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1) Punishing dogs has been associated with a strong likelihood of new or increased aggression and other behavior problems; 2) dominance in pet dogs is not a character trait of a dog but rather a power agreement between dogs regarding who has best access to particular resources; and 3) the behavior of dogs controlling access to resources is fluid, not static, depending on context.
Rage syndrome is a rare seizure disorder in dogs, characterized by explosive aggression. [1] [2] [3] It is frequently confused with idiopathic aggression, a term for aggression with no identifiable cause. Rage syndrome is most often a misdiagnosis of dogs with an unrelated, but more common, form of aggression.
A drawing by Konrad Lorenz showing facial expressions of a dog - a communication behavior. X-axis is aggression, y-axis is fear. Dog behavior is the internally coordinated responses of individuals or groups of domestic dogs to internal and external stimuli. [1] It has been shaped by millennia of contact with humans and their lifestyles.
A dog communicates by altering the position of its head. When the head is held in an erect position this could indicate that is approachable, attentive, curious, or aggressive. Turning the head away may indicate fear, but is also recognized as a calming signal. [13] A dominant dog will display an upright posture and/or stiff legs. [13]
Another type of dog bite is the "soft bite" displayed by well-trained dogs, by puppies, and in non-aggressive play. [1] Dog bites can occur during dog fighting, as a response to mistreatment, by trained dogs working as guard, police or military animals, or during a random encounter. [2] [3]
In cases where children cannot appropriately interpret and respond to calming signals, the dog-human interaction is likely to escalate, and the dog may exhibit aggressive behaviors, such as biting. [14] Hugging can feel confusing and threatening to dogs. Therefore it is a common cause of dog bites in the face of young children. [16]
Shelters use temperament tests to help identify dogs with problem behaviors, including aggression, and to help increase the rate of successful adoptions. [11] For some, these tests are a way to determine if a dog should even be offered for adoption, or to whom they will restrict adoption of an individual dog (adult-only household or sanctuary only, versus family with children).
Similarly to humans, dogs yawn in an attempt to awaken. Dogs will also yawn when under stress, or as a pacifying signal when being menaced by aggression signals from another dog. Yawning, accompanied by a head turned away from the aggressor, can defuse a potentially threatening situation. [1]: 120–122 It is also recognized as a calming signal.