Is my dog aggressive, or afraid?

A lot of the dogs I meet have been called aggressive. Some are. Many are afraid.

From the end of the leash the two can look the same: barking, lunging, growling, sometimes a snap. But the reason underneath is different. A frightened dog is usually trying to make something go away, or to get away from it. When it can’t, because it is on a leash, cornered or caught by surprise, putting on a scary show can be the only option it feels it has. And when that works, the dog learns to do it sooner next time.

Other dogs aren’t scared at all. They may be frustrated, guarding something, overexcited, or have learned that pushing works. Plenty of dogs are a mix.

Why does it matter? Because the plan is different. A fearful dog needs to build confidence, and it needs to feel safe while it learns. With anxious dogs I lean much more on rewards, affection and praise, and use the e-collar far more lightly, often only its beep or vibration. A dog that is confident and pushy needs clearer boundaries. Get the reason wrong and training can make things worse.

Working this out is the first job at my free in-home evaluation. I watch your dog, ask about its history and triggers, and tell you honestly what I think is going on and what I expect training to achieve. If something might be medical, such as pain, which can make any dog short-tempered, we talk about that first.