GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - In dogs, territorial aggression is a form of aggression targeted towards another dog, animal, or even a human approaching the dog's perceived territory.

We need to understand that from a dog's perspective, his territory might extend beyond the borderlines of your home. 

That is why many dogs will start barking, growling, lunging and even attacking other approaching dogs, even at a distance.

Local K9 behaviourist and trainer George van Huyssteen explains:

Your dog's territory might not only be in and around your home, but dogs might show territorial aggression while in a car, crate or even on a regular walk. 

There are places where dogs should not be displaying territorial behaviours, and that might include neutral places like training classes, the vet, or places you don't regularly visit with your dog.

It would be safe to say that a dog that reacts to other dogs or even people regardless of the location is not displaying territorial behaviour, but possibly other forms of aggression like fear aggression. 

Territorial behaviour usually only starts when a dog is about six months or older, while different types of aggression might begin much earlier in a dog's life. Territorial aggression might also worsen between 12 and 24 months if the dog's environment is not managed correctly.

Other contributing factors to territorial behaviour might be barriers like fences, gates, or being on a chain. Dogs who often escape their yards or dogs who regularly engage in fence running might start to react more aggressively to perceived threats. 

Another way to recognise territorial aggression is that the aggression tends to intensify as another dog comes closer but will quickly de-escalate once distance between them increases again.

How to remedy this

Getting another dog might double the problem. In dogs, there is a phenomenon called social facilitation. That means your new dog might learn all your old dog's behaviours simply by watching him.

Therefore, it is essential to separate two dogs should one dog act territorial.

A few medical reasons for impulsive aggressive behaviours could be low thyroid levels (hypothyroidism) or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease), while loss of hearing, vision, or any painful condition might cause sudden behavioural changes. 

Therefore, it is always good to have such a dog checked by a vet to rule out medical reasons for the behaviour.

After a vet gives the dog a clean bill of health and once you are sure that the dog is indeed showing territorial behaviour, you could start addressing the territorial behaviour.

Management is the key

• If your dog is an escape artist, make sure that he cannot escape.

• Should your dog act territorial while in your car, park a distance away from other cars.

• Should your dog act territorial when looking through a window at home, deny him access to the window.

• Should your dog act territorial at specific times of the day or if more dogs are around at a particular time of day, give him something else to do during those periods.

• Should your dog act territorial towards other dogs walking past, prevent him access to that specific area.

• Should your dog act territorial while on walks, either walk when there are fewer dogs around or take him to an area where there are no other dogs. Prevent walking the dog at locations where many dogs are behind fences that might bark or lunge at him.

Together with the above, increase your dog's mental and physical stimulation. A lack of stimulation might cause chronic frustration, resulting in undesirable behaviour. 

Brain games, food puzzles, scatter feeding, playing with your dog, or even trick training might be just what your dog needs.

Please avoid corrections as it will have fall-outs. For example, putting a shock collar or prong collar on a dog that shows territorial behaviour might backfire. Dogs are good at making associations - it might create a more negative association with other dogs, increasing aggression. 

Although it will probably look like these devices work, they will not address the underlying cause of the aggression but will suppress the behaviour. Introducing a desensitisation and counter-conditioning programme should help the dog form a new positive association with other dogs, and although it might take some time, it will change the dog's emotional responses towards other dogs. 

To help with this, a qualified animal behaviourist should be contacted. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for solving aggression problems, but with patience and understanding, you might be able to help your dog not to react to other dogs all the time.

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