Dog on Dog Agression and Breed Traits.

If a breed trait is that they are more prone to dog on dog agression, is it harder to over come than if it is developed through an incident in a breed thats not prone to being agressive? ( eg being attacked therefore leading to being frightened and reactive that way) ? And can it be acheived or is management the answer?

I would say that it depends on the individual dogs personality and history, rather than the breed of dog as to whether it can be resolved.
But yes I think often for a dog like a rottie, staffy, GSD etc that it will be harder to overcome and work with that say a golden retriever or even a hound due to their typical nature. However I'm sure there are plenty of these breeds out there to prove me wrong!

I don`t know. We meet an awful lot of DA shtzu`s.....
Does that mean that breed is naturally vicious?
Or that owners don`t bother socialising them.

Well surely any type of aggression has to be ingrained either through early stages or breeding from aggressive parents. I think it depends on the individual dog. I have met a couple of very nasty labs and it isn't a breed trait for them.

But saying that, no dog is born aggressive. They may be stronger willed and have stronger breed traits than their siblings but I think it is more about management. If that makes sense..


SarahJade:
All three of the above dogs are not known for their aggressive traits (well those who have owned them). The aggression stems from other traits within their breed which are mismanaged or encouraged.. but then that is getting into a nature/nurture debate.

Ahh I get it now

Well IMO dogs that have traits that can and will cause them to be aggressive if something has happened to them to trigger these traits, can be turned back into their social selves again - you just may never be able to trust them fully again. There is always a solution to a problem, it's finding it and putting it into practice..

Hope that answers your question a little better Sam.

Thankyou for your replies so far.

Right so let me set up a senario

A labrador and a shiba Inu.

Both well socialised, both from good parents, both start to turn dog agressive after an incident.

Which is harder to retrain? the dog with dog agression in its breed traits or the one that doesnt?

Did you know Labradors (apparently) bite more people than any other breed? So I assume you mean they are the aggressive breed.

I'm not sure which would have dog aggression in it's breed traits.
As social animals should all dogs not be pre-wired to be social with other dogs? Maybe I'm coming at if from the wrong angle.
I was also thinking that an owner of a little aggressive dog may find more owners and dogs willing to be the 'strange yet friendly' dog to work with than someone with a great bit GSD or rottie or even a lab. That in its self would make it harder to overcome. Be all being the same and both dog having the exact same issues I don't think there would be much different. Some dogs just learn quicker and some dogs are more (don't want to say it but) 'dominant' or forwards or prone than others, not necessarily a breed trait, just the way they are. Such as my Staffy x was attacked a few times as a pup and so has fear aggression of other dogs which we have worked on loads and even at nearly 8 he cannot be trusted with dogs bigger than him as he often starts mounting and initiating a fight. While my sisters staffy pup was attacked by a few dogs and is still her normal self generally, but a backs off very quickly now when dogs growl at her (probably not such a bad thing anyway). Personality wise they are very different, but breed wise not so much.

The amount of ''dog''people who dislike and are wary of black labs would surprise most folk...

Do you have a link to that information Claireand Daisy?

It all depends on WHERE you take the statistics from. I would tend to go with this -

I've just checked about ten links to which breeds are most likely to 'bite' and see labs mentioned nowhere.

There are lists of dogs that insurance companies won't cover - labs do not feature on them.

*should add that most results are for the US but a dog is a dog is a dog.

Also - being BITTEN by a dog is not quite the same as being KILLED by one.

There are statistics for dogs responsible for the most FATAL attacks. Labs definitely do not feature in those.

I would put my money on the GSD being easier to rehabilitate because GSDs are supposed to be one of the easiest to train dogs whilst the shiba is said to 'independant'?