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

“Unfortunately for the dog and the dog’s owner, treatment is more difficult and the prognosis is poorer.”

It’s common knowledge in the dog and animal behavior consulting profession: dog aggression of all types is increasing across America. Since almost all dog aggression is fear based, it makes me somewhat melancholy to think an increasing number of dogs are experiencing this. The most important question is, why?

While no one can say with absolute certainty as to why this is happening, there are some ideas as to the cause. I’ve outlined a few of those below.

Socialization of Dogs

There is probably no area of dog behavior that is more misunderstood than socialization. In the old days when people let their dogs freely walk around the neighborhood there was a degree of natural socialization that took place. For a number of reasons (e.g., legal and cultural), people no longer let their dogs roam freely.

With many young puppies there is limited proper socialization done by their owners. This usually manifests in one of two ways: 1) owners grossly overexpose their young puppy to all kinds of scary stimuli in an attempt to quickly socialize them, 2) owners do nothing to help their dog acclimate to their new world. In both cases, it can result in dogs that are fearful of certain triggers - namely unfamiliar dogs and humans.

When dogs are fearful, the majority of them use aggression to keep scary things away from them.

Improper Behavior Modification

Some dog trainers who claim to understand dog aggression use techniques that are contraindicated for aggression (i.e., make it worse). Most of their techniques increase the aggressive behaviors in the long-term. The part that makes this so frustrating for those owners who have dogs with aggression issues is these techniques will sometimes appear to provide a remedy for the aggression in the short-term. For very explainable reasons, the improvement in the dog’s behavior is short-term and starts to return more intensely in two to three weeks after “treatment”.

It is after this “treatment” that dogs are sometimes referred to me. Unfortunately for the dog and the dog’s owner, treatment is more difficult and the prognosis is poorer. For more information, see “Pretenders Who Claim to Treat Aggressive Dogs, Buyer Beware.”

General Public’s Awareness of Dog Aggression as a Behavior Issue

In the past a dog with aggression issues was simply labeled a “bad dog”. Most people felt the aggression was a result of an irresponsible owner and/or poor obedience training. Animal behavior professionals now know aggression is a deep-seated behavior issue with multiple causes that can’t be effectively treated with simple obedience training.

Because of a heightened awareness of dog aggression as a behavior issue, the general public is increasingly acknowledging this problematic behavior in dogs. This awareness is causing a perceived increase in canine aggression that is probably exceeding the actual numerical increase.

Dog Rescue May be a Variable

COVID-19 has caused some rescue organizations to modify some of the processes they formerly used to process dogs in their care. Prior protocols used for the intake of surrendered or rescued dogs have been difficult, if not impossible, to continue. These would include: extended observation of the dog around unfamiliar dogs and humans, behavior assessments and behavior modification.

Because of this, dogs with aggression issues that weren’t fully known or understood by the rescue organization are sometimes being released into homes. To further complicate things, the current demand for rescued dogs is high, making things even more difficult for these organizations.

However, this is not something that is new; this has been an issue for some rescue organizations even before COVID-19. The problem is simply being exacerbated by the current pandemic.

Final Notes for the Dog Owner

The important things for the dog owner to remember are:

At the first sign of an aggression issue with your dog, seek the help of a certified behavior consultant.
If you rescue a dog, ask a lot of questions. For more information, see “9 Questions to Ask Before you Rescue a Dog”.
If you purchase a puppy from a breeder, meet the dam and sire and ask a lot of questions about the temperament of both.