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Chicago Dog Aggression

There are many reasons for aggression in dogs. There are many dog breeds which due to genetics are considered difficult dogs for novice dog owners, or owners who have young children at home.A partial list of these high maintenance dog breeds follows:

Dangerous Dog Breeds

Dog bites are on the rise: Although the number of dogs in the United States increased by only 2% between 1986 and 1996, the number of dog bite injuries requiring medical treatment rose by 37%.

The scene of attack is home or a familiar place. The majority of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar place. Dogs bite family and friends. The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim's family or a friend. Children make up the majority of dog bite victims, they are bitten on the face 90% of the time.

The following link will help you determine which breeders are "good" breeders, breeders that will stand behind the quality of their stock, breeders that will offer support and guidance for the life of the puppy.

Besides the decision of what breed of dog to bring into your home, picking the breeder is the most important decision that you will make.

By spending time researching breeders, you will have a much better chance of finding that once in a lifetime puppy, your dog of "the heart".

Comparisons Between "GOOD" Breeders  and "BAD" Breeders

Shelters and breed rescue organizations can either be the best place on the planet to adopt a dog from, or the worse place on the planet to adopt a dog from. Right now, I am going to talk about the good ones.

I have found the good dog shelters that have dogs with the best temperaments: dogs that tend to be friendly, easy to live with dogs; ] are shelters and rescue groups that cull dogs from their ranks that have undesirable characteristics.

Many times these shelter/rescue groups will have a dog trainer on staff that will temperament test all dogs and write up a detailed evaluation on the dog's negative and positive traits. These shelters make your job, finding a safe and sane dog to take home and integrate into your family, very easy!

Undesireable Dog Traits dog-to-dog aggressiveness human aggressiveness predatory behavior excessive fearfulness possessive aggressiveness severe barrier frustration separation anxiety

Then, there are the shelters and rescue groups who take in ANY DOG that arrives at their door, never cull for unsuitable temperament, and will adopt out ANY DOG to ANYONE, even if the dog has bitten many times before. 

Generally, these are no-kill shelters, shelters that are filled with 'lifers', dogs that can't be part of normal human society, ever. Attempting to adopt a dog from one of these shelters makes about as much sense as visiting a maximum-security penitentiary such as Attica, Sing Sing, Chino or Joliet, to find a 'nice' husband or wife.

Remember that the nice dogs get adopted out as soon as they arrive, the dogs that are left in a shelter for any period of time usually have something seriously wrong with them.

I am including a list of risk factors that you should keep in mind when you visit a shelter or breed rescue to adopt a dog.  With shelter dogs, and in particular, adult 'problem' dogs from no-kill shelters, you must take your time in picking out your dog.

You must make both a risk assessment (can my wallet, heart and life-style handle this dog) and a return on investment inventory (can we put in enough in terms of love/time/money/professional services to make this dog safe).

A good dog trainer can change how a dog "acts"

but can't change what a dog "is".  In the eternal struggle between nurture and nature, with the dog nature trumps.   

Ami Moore the The Dog Whisperer

• ABSENCE of significant training, especially if the dog is hyperactive, dominant and/or independent. Especially if the dog fights you or the leash.

• Acts INDIFFERENT toward you, your spouse and especially your children after being in a room alone with you and your family for 10-15 minutes.

• Acts FEARFUL or SHY around you, your spouse and most especially, your children.

• Dog is HYPERSENSITIVE to movement, sounds or touched, especially the head, ears, feet, neck, tail and hindquarters.

• Beware of the dog that turns his head toward your loving hand and then: grabs, snarls or snaps! This is a potentially dangerous dog!

• Dogs that retreat when approached by an upright person with outstretched hands especially your children's.

• Any dog that growls, snaps or nips at you, your spouse or kids for any reason, even in play, when stroked or hugged.

• Dog that was kept outdoors most of the time, especially if he was tied by a chain to a tree or building.

• Dog that is easily excited, easily frustrated, gets more hyper as time goes on.

• Dog that will NOT let the husband or wife hug it firmly for 30 seconds, or reacts in a fearful, resentful or aggressive manner once released. If you, the adult is afraid or cautious or tentative when trying to hug the dog, it has no business going home with you!

• Any dog that does not exhibit signs of friendliness toward your family, especially any children.

• Any dog that refuses to settle down and enjoy your company. This is a dog that paces whines and appears restless, distracted or frustrated even after 10-15 minutes with your family.

• A dog that cannot be placed and contained in a crate for 15 minutes while you and your family leave the room.

• If the dog has any one of the above character traits,LEAVE IT WHERE YOU FOUND IT!

REMEMBER DOGS DON'T LIE!
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU'LL GET OR WORSE IN YOUR HOME!

Ami Moore the Dog Whisperer

I have found that people, especially women, become emotionally involved with rescue/shelter dogs that appear to need to be saved.

Dogs that look sad, pathetic, sit in the back of cages, immobile with big, sad, dilated eyes, and dogs that "look like they need a mommy."

In my experience, these types of high-maintenance dogs rarely stay in their new home; most are removed within the first year, in most cases because of aggressive behaviors often toward children.

Owning an aggressive dog can be a serious emotional liability, a catastrophic financial liability, and a serious ethical issue.

Many owners will hold on to a fantasy that their dog is not aggressive despite the cancellation of homeowners insurance, despite large court settlements, despite the constant presence of police, despite the restrictive manner in which the dog lives (padlocked kennels, muzzles, banning dog from public places).

Get yourself educated, don't be the aggressive dog owner in your town that ends up on the evening news!

THE FAQS
All dogs are predators.

All dogs have teeth.
All Dogs Can Bite.  

Biting is a normal component of canine social communications.

Aggression is a normal part of the canine communication system.

• 99.9% of all aggression is rooted in fear, timidity, anxiousness, nervousness and most aggressive dogs can be rehabilitated so that they can function in a normal manner in the American family.

• SPEED: Our dogs can bite 10 times in a second.

• POWER: The bigger  battle breeds have the bite strength the same as a Great White Shark. Dogs can chew through metal, rip through wood and chew through plastic, concrete and drywall, and thus really hurt you or your child.

• Level 1: This bite does not touch the skin. It's air biting or snapping. This bite shows that your dog has Superior bite inhibition.

• Level 2: This bite makes contact with the skin, but doesn't break the skin. This can still really hurt and leave bruising, but no abrasions. This bite shows that your dog has Fabulous bite inhibition.

• Level 3: This bite ranges from 3.1; a minor abrasion - Great bite inhibition - to 3.9; 1 to 4 puncture wounds less than ½ the depth of the eye-tooth (fang) with or without some tearing - Good bite inhibition.

• Level 4: The dog is putting great pressure into the bite. 1 to 4 puncture wounds with or without tearing, more than ½ the depth of the eye tooth. This is usually accompanied with bruising and likely to require medical attention. At this point, although the dog certainly has intent to cause harm, he/she may still be showing some bite inhibition depending on the size and strength of the dog.

• Level 5: Multiple level 4 bites. This dog is usually beyond the ability to reason and may feel his/her life is threatened. This dog is no longer displaying bite-inhibition

• Level 6: The dog has killed.

• Level 1: This dog knows where their teeth are and makes sure they don't cause harm. It is important to learn how to maintain this type of bite-inhibition in your dog.

• Level 2: If you have a dog under the age of 6 months, most trainers will help you. But if the dog is an adult you can expect to be told to get rid of or put your dog down by most, though not all dog professionals including trainers, shelters and veterinarians.

• Level 3: Tearing usually occurs when the human pulls their hand, arm, etc., out of the dogs mouth. Unfortunately most trainers will not even consider working with a level 3 biter and you are most likely to be told to put the dog down.

• Level 4: It is extremely rare to find a trainer who is willing to work to rehabilitate a level 4 biter. There is greater risk involved with this animal and the individual circumstances are very important.

• Level 5: In rare cases this can be fixed. Rehabilitation is guarded.

• Level 6: Euthanasia is the only option.

Dog Aggression In The American News

Comparisons Between "GOOD" Breeders and "BAD" Breeders

Statistics on Aggressive Dogs

More Information on Dog Aggression

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DOG FACTS

Did You Know...
The ten most popular dogs (AKC) are in order:

1. Labrador Retriever
2. Golden Retriever
3. Beagle
4. German Shepherd
5. Dachshund
6. Yorkshire Terrier
7. Boxer
8. Poodle
9. Shih Tzu
10. Chihuahua