©Scott Sheaffer, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, USA Dog Behavior, LLC

'“Let’s go visit the Smiths! We’re all good friends and all of us love dogs too! Wait! Let’s take Bella with us so their dog, Luna, and ours can be friends too!” Sounds like a good idea, but it probably isn’t.

Dogs and Territorial Aggression

There’s one problem these nice folks are forgetting; dogs are territorial. Even dogs that are completely comfortable and friendly when meeting unfamiliar dogs for the first time can get a bit grumpy when that introduction is done in their territory.

“Dogs essentially have three reactions to unfamiliar dogs suddenly entering their space.”

What do I mean when I say “territory”? Let me give you a feel for how Luna (the Smiths’ dog) might perceive things when this nice couple rings the Smiths’ front doorbell and their dog, Bella, is standing there with them.

“Hold it doggie! Who are you? What are you doing here? Who invited you? This is my safe and uber-comfortable place where I hang out with my people.”
“Hey there Ms. Dog, I would have appreciated a little more notice than a ringing doorbell to find out you’re suddenly here.”
“Oh great. Now I’m trapped in here with Queen Dog with no way to get away from her.”

Do you notice something familiar here? You should. These are exactly the same three responses you have when someone you don’t know suddenly enters your territory (i.e., home). See what I mean? It doesn’t feel that great.

And just for reference, dogs define what their territory is - not you. Most dogs’ territory is limited to the inside of their owner’s home. Other dogs may expand it to include the back lawn, the front lawn or the entire block. You can get a feel for what your dog considers their territory outside of your home by how frequently they mark (i.e., quickly urinate, normally on a vertical surface) and what locations they mark. Marking is your dog’s way of posting a “Keep Out” sign.

Effect on Dogs’ Behavior

Dogs essentially have three reactions to unfamiliar dogs suddenly entering their space.

Not a big problem. I’ll adjust.
Not loving it too much. Give me a little time to process this. I may not be particularly friendly while they’re here.
Get out! Don’t touch me. I’m not afraid to use aggression to take care of things.

Not surprisingly, some dogs do show significant aggression to unknown and unexpected visiting dogs. In some cases it can become territorial aggression (also known as territorial fear aggression).

I find that some dog owners misinterpret their dog’s greeting behaviors when an unknown or unfamiliar dog is suddenly brought into their space and their dog appears friendly toward the visiting dog. Just because a dog’s behavior is not aggressive to the visitor doesn’t mean they are completely happy with things. Frequently it can be a submissive behavior or it can also be the dog shutting down which is a sign of stress. Neither is desirable for your dog.

How to Avoid Territorial Aggression

My preference is for you not to take dogs into other people’s homes. Generally speaking, dogs don’t like other dogs coming into their space. If you want to introduce your dog properly to another dog they will be seeing on a regular basis, that’s a different story. To successfully bring your dog into another dog owner’s home (or vice versa) for the first time, there are some simple guidelines that will maximize (notice I didn’t say “guarantee”) your chances of success.

To receive a copy of my free article, Introducing New Dogs to Your Existing Dogs, please use the Contact page on this website and leave me a message; I’ll be happy to send it to you.

Some dogs exhibit this same kind of territorial behavior to visiting unfamiliar humans. If your dog is doing this and the behavior is concerning (e.g., aggression), please seek the help of a certified behavior consultant.