Define Aggression vs Reactivity/Fear aggression

AdoJrts

This has come up on another forum and the debate is whether they are the same or not.

To me, they are not the same. Reactivity or also known as Fear-Aggressive is a dog putting on a big show to force what concerns them out of their comfort zone, but they don't actively want to engage (bite/attack) whether it be a person or dog. Once the *threat* has been forced back, they retreat. Reactivity can also be a dog that becomes over stimulated and can have self control issues as well.

Pure aggression on the other hand, is a confident dog that will actively seek out or challenge with the intent of doing damage.

Also I think a person has to be very good to understand the body language of these dogs to know what they are seeing and which one it is, therefore how to deal with it.

I also believe that a dog can start out being fear aggressive but without training & management can esculate to aggression. Much like the person/child who was picked on, abused, bullied and then became bigger or more skilled at defending themselves, therefore then getting a *high*, empowering (sp) (for the lack of a better word) of being the aggressor.

What are your thoughts on this?

fawkese1

that is an interesting question, and i wonder about it as well...

these two things would contradict, imo... if the dog starts out in fear, i can't see how that would escalate into confidence...

i have seen dogs, at the dog park, who come in seeming to "look for a fight" but, i think it is more that those particular dogs are over-aroused/excited about all the dogs there and that is how they display it/deal with it, i've seen the same dogs behave "normally" when there are less dogs there (my dog park is very small and gets very crowded, very quickly)

i've been reading more books on body language and reactivity/arousal/calming type things lately, my dog is in the over-arousal group, sometimes he gets soooooo excited that he loses his mind (he would like to play with other dogs 24/7) imo, i would say that he could fall into that group that you were describing, that level of arousal could turn into or appear to turn into aggression in the way you defined it.... but, of course, these are just my thoughts, and i'm not basing it on anything really solid that i've read...more like what i've sorta been piecing together, if that makes sense

good question/topic tho

Criosphynx

My impression and understanding is, that baring anything medical and predatory behavior...that all "aggression" is fear based. Granted, I have not extensively looked into/researched it.

My other impression is that alot of people label dogs that bite 'aggressive" and dogs that bluff "reactive"

all I know is there are alot of animals labelled aggressive that are fearful.

johnsonspetservice

I believe that the differencebetween fear and confident aggression is that the bite from fear is a last resort whereas a bite from aggressive is self satisfying. A dog that has been trained, intentionally or not, to bite sees the act as a reward. When a dogs fear is not mitigated, the result is that biting becomes a reward because the intent is to get the person to leave. The bite makes that happen. This is how fear turns in to aggression.
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Gone2Dogs

To me a fear biter can become a confident aggressive dog if ......

Say their own circumstances change. We had a farm BC/ american shepherd that (so long ago they weren't even recognized to register) when she had pups would actively pursue anyone not of the family OUT of the house and property...IF she weren't told not to. Normally she would not do this. But if cornered by a stranger....would bite otherwise.

Also, if a fearful dog is allowed to bite- simply not called off or taken control of by a handler(the usual is a bit in the butt as someone retreats / leaves) then their confidence will build with each person they are able to 'drive off' and they will stop hiding and just start with the biting.

True guards...generally my encounters have been livestock guardians on or off their animals. Will easily bite when in no other circumstances would they consider it. I got more than a few bites checking lambing ewes for a couple college proffessors who would forget to shut up their dogs. If an owner were around the dog would do nothing of the sort and couldn't even be sicced on someone.

To me fear biting and reactivity are different. Usually I see reactivity as frustration...often dogs restrained will show it....held back, tied back or fenced. Fence fighting is just frustration to me. And some dogs enjoy it. But take the lead off or the fence away and they are NOT aggressive nor are they fearful.

To me fear biting is instability...may be fixable and may not, depending on a ton of things. Just the presence of their person may stop it.....or a change in socialization til they are comfortable with whatever.