Have you ever wondered why Fido always puts his paw over the leash when you put him in a down stay? Does Lola get aggressive every time someone wants to pet her? Why does the Australian Shepherd always have to sit where she can see every one in the room? Are these symptoms of dogs trying to take over leadership or are they dogs that like to control their environment?
Aggression is a communication to another animal or human that something's not right. It can happen for many different reasons- one of which I believe is control. Let's take Lola the Papillion for example. Lola has figured out that because she is afraid of people and has not been socialized properly, that she doesn't want anyone to pet her or pick her up. She will growl, nip or bite anyone who comes near her. Because of this, of course people will stand clear of the little dog with piranha-like teeth. Who can blame them? She controls the situation by acting out aggressively- keeping everyone at bay. Every time someone jumps back or gets scared, it only adds fuel to the fire. I like to call this type of aggression; control aggression, which has, in this case, originated out of fear.
Let's take the Australian Shepherd that has to lie down so she can always watch everyone in the room- is this loyal girl protecting her owners? I say it's an act of controlling the pack, herding the group- just like her ancestor wolves did when bringing down a large animal. The alpha male would start circling the prey singling out one animal from the bunch. With help from another wolf circling the group of prey in the opposite direction, they control the movement of the heard. Next, many more wolves move in to form a circle around the one unlucky Elk or Deer, etc. and now they have complete control to work as a group to bring the large animal down. What was an impossible job for one wolf becomes quite an easy task for many. Hence where the herding group gets their name.
Just like humans though, dogs need therapists and trainers too. This brings up the question- Are we really that different than our furry friends that lay on the floor? Actually, in some ways, no… Dogs are social creatures just like us and believe it or not, dogs share the same core set of DNA as humans do. We share similar diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, allergies, cataracts and even such things depression and obsessive compulsive disorders to name a few! Science is still working on exactly how dogs and humans differ and are alike behaviorally. Just like us though, dogs can be affectionate, controlling, fearful, happy, sad, manipulative, stressed out, over worked, playful, lonesome and excited also. So next time you see your best friend and loyal companion marking a fire hydrant, don't think you're all that different. Dog's have control issues too…