Idiopathic and Learned Aggression
Idiopathic aggression is also know as rage or Jekyll-Hyde syndrome.
Sometimes dogs become aggressive for no apparent reason. Typically, dogs who suffer from this are usually affectionate, obedient, pleasant and well-mannered canines who for no apparent reason suddenly ferociously turn of their owners or visitors.
The observant owner might notice a glazed look to their eyes just before an attack but other than that there is no warning. Some dogs will remain subdued for a short while afterwards but others snap out of it immediately and return to their affectionate ways.
Certain breeds seem to be predisposed to this type of aggression: Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels.
There is no treatment for idiopathic aggression. Some studies link it to epilepsy. There has been some improvement using an epilepsy treatment, but sadly, euthanasia seems to be the only option.
Learned Aggression:
Dogs can be taught to be aggressive. Like a police dog. Aggression can be turned on and off.
People who train dogs for fights choose breeds that were bred for fighting, like the pit bull terriers. They often use pain to induce aggression. Pain is a powerful stimulus for aggression.
Aggression develops to its maximum potential by the time a dog is 2.5 years old.
Types of Rewards: Food, Touch, Sound, Play, Owner Attention, Chewing and Discofort Avoidance.
Types of Punishment: Must be used at the time of wrong doing: Physical pain, intimidation, feat and time out.
Punishment given inconsistently can create a condition of the mind called learned helplessness. A neurotic state in which the dog learns to be helpless.
Simply calling your dog's name to praise him and calling his name for punishment can lead to this neurotic state.
Dogs learn through observation: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. It gets reinforced by a reward. Learning takes place whether we are involved or not and there are constant gains and losses in a dog's mind. These gains and losses can be affected in several ways.
1. Shaping: Rewarding a scent detection, then shap the scent we want to detect.
2. Extinction: If a learned response is not reinforced then it is gradually lost and the frequency of the behavior fall to its naturally occurring level.
3. Chaining: Dogs can learn to carry out a sequence of events in order. The last behavior is learned first and reinforced with a primary reinforcer like food or touch and then with a secondary reinforcer like voice. Then the preceding behavior is learned, giving food reward for this and verbal reward for the final behavior.
4. Habituation: Dogs have the ability to get used to neutral (non-harmful and non-rewarding stimuli) This is called habituation and occurs in tow ways, through constant exposure to the stimuli or through gradual introduction to it.
5. Flooding: Habituation through constant exposure. If a dog's mind is continually flooded with something mildly fearful, like traffic noise, he learns to disregard what, in other circumstances, would be frightening and to relax in the presence of that stimulus. City dogs constantly learn through flooding and often develop "street sense" as a result.
6. Systematic desensitization: habituation through gradual exposure. If a dog sees a cat at a distance on a day, then at a closer distance another day, and gradually over time at a closer and closer distance, his natural aggression or fearful behaviors might be altered. Getting a dog used to something that causes fear by gradually exposing the dog to the fear inducing stimulus like noise is a common method of modifying a dog's behavior.
We expect our dog to allow friends to enter our homes and to cheerfully greet them, but prevent intruders from comin in. We think our dog will protect us from bears, but we want them to leave rabbits alone. We are so confusing to the Dog.
Remember to keep your dog mentally stimulated, provide daily exercise with some one-on-one attention and you will have a very happy, healthy dog.
Sometimes dogs become aggressive for no apparent reason. Typically, dogs who suffer from this are usually affectionate, obedient, pleasant and well-mannered canines who for no apparent reason suddenly ferociously turn of their owners or visitors.
The observant owner might notice a glazed look to their eyes just before an attack but other than that there is no warning. Some dogs will remain subdued for a short while afterwards but others snap out of it immediately and return to their affectionate ways.
Certain breeds seem to be predisposed to this type of aggression: Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, Rottweilers, Dobermans, German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels.
There is no treatment for idiopathic aggression. Some studies link it to epilepsy. There has been some improvement using an epilepsy treatment, but sadly, euthanasia seems to be the only option.
Learned Aggression:
Dogs can be taught to be aggressive. Like a police dog. Aggression can be turned on and off.
People who train dogs for fights choose breeds that were bred for fighting, like the pit bull terriers. They often use pain to induce aggression. Pain is a powerful stimulus for aggression.
Aggression develops to its maximum potential by the time a dog is 2.5 years old.
Types of Rewards: Food, Touch, Sound, Play, Owner Attention, Chewing and Discofort Avoidance.
Types of Punishment: Must be used at the time of wrong doing: Physical pain, intimidation, feat and time out.
Punishment given inconsistently can create a condition of the mind called learned helplessness. A neurotic state in which the dog learns to be helpless.
Simply calling your dog's name to praise him and calling his name for punishment can lead to this neurotic state.
Dogs learn through observation: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. It gets reinforced by a reward. Learning takes place whether we are involved or not and there are constant gains and losses in a dog's mind. These gains and losses can be affected in several ways.
1. Shaping: Rewarding a scent detection, then shap the scent we want to detect.
2. Extinction: If a learned response is not reinforced then it is gradually lost and the frequency of the behavior fall to its naturally occurring level.
3. Chaining: Dogs can learn to carry out a sequence of events in order. The last behavior is learned first and reinforced with a primary reinforcer like food or touch and then with a secondary reinforcer like voice. Then the preceding behavior is learned, giving food reward for this and verbal reward for the final behavior.
4. Habituation: Dogs have the ability to get used to neutral (non-harmful and non-rewarding stimuli) This is called habituation and occurs in tow ways, through constant exposure to the stimuli or through gradual introduction to it.
5. Flooding: Habituation through constant exposure. If a dog's mind is continually flooded with something mildly fearful, like traffic noise, he learns to disregard what, in other circumstances, would be frightening and to relax in the presence of that stimulus. City dogs constantly learn through flooding and often develop "street sense" as a result.
6. Systematic desensitization: habituation through gradual exposure. If a dog sees a cat at a distance on a day, then at a closer distance another day, and gradually over time at a closer and closer distance, his natural aggression or fearful behaviors might be altered. Getting a dog used to something that causes fear by gradually exposing the dog to the fear inducing stimulus like noise is a common method of modifying a dog's behavior.
We expect our dog to allow friends to enter our homes and to cheerfully greet them, but prevent intruders from comin in. We think our dog will protect us from bears, but we want them to leave rabbits alone. We are so confusing to the Dog.
Remember to keep your dog mentally stimulated, provide daily exercise with some one-on-one attention and you will have a very happy, healthy dog.
Comments