Aggressive Behavior

Aggressive behavior is part of normal behavior and serves as a form of communication. It is a way to react to internal or external stressors and to create distance. As long as the communication sequence is intact and the behavior remains adapted to the respective context, aggressive behavior falls within the normal range. This typically includes a preceding threat phase and a subsequent recovery phase.

Aggressive behavior is a symptom. It alone does not explain why an individual behaves that way. It merely indicates that a situation, an internal state, or a combination of several factors is currently unmanageable for the animal.

Aggressive behavior is always accompanied by a heightened state of arousal. The accompanying emotions can vary.

Possible causes of aggressive behavior

• Fear
• Overwhelm
• Pain
• Frustration
• Anger or irritability
• Incorrectly learned or established behavioral strategies
• Neurological diseases
• Brain tumors (can occur at any age but are more common in middle-aged to older dogs)
• Hormonal influences (e.g., thyroid disorders)
• Inflammatory diseases
• Metabolic diseases
• Side effects of medication
• Aversive or heavily punishment-based training methods

Situations in which aggressive behavior can occur

• In connection with resources (e.g., food, resting places, caregivers)
• In territorial situations (e.g., house, garden, car)
• Within social groups (e.g., multi-dog households)
• In situations of very high arousal (redirected aggressive behavior)
• In recurring conflict-laden situations

Additional practical classification

Even if aggressive behavior can often be logically explained in theory, in reality, it is frequently very difficult to identify the actual cause. The connections are rarely clear, and the path to the cause can be long and stressful.

In our case, the trigger ultimately lay in severe pain and inflammation that went undetected for a long time. Only a veterinarian specializing in behavioral issues in dogs took my observations seriously. The subsequent MRI scan confirmed the suspicion – and suddenly made the behavior of the past two years explainable.

The realization that he must have been in severe pain for such a long time deeply affected me. In retrospect, his behavior made sense – emotionally, however, it was hard to bear, knowing how much he must have suffered while I desperately tried to help him.

It was particularly difficult to witness how his behavior changed, even though our relationship was characterized by closeness and trust from the beginning. Understanding that he hadn't "changed," but that his body was failing him, put many things into perspective.

At the same time, for a long time, I started looking for the cause within myself. I questioned my behavior, wondering what I might have done wrong, whether I had overlooked something or failed. Only in retrospect did I realize how quickly one starts to take full responsibility in such situations – and how stressful that can be.

This experience showed me how important specialized clarification is, especially when behavior cannot be explained or changed through training.

I will go into more detail on the topic of pain as a possible cause of behavioral changes in a separate article.

Why education is so important

Education on this topic is of central importance. The better we understand aggressive behavior, the more likely we are to recognize when a dog needs support – and the faster we can help them. Ultimately, the responsibility for this lies with us as dog owners.

This article is intended to encourage people to look more closely, ask questions, and seek support – even if the path is long and difficult. Because aggressive behavior does not arise without reason, and no one has to walk this path alone.