THE CAUSES OF CONFLICT
“We need to help dogs relax and regain their freedom...”
Dog trainer and Your Dog contributor Tony Cruse explained: “Dog-on-dog aggression mainly occurs because of fear, panic, and/or misunderstanding, perhaps due to conflict over resources such as a toy. Fighting is very much a last resort for dogs, which is why you see posturing such as teeth baring, raised body height, and stiff tail. Unfamiliarity and fear can both be addressed proactively with socialisation to ensure that young dogs meet other dogs in a positive way. If both dogs are confident and well-socialised there will be no need for disputes. To create a positive experience there should be no raised voices, lead jerks, or stress. Dogs pick up on stress, which then creates a negative experience and makes the situation worse. This can escalate to a dog being unable to deal with any social situation.”
But what should you do if an off-lead dog charges up to your dog?
“Firstly, don’t panic,” advised Tony. “Even if you feel angry, try to say hello to the other dog in a nice, soft tone or your dog can pick up on it. If you can give your dog a treat before the other dog gets to you, that can be helpful but avoid throwing down treats as this can cause competition between dogs.
“A tight lead creates tension and prevents dogs displaying natural body language, so try to keep your lead slack.
Aggression is rare, but if you see a dog-ondog attack there is often a lot of bluster and noise, and the occasional torn ear. Don’t put your hand anywhere near the dog’s collar to pull them apart, as this can cause the dog to turn and bite. Instead, try to create some sort of shock to interrupt the proceedings, such as a loud noise, spraying with a hosepipe, or throwing a bucket of water if there’s one nearby.
“Afterwards your dog will experience a spike in cortisol levels, which can take days to return to normal. Don’t shout or scold either of the dogs, as the chances are you will scold the wrong dog anyway. This can be even more difficult in a house full of dogs. Separating household dogs is important, but be careful not to always take the same dog out of the room. Consult a reputable behaviourist for help, one who practises positive reinforcement training.”
RESTRICTED LIVES
Jordan Shelley has another theory about what could be a contributory factor.
“I think we’re now asking dogs to live quite restricted lives,” he explained. “In the past, dogs were more ‘latchkey dogs’ with much more freedom, able to mooch outdoors and decompress naturally from stressful situations. Now dogs are micro-managed and so far removed from how they evolved to live that I think it’s contributing to what we’re seeing. The happiest dogs I’ve ever met lived full, rich lives on farms, with freedom to mooch and do what they liked to do naturally.
“We need to allow dogs to be dogs. To help dogs relax and regain their freedom, you could try things like tracking, scent detection, or my favourite — just letting your dog decide where to go on a walk, taking a picnic, and enjoying slowing down and relaxing together. Founder of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers Steve Mann’s ‘15-minute backpack walk’ is also a great relationship building and mindfulness exercise. It involves the dog mooching on a long line, and some slow, calming exercises using the backpack contents, which include a scent article, a chew, food, plus an item the dog can safely explore the shape and feel of. It’s well worth googling the 15-minute backpack walk and trying this, so dogs can calmly learn to accept new feelings, thoughts,
and sensations.”
the other dog must be responsible,” he explained. “The Dangerous Dogs Act is specific towards dog bites on people or assistance dogs, but silent on the issue of dog-on-dog incidents. It may apply if during a dog-on-dog bite incident a person was injured or feared injury, but if the incident was solely between dogs and the victim’s dog is not an assistance dog, it is difficult to see how the Dangerous Dogs
Act could apply. Parliament has been aware of this loophole since 1991.
“There is, however, the Dogs Act 1871, which was repealed in Scotland but applies in England and Wales if a dog is dangerous and not under proper control. A single incident is not generally enough to persuade a court that a dog is dangerous, unless the incident is exceptional, in which case the court can make an order for a dog to be kept under proper control or even for it to be destroyed.
“In addition, if a dog’s behaviour is considered anti-social the council or police can serve a Community Protection Warning. This can be followed by a Community Protection Notice, which can specify certain requirements such as going to dog training classes.
“The injured dog’s owner could bring their own proceedings to recover veterinary fees. If they can prove the dog has bitten before or the other owner was negligent, this may be worth pursuing. I strongly advise getting as much insurance as possible to cover legal and veterinary fees, and to ensure dogs are trained and socialised.
“If you own a reactive dog take steps to ensure you cannot be held responsible for an incident. Some people use yellow reactive dog bandannas and muzzles, but there are many other resources, so talk to a behaviourist or seek a veterinary referral.”