You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Aggression towards humans is a serious problem which needs to be addressed by the dog-owning community

Aggression is the most common reason why dogs are referred to specialist animal behaviourists all over the world. In North America no less than 800,000 people were treated for dog bite injuries during 1994 - and of course many people do not seek medical attention for minor injuries. It has been estimated that 50% of young people have been bitten by the time they reach 18 years of age, and 10 people a year die from dog bite wounds (not including those who die from contracting rabies, or other zoonotic diseases).

Many causes of aggression can be treated , but others are more difficult to manage. If you have an aggressive pet you should seek the advice of your veterinarian because in most countries you are responsible for any injuries that it might cause to innocent people.

There is a lot of interest in whether or not aggression is an inherited trait. Certainly surveys have suggested that some breeds are more likely to be aggressive than others, and it is known that chemicals in the brain (eg serotonin) may have an effect on behaviour. Indeed, it has been shown that dogs with dominance aggression (when the dog considers members of the family to be members of it's pack ...and they want to be boss!) had lower concentrations of serotonin in the fluid around their brain (called cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) - than did other dogs.

Controlling canine aggression and protecting innocent members of the public is an important part of responsible pet ownership - one which we all must take seriously, and act upon accordingly. 

Last updated : September 2013