Dogs and Fighting – Part II – Recognizing the Signs

In my last post, I wrote about how to break up a dog fight. Learning to read the signs of an impending fight and being able to intervene before it starts is preferable.

Many experts have written books on understanding and dealing with canine aggression – people far more credentialed than me. If you are interested in learning more about animal behavior and the science behind it, I recommend reading books by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. (For the love of A Dog, and The Other End of the Leash), Karen Pryor (Don’t Shoot the Dog), Jean Donaldson (Culture Clash, Mine, and Fight), Stanley Coren (How Dogs Think), and Temple Grandin (Animals in Translation). In the meantime, here are some practical suggestions from my experience.

Become a student of your own dog
Learn what makes him fearful and what he will and won’t accept from other dogs. Is your dog jealous of his toys, protective of you, intolerant of the big exuberant affections of younger dogs? Does he become fearful when too many dogs crowd around to check him out? The only way to learn these things is to pay close attention to all of your dog’s interactions.

Read your dog’s body language
Sometimes a dog’s discomfort with a situation is obvious. In a fearful dog, you may see the head lowered with ears pulled back tight against the head. The tail may be low or completely tucked under the body. Sometimes it is more subtle – just a worried expression on the face and a more alert stance. If my dog senses trouble is about to start, she looks for me and backs up to me. She knows I’ve got her back. If she can’t get to me, then she looks for another human to shield her back.

Dog’s looking to pick a fight may stare intently at the intended target. Staring directly into the eyes of another dog is considered rude and challenging behavior. You may also notice an extremely stiff stance and a tail that is straight up and unmoving. Signs that are more obvious include growling, a tense tight mouth, a curled lip, showing teeth, and a ready to pounce posture.

Where to look
Arousal is sometimes exhibited by hair standing up on the back. This is called piloerection and is an involuntary response that can be the result of fear or excitement. Generally, happy dogs look loose and relaxed with lots of movement. Unhappy dogs are tense and unmoving. Learn to look for signals in the body posture, eyes, ears, mouth, and tail. You need to be able to read these signals quickly and in combination to assess what may happen next. Patricia McConnell’s book For the Love of A Dog is especially good at helping you understand the behavior and emotions of your dog.

Trust your dog’s instincts
A well socialized dog will be savvy about dog park dynamics and body language. You need to learn to trust his instincts. If he is acting uncomfortable, there is a reason. Look for it. Though none of the signs mentioned individually presage a fight, they do indicate it is time to pay close attention.

Next time, some suggestions on how to intervene before the fight starts.