Should I get rid of my fear aggressive dog?

Dogs are naturally territorial and protective creatures, but their behavior when feeling threatened should never rise to the level of aggression. The reality is that there are seven types of dog aggression, and each has its root causes and methods for behavior correction. Alleviate fear aggression by slowly socializing your dog, which will help them understand that other dogs, pets, and humans don’t always mean harm. Seek the help of behaviorists, trainers, and veterinarians before resorting to a local shelter. Aggression is the most common behavior problem in dogs and the most serious. It often leads to dogs being brought to shelters when the owner feels it’s no longer safe to keep them in the home. Types of dog aggression include: Fear Aggression Territorial Aggression Idiopathic Aggression Predatory Aggression Intra-Household Aggression Control Aggression Resource Guarding/Possession Aggression. The signs and triggers can vary from dog to dog, but they all connect to one of seven different types of aggression. Even worse, this increases the dog’s chance of being euthanized at shelters.

In some cases, aggression issues due to fear can become unmanageable with behavior modification and training methods alone. Chronic fear and aggression may require psychiatric medications to assist in treatment. The most commonly used psychiatric medications for canines include Benzodiazepine Derivatives, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, and Tricyclic Anti-anxiety Medications. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are one of the most frequently prescribed medication for anxiety disorders, and Fluoxetine is one of the more successful treatment methods for aggression issues. Unfortunately, dogs often build up an immunity to the compounds used for these treatments making them less suitable for long term usage. Most psychiatric medications require six to eight weeks before substantial improvement is seen, although a few are relatively fast acting.