- Good, particularly if punishment by the owners has been avoided.
- Better if dealt with early in course.
- Poor, especially if over food and if punishment by the owners has escalated the problem.
- Worse if >1 year old.
Expected response to treatment
- Possessive behavior ceases.
Reasons for treatment failure
- Owners are unwilling or unable to complete program of treatment.
- Dog is too large or aggression too severe to allow the treatment to proceed safely, ie other correlated conditions.
Sources
Publications
Refereed papers
- Borchelt P L & Voith V L (1987) Aggressive behavior in dogs and cats. Comp Cont Educ 7 , 949-957.
- Beaver B (1983) Clinical classification of canine aggression. Applied Animal Ethology 10 , 34-43.
Other sources of information
- Landsberg G, Hunthausen W & Ackerman L (1997) Handbook of behavior problems of the dog and cat. pp 67-70, 135-136.
- Overall K L (1997) Clinical behavioral medicine for small animals. pp 97, 105, 114, 131-132, 244-245.
- Mugford R A (1984) Aggressive behavior in the English Cocker Spaniel. Vet Annual 24 , p 310.
- Borchelt P L & Voith V L (1982) Classification of animal behavior problems. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 12 , 571-586.
Organization(s)
- Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors , PO Box 46, Worcester WR8 9YS, UK. Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1386 751151; Email: apbc@petbcent.demon.co.uk; Website: http://www.apbc.co.uk.
