Aggression & Reactivity in Livestock Guardian Dogs: Understanding What Causes It and What You Can Do About It.

Adolescent intact female Maremmas, oh my!

I sometimes get contacted by people needing help with their "aggressive" Livestock Guardian Dog. First I want to say that I do not like labeling any dog as "aggressive", even if they are behaving in what may appear to be an aggressive, fearful or reactive manner. Labelling a dog as "aggressive" gives the connotation that there is something wrong with the dog itself, and that it can't be fixed and this is simply not true in most cases. Aggression in dogs is a very complex issue in dogs with a LOT of causes but there are a lot of things that can be done to help.

Types of Aggression in Dogs

The dog might be acting in a aggressive manner with other dogs, livestock, or occasionally with humans. This behavior is understandably upsetting to the dog owner and should be taken seriously. Reaching out to your breeder (if they are knowledgeable enough to help) or an experienced trainer who understands dog behavior and specializes in training Livestock Guardian Dogs is the best place to start for help.

​Going to FaceBook groups for advice is NOT a good idea at all, unless the group is run by experienced LGD dog trainers. (With both real-life experience and formal study in dog training and behavior.) Most of these groups are full of "armchair experts" who give terrible advice that has no basis whatsoever in science or how dogs actually learn. The "advice" you get on these groups will be conflicting at best and extremely dangerous and harmful (to you and your dog) at worst. Stay far away from these groups!

Calming Signals for Dogs

Livestock Directed Aggression

If the dog is chasing or harrassing livestock that is definitely a problem but it's usually caused by improper managent. Most Livestock Guardian Dogs don't start out chasing stock out of aggression. They do it out of boredom, because they are not with the appropriate stock for their age and developmental stage, or because they haven't been properly socialized or supervised with stock to begin with. (Either by the breeder, the owner or both.)

​If the owner interupts the behavior by not allowing the dog to be unsupervised with the stock and using positive training methods (and letting the dog mature a bit if needed) the problem can usually be solved. But if the dog is allowed to continue chasing stock then what started out as a fun game can turn into outright aggression and can ruin your LGD. Chasing livestock is a self-rewarding behavior. The dog gets a dopamine hit every time they engage in it. You don't want to let that become a pattern.

Resource guarding is another very common cause of aggression in Livestock Guardian Dogs, especially directed towards livestock or other dogs. (I've never personally had a dog show resource guarding behavior towards me but it can happen.) I am going to address this separately below but just understand that you must not allow your livestock to steal your dog's food - ever! This can lead to resource guarding, which can turn into full blown aggression towards stock. All dogs deserve a chance to eat in peace without greedy goats or chickens stealing their food!

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Dog to Dog Aggression

Dog on dog aggression is very scary and if not managed can escalate into a very dangerous situation. Not all Livestock Guardian Dogs get along with each other or with other dogs of different breeds and types. Some may just have the occassional spat, or only fight at certain times and under certain situations (heat cycles or resource guarding) but others will have terrible fights which can result in terrible injuries, expensive vet bills and even death. If you know your LGDs are not getting along with each other or with another family dog do not let them continue to stay together. Seek help from your breeder (if qualified to give dog training advice) or an experienced trainer who uses only scientific, positive reinforcement training methods.

And whatever you do, if your dog gets into a fight with another dog, be it your own dog or someone else's dog, do not try to break up the fight! If you get in the middle of two dogs who are trying to rip each other to shreds it's likely you that will get hurt. When dogs are fighting they are in "fight or flight" mode. Their cortisol levels rise, making them incapable of rational thought. They are physically incapable of stopping to think "Oh, I should be careful not to bite mom," while they are fighting for their lives, at least in their minds! I learned this lesson the hard way many years ago when I tried to break up a fight between two of my cocker spaniels. I ended up getting a nasty bite and I have never forgotten that lesson. Now when any of my Maremmas get in a fight I get out of the way fast. It's no fun seeing your dogs lighting into each other but if I get hurt there will be no one to take care of my dogs so I try my best to prevent fights so I don't have to worry about that. But if there is a fight I don't intervene unless I think I can do so safely, and that's usually only if I have help.

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Dog to Human Aggression

Aggression directed towards humans is the scariest of all, especially if it involves children. And if it's your own dog acting aggressively towards you or a family member it can feel really scary and personal. If you or one of your family members have been bitten by your own dog it can leave you feeling shaken and betrayed. If a visitor or guest has been bitten you may feel embarrassed or worried about legal action.

These are valid feelings and I am not going to tell you that you shouldn't feel them. But often times the aggressive behavior is caused by the humans unintentionally putting the dog into an inappropriate or stressful situation and then not picking up on the warning signals the dog is giving that something is wrong. 

Most dogs don't actually want to bite humans or even fight with each other. Dogs don't just "snap" one day and attack out of the blue. They give off very clear signals that show their stress and discomfort. These include their body posture, avoidance behaviors and displacement behaviors. If the signals are ignored and the stress continues eventually the dog may carry things to the next level - with their teeth! These signals are easy to recignize once you have studied them a little bit. The absolute best resource for understanding canine body language is On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals. This book is short enough to read in a couple of hours but is excellent! Should be required reading for all dog owners.

I will list other resources that I know of further below on the page but the number one place I suggest you go to if you're dealing with aggressive behavior in your dog is Mike Shikashio's free Understanding Aggression in Dogs webinar.

Understanding Aggression in Dogs Free Webinar

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Common Causes of Aggression in Livestock Guardian Dogs

 Underlying Medical Issues

It's always a very good idea to take your dog to the veterinarian if they are acting aggresively. There are so many things that can cause agressive behavior from pain to diseases and hidden conditions. Ruling out these types of problems with an exam and some bloodwork is a good place to start, especially if the behavior is extreme or is escalating. Just be sure to use a vet that will treat your dog with kindness and compassion. A Fear Free certified vet or one who uses cooperative care techniques is a good place to start.

Find a Fear Free Vet

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Same Gender Aggression

This is often an issue among intact dogs but altered dogs are not immune to this issue. Male/female pairs tend to work best in Livestock Guardian Dogs but aren't without problems, mainly preventing accidental matings. In order to prevent an accidental pregnancy you will need to alter at least one of the pair earlier than you normally might want to but it's worth it if you can't ensure the dogs won't breed by accident. Occasionally male/female pairs will fight but usually it's a case of resource guarding (see below) and can be managed.

Owning two males is the next best combination in most cases, unless they are intact and competing for nearby intact females. If you have intact female dogs of any age and breed nearby your males will probably foght. If you don't they will probably get along fine. Since I always have females in heat around I never keep my intact males together.

A pair consisting of two females is what I call the "most likely to go wrong." Some females are very bonded and do really well together all the time. Some fight only when they are in heat and can be managed by separating (or spaying) them. But some will attempt to kill each other every chance they get. for this reason I don't ever suggest a new LGD owner start with two females. The reason is that two females can start off getting along great and then when puberty hits that can change and they can become enemies for life. ​

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Hormonal Issues

Heat cycles in females or the presence of intact females around males of breeding age is a big issue. Teenaged human females have nothing on teenaged female dogs! Your otherwise easy-going, sweet female dog may fight anything that moves when she's in heat, especially if it's another female. And the most happy go lucky, sweet intact male dog will fight other males over an intended mate. Though I used to prefer to wait until dogs are 2 years old to spay or neuter them I am starting to lean towards doing it earlier now because I think it might help to avoid some of those problems before they start.

Emergency Defensive Dog Handling Free Webinar

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Resource Guarding

This can be directed towards other dogs, livestock or humans. (I've never seen the last one in my Maremmas but it can happen.) Resource guarding is a normal dog behavior, especially in LGDs. The reason LGDs guard livestock is because they resource guard the property and "their" livestock (or their humans or whatever). Resource guarding is not "bad" behavior, but carried too far it can become a problem. Dogs can resource guard food, other animals, people, territory and all kinds of things. Most of the time if you are experiencing male/female fights it's because of resource guarding and fixing the resource guarding will stop the fighting.

Resource guarding comes from a place of fear and insecurity and should never be punished. The dog is worried that someone or something will take something they value. The coyote might take their goats, the goats might take their food, so they resource guard to protect their goats, which we like. But they may also resource guard to protect their food from the goats. We don't like that, though, personally, I don't like my goats eating dog food any more than the dogs do. It's expensive and it's very unhealthy for ruminants to eat meat based food.

To fix resource guarding the dog needs to feel SAFE. Don't ever let livestock steal dog food! Feed dogs away from stock and away from each other, if necessary. I used to actually encourage my dogs to resource guard their food from the goats before I understood how dangerous that was, and how unfair it is to the dogs. And how impossible it is to deter naughty goats from getting into the dog food! Now I put my dogs into dog kennels, barn stalls or fenced off areas to eat each night and let them back with the goats when they are done. This means feeding the dogs takes forever but it's worth it to know I'm not causing problems or wasting dog food!

I have a lot of dogs so if I have a dog that resource guards against other dogs I pair them with a dog that doesn't resource guard, then I spread their feeders far enough apart that they can all eat in peace. Don't feed dogs that resource guard with other dogs in confined spaces! If needed you can simply separate the dogs to eat, putting each in their own space and putting them back together (and with the stock) when they are done.

Some dogs can't even handle being watched by other animals (and maybe humans) while they eat. They need a visual barrier as well as a physical one before they will feel safe enough to eat. Otherwise they growl and lunge at any animal that even looks their way, often getting so worked up they don't even eat. Use a tarp or screen on the fence, put them in a barn or whatever it takes for them to feel safe. Take this resource guarding very seriously because it can lead to outright agression if not properly managed. 

Below is a link to an outstanding free webinar on resource guarding in dogs by Mike Shikashio, the expert on agression is dogs of all breeds.​ I highly recommend any and all Mike's courses, webinars, videos and blog posts, as well as his podcast. 

Understanding Resource Guarding in Dogs Free Webinar

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Adolescence

Oh boy is this a big one! Dogs go through a lot of changes during adolescence. They are puppies in adult looking bodies with lots of energy, raging hormones and big, complex emotions. The biggest thing you can do to manage this stage (and all stages but especially this one) is to learn about positive reinforcement training (clicker training) and use what you learn to shape your dog's behavior into what you want to see more of. It's a lot easier (and more fun) to teach a dog what you want it to do than what you don't want it to do. At the same time you are engaging their minds and bodies and building a strong bond with them. In a battle of the wills with a teenaged Maremma you will not win. But armed with only a clicker and some treats you can probably get a lot more cooperation from them and have a lot of fun doing it. 

"Coming into their own" as LGDs. 

I don't know how else to describe it but there are often struggles between dogs as they mature, even dogs that formerly got along well. This is part of the adolescent stage. Even opposite gender pairs sometimes go through this. Observation and careful managment can prevent a temporary problem from escalating into serious injuries or turning into a lifelong problem between two dogs. ​

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Punishment or Aversive Training Methods

This is a very common cause of aggression in dogs that is entirely preventable. A new Livestock Guardian Dog owner has a problem with their dog chasing chickens or sheep and instead of using positive reinforcement training methods they may yell at the dog or even hit him. Often they go for the quick fix methods, with shock collars being the most common and dangerous ones used. They may decide to try this on their own or they may get the idea from one of those Facebook groups I warned you about. Or they may even get the advice from their breeder, in which case they bought from the wrong breeder to start with so that's part of the problem, but I digress...

The problem with these methods are many. They are scientifically proven to not be as effective as positive reinforcement. They usually make the behavior worse, not better. They don't relieve the stress and anxiety that caused the behavior in the first place. They do nothing to teach the dog what you want them to do, which is the real goal. They can suppress behavior without really changing it and can cause the dog to hide the warning signs you otherwise might see. (Dogs that truly do "just suddenly explode" were more likely to have been punished or trained aversively.) And it destroys the trust and bond between the dog and their human. And your dog is sure more likely to bite you if they don't trust you!

You shouldn't use punishment or aversive or "balanced" training methods with any dog but using them with a livestock guardian dog is especially dangerous. These dogs are more sensitive than other dogs, more independent natured and not used to "taking orders" from humans, and they are bred to fight and even kill some very scary predators. Getting into a battle of the wills with a Livestock Guardian Dog or causing it pain in the name of training is a very bad idea. 

There is another reason why shock collars and even sometimes electric fences can be especially dangerous with LGDs. When your dog receives a shock from a "invisible" source they do not understand what is causing that pain. They only know it hurts. If another dog, one of the animals they are guarding or even a human is standing nearby when they recieve the shock they may come to believe that the other animal or the human caused the pain. And if this happens a lot they can really make that association. Whether the shock is given intentionally, such as a human shocking the dog when it chases stock, or if it's a invisible fence or electric fence and the dog shoocks itself by getting too close, the effect is the same. They could decide that whatever is in the vicinity is their attacker and this could actually cause agression that wasn't there before.

I know this is true because I have experienced it with one of my own dogs. Before I understood about the dangers of aversive training and the importance of positive reinforcement I had a young dog that developed a habit of chasing horses. We also had a litter of kittens around this time (the only litter we ever had) and the dog started chasing them. (She was ok with my adult cats but the hissing, spitting kittens freaked her out.) I tried using the shock collar to "train" my dog not to chase horses and cats. What I ended up with is a dog that loses her mind at even the sight of a horse in the pasture near her, and that kills kittens. She killed a kitten from that litter and she later attacked two abandoned  kittens I took in and bottle raised. They were three months old and the sweetest kittens. All they did was cross her path and she attacked. One of the kittens was hurt so badly it had to be put to sleep. I gave the other one away and will never have another kitten on the property. I could not even be upset with my dog because I know it was my fault. I created a kitten killer by using a shock collar to try to "train" her. Never again! ​

Deterring Fence Climbers with the Least Aversives Possible

Sometimes owners have problems with their dog climbing fences so they use an invisible fence. I agree 100% that fence climbing should be stopped since dogs can easily get hurt or killed. Being hit by a car is an aversive as it gets. I have had a few clients that used invisible fences without problems. But I know of people who have had bad results with them so I don't recommend them.

A better way to deter a fence climber is with a hot wire at the top of the fence. Actually I use electric poly rope since it's easy to work with and highly visible to animals and humans. I use a solar charger and fencing materials from Premier 1 Supply. They have the best fencing materials anywhere. The chain link insulators work well to attach the rope to horse no-climb fencing. I am not very good at building and fixing things but I was able to run a hotwire around a pasture that's roughly 200' x 70' in a couple of hours. If I can do it anyone can! 

If your fence is high enough to keep livestock in then it's high enough that small children can't reach the wire. The hot wire serves as a visible deterrent to the fence climbing dog, rather than an invisible one. The dog can see the thing that's shocking them and they usually make the right association on what to avoid - the hotwire, and not another animal or human. You also don't have to worry about keeping the battery charged on a shock collar and the hotwire works better on fluffy LGDs since they usually touch it with their muzzle, as opposed to the collar going around their neck, where the hair is thick.

The wire is usually high enough that the dog can't accidentally touch it once they know it's there. And most dogs only need to touch it once before they will learn to avoid it, which stops the fence jumping in its tracks without causing a lot of pain to the dog. Most of the time you won't even need to turn the power on once the dog has learned to avoid the wire.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior is a resource you should check out to learn more about why aversive training methods are not recommended for any animals.

AVSAB Position Statement on Humane Dog Training

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How to Train Without Aversives

If you're already dealing with aggression in your dog you need to be sure to drop any and all aversive training tools and methods immediately. If you haven't used any aversives that's great. Don't start! And don't listen to anyone that suggests you do do. "Dominance Theory" was proven to be based on faulty science years ago but celebrity dog trainers and wannabe YouTubers are still profiting off of this garbage. 

Instead you want to focus on science-based, positive reinforcement methods that will help you build trust and a partnership with your dog. Here are a few places to start:

Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations online course.
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• This course is the number one resource we recommend for all of our puppy owners and all Livesstock Guardian Dog Owners. (Or owners of any breed.) Before you can train your LGD to livestock you have to learn the science of how dogs think and how to best communicate with your dog. Through this excellent course you will learn step-by-step how to train and communicate with your dog using Positive Reinforcement and you'll have fun while you do it! Highly Recommended. And no, we do not earn a commission if you buy the course. We just know it works!

Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations

Books to Help Dogs With Aggessive, Fearful or Reactive Behavior

• The New Click to Calm​
• On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
• Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0
• Fired Up, Frantic and Freaked Out​​

Doggie Language - Great for Kids

Clicker Training is Fun for the Dog and Their Human

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Territorial Issues

You hired your Livestock Guardian Dog to do a job so don't be surprised if he does it! Livestock Guardian Dogs guard their "domain" and any living thing in it. This is true whether your dog guards Livestock or if he's "only" a companion dog. A Livestock Guardian Dog is a type of dog, not a job description. Your dog will take his job very seriously even if he's guarding the family cat or just you.

No one should be coming uninvited and unescorted onto your property if you have an LGD who guards livestock, or into your house if you have a companion Maremma (or other LGD breed). Uninvited and improperly introduced guests might be escorted right back out and they could end up getting bit. This is not the dog being agressive. This is the dog doing it's job!

Some Livestock Guardian Dogs can accept strangers as long as the owner is there and they get a chance to be properly introduced, and as long as the dog doesn't perceive the guest as a threat to whatever or whomever it's guarding. Other LGDs will not tolerate any stranger in their domain, even if the owner is ok with it.

The dog gets to decide! Please do not put your dog into a position where he may feel forced to bite a human to protect his charges. And please don't put any human in danger by allowing them in with your Livestock Guardian Dog if you're not positive the dog will be ok with that.

And by protecting your dog and the humans I mean use locks on gates and doors. Signs are helpful, too, and may be a good idea. But in my experience most humans don't respect signs, even when they say "Do Not Enter Without and Escort - Livestock Guardian Dog On Duty." Pretty much every deliverya driver that ever got bit by any dog, including a Livestock Guardian Dog, did so after walking right through an unlocked gate with such a sign on it. Then they threatened to sue the owner. Protect your dog, yourself, and the dumb humans who don't think and lock your gate!

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A Dog Going to a New Home or Being Rehomed

This kind of transition can be hard on dogs, especially if they are older juveniles or adults. Change is a lot harder on older dogs than on puppies. They all react in some way to the stress of having their entire world turned upside down. How that stress manifests itself depends on the individual dog's temperament and a LOT of factors. The longer I work with Maremmas the more important I realize this issue is and the more committed I am to helping my dogs and their new owners make as smooth a transition as possible. 

The first way to help a dog make a smooth transition to it's new home is to match each puppy or dog to the right home for them. That's why I don't allow my clients to choose their puppy, unless I feel that the one they want is the right choice for them. (Sometimes if I have a couple of pups that are similar in temperament I'll let them choose.) I take the information the client gives me on the puppy application and through discussions we have and choose the right puppy  or dog for them. 

Another big way to help your dog thrive in your home is to buy two pups. I feel very strongly that LGDs do best in pairs, and for good reasons that I have written about before. I will respect a client's wishes if they insist they can only have one dog, but just realize you may have problems because of it. Aggression is not likely to be an issue but a pup may be nervous and fearful in their new home, especially if they are older. If they are going with a littermate or another dog they know and are bonded to they usually adjust much better.

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Not Understanding the Breed or Choosing it for the Wrong Reason 

This one is so big that it needs a post of its own. I don't have time for that now but it's safe to say that most people who have problems with their LGDs probably either didn't fully understand the breed or type of dog they were getting, don't have a suitable home or situation for the dog, don't understand how to train and manage their dog (see all of the above) or really shouldn't own an LGD. They may have bought from an unscrupulous or ignorant backyard breeder who either offers no advice or the wrong advice.

​Or they may have bought their puppy from an excellent breeder who is willing and able to advise them, but they don't ask for help. Asking for help after things have escalated to extremes is better than not asking but as a breeder I would rather my clients ask me for help the first time they have an issue, however small, than wait until someone has gotten hurt. An ethical breeder will welcome your questions so don't be afraid to ask for help. 

And if you are still just thinking about buying a Livestock Guardian Dog make sure you do thorough research on the breed as well as any breeder you are considering buying a puppy from. You're not just buying a puppy. You're buying a partnership with your breeder for the life of your dog. Or you should be, so choose wisely!

Big Fluffy White Dogs - Look Before You Leap

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Recommended Resources for Aggression in Dogs

AggressiveDog.com

Books to Help Dogs With Aggessive, Fearful or Reactive Behavior

• The New Click to Calm​
• On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
• Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0
• Fired Up, Frantic and Freaked Out

Some Ways to Help Dogs With Aggression

Desensitization and Counterconditioning

• What is Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning in Dog Training?
• Counterconditioning & Desensitization: Changing an Emotional Response
• Desensitization and Counterconditioning for Fear
• The Right Way to Use Desensitization and Counterconditioning to Help a Fearful of Agressive Dog
• Counter-Conditioning and Desensitization (CC&D)
• Desensitization/Counterconditioning Resources
  

What is Flooding and Why to NOT Do it to Your Dog

• What Does Flooding Have To Do With Aggression In Dogs?
• Sink or Swim: 9 Ways You Might Be Flooding Your Dog
• Understanding Flooding & Learned Helplessness in Training
  

Hopefully you've found this info helpful. It's not an exhaustive list, by any means but these resources should get you started. I will add to this post as I find new resources.

Remember, if you are dealing with aggression in your Livestock Guardian Dog you do not have to go through it alone. If you bought your dog from us you already have lifetime training support. All you have to do is call, text or email me for help!

If you acquired your LGD from someone else we can still help. Just fill out the contact info below and we will be happy to advise you.

LGD Training Consultations