Protective behavior in dogs, this is not a bad thing.
Many owners come to dog forums and ask how to train their dog to be less protective, but this should never be a problem.
A protective dog does what comes naturally to help: monitor his surroundings and determine if things are getting better.
Most of the time, owners who want to reduce their dogs’ protective behaviors are actually wondering how to reduce aggressive behaviors.
There is a difference, and that’s what we’re going to explore today.
Read on to learn the signs that your dog is protecting you and not just a aggressive dog.
Understanding Protective Behavior
Protective nature is not something that needs to be trained in a dog. They actually do their job and follow the instincts that were instilled in them generations ago.
And no, I’m not talking about their “pack” instinct. Today, more and more research disproves the theory that dogs are pack animals, which has dominated dog training for so long.
Many breeds have a strong protective drive ingrained into their instinctive core by “design”. For example, herding breeds have spent so many generations protecting their herds from danger that the instinct to do so has become part of their very fabric. It’s good. More than okay, it’s perfectly natural.
The problem most people face is having an aggressive dog. It is important to understand the difference.
Protective behavior
If you have ever seen a German shepherd in action you have seen the classic protective dog.
His head is spinning. He constantly scans the area. He can prick his ears when a new person or animal appears.
It could even move calmly between its owner and the newcomer in the environment. He is calm and considerate, but he is always alert.
If no threat is perceived, the dog will return to doing what it was doing before experiencing the new stimuli.
However, if a threat is perceived, he may growl, snarl or bark – doing just enough to warn off whatever he believes is threatening the pack. That’s what a protective dog does.
Signs Your Dog Is Protecting You
- Constant vigilance
- Immediate focus on new stimuli in the environment
- Alert but calm position
- Moving from owner to possible threat
- Growling or barking at perceived threats
- Return to normal if no threat is perceived
Causes of Protective Behavior
There’s really no reason for this behavior. Protection is ingrained in a dog’s DNA. Although dogs are probably not directly descended from wolves as we once thought, research shows that they shared a common ancestor with the pack canines.
Wolves work together to eliminate game, raise their pups, and keep each other safe. It is in their interest to look out for each other.
This is the behavior we see in protective dogs. It is their natural tendency to want to keep their family members safe.
But sometimes there can be a cause behind protective behavior: YOU. I had a friend – let’s call her Sue – who owned a pit bull (let’s call her Chi) who was just a real sweetheart. She (the pittie) loved everything and everyone, but she had a particularly strong bond with Sue.
As a result, Chi had a very protective nature towards Sue. She would not growl or even bark at strangers who came too close. She would simply move her body between Sue and the rest of the world, making it clear, through her position and general warning signs, that no one was to approach Sue.
Even though she wasn’t aggressive about it, it still scared people. So, Sue spoke to an animal behaviorist. She also spent time with a professional dog trainer. Between the two of them, Sue realized that Chi’s protective nature came from the fact that Chi could sense Sue’s social anxiety. Sue would send all kinds of “I’m scared” signals when they were out and about, and Chi would naturally react by assuming there was a threat.
The good news is that with positive reinforcement training for Sue and Chi, they were able to overcome this extra-protective nature. Sue learned to relax her “energy” and Chi learned that not everyone who approached was there to grab her favorite person.
So, if your dog is showing signs of overprotective behavior (or worse, protective aggression), you may want to check your own energy and determine what type of “vibes” you are giving off.
Aggressive behaviour
Aggressive behaviour is a very different thing from protective behavior, and it is not a welcome trait in any dog.
While protective dogs assess situations and determine if there is a threat, aggressive dogs see everything as a threat.
They do not exhibit any surveillance behavior, but immediately switch to an aggressive mode which can sometimes result in physical violence.
It is important to recognize the signs of aggressive behavior.
Signs of aggressive behavior
- Overreacting to situations
- Immediate barking
- Rumble
- Raised Hackles
- Lanyard
- Show teeth
- Capture
- Resource protection
- Territorial urination (home marking)
- Biting
- Squatting position
- Too aggressive position (head very forward, usually associated with raised hackles)
Causes of aggressive behavior
Unlike protective behaviors, aggressive behaviors are almost always provoked by external stimuli, whether it is abuse or an attack from another animal.
Although some dogs are naturally born more aggressive than others, aggressive behavior is usually learned in one way or another and can lead to very real problems for both the dog and its owner.
This type of behavior is much more complex than protective behavior in that the reasons are broad, as are the outlets through which dogs let it out.
Causes of aggressive behavior
- Abuse
- Lack of resources such as food and water
- Attack by another animal or dog
- Life spent in a shelter
- Living on the Street (Feralness)
Types of aggressive behavior
- Territorial aggression (guarding spaces)
- Possessive aggression (similar to territorial aggression, but guarding objects or food)
- Dominant aggression
- Predatory aggression (attack on smaller animals)
- Aggression of people
Reduce aggressive behavior
Protective behaviors are rarely a problem, but aggressive behaviors are always a concern and should be addressed as quickly as possible.
Although this type of behavior can be frightening for both the owner and those around them, the good news is that it can be eliminated, or at least reduced.
In cases where aggressive behavior cannot be completely suppressed, taking preventative measures usually serves to bridge the gap.
1. Work on yourself
As I mentioned earlier, one of the keys to curbing aggression is to curb your own reactions. Many owners excessively correct their dog, pulling on their leash or yelling at them to stop.
These punishment-based corrections only serve to annoy your dog further. Instead, approach each instance of aggression in a calm, soothing manner.
Do not shout, shoot, or do anything that could make the situation even more volatile.
Instead, calmly remove your dog from the situation in a way that is calming, or at least does not contribute to the situation at hand.
2. Desensitization
Desensitization to offensive stimuli is a great way to begin the process of combating aggressive behavior.
For example, if your dog immediately becomes aggressive when other people enter the room, start showing him that new people can be a good thing.
- Find your dog’s favorite food and give small pieces of it to a friend.
- Ask the friend to calmly enter the room and immediately start throwing the treats at your dog, then ask him to leave.
- Repeat this process until your dog’s reaction is to seek treats rather than adopting an aggressive stance.
Over time, your dog will learn to associate people who enter the room with something positive rather than negative.
3. Socialization
Socialization and desensitization go hand in hand. Actually, socialization it’s really just a desensitization to new people and animals when you think about it.
- Start by walking your dog more frequently at times when you know other people will be around.
- Keep a firm leash and a calming tone.
- The second your dog sees another person or animal give him a treat.
- Do this immediately before he has a chance to bark or lunge.
- Repeat this with every person or animal he sees.
If he becomes aggressive, move on quickly and calmly. However, whenever he doesn’t bark, he praises him generously and gives him treats.
Over time, your dog will learn that it is much more enjoyable and rewarding to stay calm and receive treats.
Once your dog has learned to associate good behavior with treatsmove around to take him to places with even more people and animals.
Pet Friendly Stores And dog parks are a good starting point. Stay on the periphery, continue to praise him and give him treats when he shows no signs of aggression.
Over time, you can gradually progress in the action, continuing with praise and treats, thus promoting his socialization.
Recognize the difference between protective behavior and aggressive behavior
Protective behavior is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a plus. However, it is important to realize the difference between protective behavior and aggressive behavior.
- Protective behavior is a calm analysis of a situation and an appropriate response.
- Aggressive behavior is an immediate violent response to a stimulus.
Never confuse one with the other, as aggressive behavior can result in attacks by or towards your dog, biting and, in severe cases, euthanasia of your dog.
Follow these guidelines to recognize the difference between protective behavior and aggressive behavior and, if necessary, use the strategies above to help curb any aggressive behavior.
Remember that the strategies above are just a few examples. It is best to hire a professional trainer to help you curb your dog’s aggressive behavior to achieve the best result.
Have you ever seen signs that your dog is protecting you? Share your experience below!