Animal Behavior

Safe Handling of Reactive & Aggressive Dogs in the Pet Care Facility

By Chrissy Capacchione

Photos provided by Chrissy Capacchione

While most dogs are friendly and enjoy socializing with people and other dogs, eventually, we will encounter those that are not. Pet care facilities are a stimulating environment. They are loud, full of many barking dogs, lots of smells and strange people.
Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that such an environment has the potential to trigger reactive or aggressive behaviors in certain dogs.

Reactivity and aggression can be standard communication for dogs. However, when such displays are directed towards humans or other dogs in a daycare setting or during boarding, this is both undesirable and problematic behavior. Pet care facility owners and employees must be prepared to manage these behaviors in a safe and effective way. Through training, practice and everyday situations, handlers can gain experience and develop necessary skills to successfully work with and care for dogs of all types.

Understanding Reactivity and Aggression

The causes of reactivity and aggression are many. Just like people, each dog has had their own unique life experiences, resulting in both positive and negative outcomes. As a byproduct of their past experiences, dogs can become primed to respond to certain stimuli in a manner that shows how they perceive it.
Causes of Reactivity and Aggression in Dogs styled typography
  • Prey Drive
  • Territory
  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • Frustration
  • Dominance
  • Maternal
  • Disease/Illness/Pain
  • Leash Aggression
  • Trauma
  • Behavioral Problems
  • Resource Guarding
Here are some common types of aggression/reactivity and how they may be displayed:

  • Territorial: This would be directed towards someone or something that enters or approaches the area which the dog considers their territory, such as their owner’s property or even their enclosure at a boarding facility.
  • Possessiveness/Resource Guarding: This behavior is directed towards a person, dog or other animal that causes the dog to feel threatened by the removal of valued articles, such as food or toys.
  • Pain-Related: This would be behavior directed towards someone or something due to the dog being in discomfort or pain.
  • Predatory: This behavior is normally towards another animal the dog views as prey; however, a dog can demonstrate this behavior towards a person. The goal of predatory behavior is to capture, kill and devour the object of prey.
  • Redirection: This is secondary behavior resulting from another source of reactivity or aggression that heightens arousal, which can be caused by any source. When the dog is unable to reach the original source causing its arousal, they become frustrated and their focus shifts to another object, person or animal. They will then redirect their reactive or aggressive behavior to their new focus.
  • Fear/Anxiety: This presents when a dog feels nervous or afraid, causing the dog to be concerned about the potential of experiencing an uncertain or unpleasant outcome and wanting to distance itself from the stimulus, which can result in the display of aggressive or reactive behavior.
While reactivity involves heightened arousal, aggression involves conflict and harm. When a dog engages in reactive behavior, it aims to increase the space between itself and the object or thing it feels threatened by. Dogs who are displaying reactivity respond more intensely and quickly to stimuli compared dogs not behaving reactively. Ultimately, reactivity can become a gateway for aggressive behavior.
There are also other emotions which can provoke reactive behavior, including frustration and excitement. When a dog is being reactive, they are experiencing a heightened emotional state which causes the areas of their brain responsible for reasoning to shut down, leaving the door open for their instinctual behavior to take over. This can be compared to the flight, fight or freeze response in humans.

Safely and effectively handling reactive or aggressive behavior begins through recognizing and being alert to its warning signs. Behaviors and body language to look out for include avoiding eye contact with the perceived threat, lip-licking, flattening of ears, crouching, tail-tucking, stiffening of the body, freezing, growling, snapping and, finally, biting.

When a dog is being reactive, they are experiencing a heightened emotional state which causes the areas of their brain responsible for reasoning to shut down, leaving the door open for their instinctual behavior to take over.
Importance of Evaluations
When considering accepting a new client and their pet to use your services, a behavior evaluation can be helpful to discover how the dog may react to the environment. The purpose of an evaluation is to check the dog’s ability to safely interact with other dogs and people, therefore reducing the risk of injury to themselves and others.

It may be helpful to ask potential clients to fill out a questionnaire in order to divulge any pertinent information about their pet’s past history before scheduling an evaluation in person. It is especially important to discuss if the owner is aware of any past or present behavioral problems their dog may struggle with.

During an intake evaluation, introduce the new dog to others that are calm and interactive. Observe their reactions when engaging with new dogs. Do they seem relaxed and happy interacting with new peers right away, or do they appear a bit unsure at first but soon settle into the routine? Or, do they become reactive and begin showing warning signs pointing to the likelihood of aggressive behavior?

The conclusion of the evaluation may include introducing toys and food to check for resource-guarding behaviors. Recording the outcome of the evaluation and personality traits will alert staff to any potential risks or situations to avoid while also assisting in placing them in the most appropriate playgroups. Creating a play group of dogs whose personalities complement one another not only reduces the potential of incident risks but also gives them the best opportunity for a fun-filled experience.

Conduct the evaluation away from the dog’s owner. If the dog becomes aggressive or displays dangerous behavior when separated from the owner or during any other part of the evaluation, immediately stop the process. Respectfully and clearly inform the owner about the outcome of the evaluation and any reasons why their dog is not a good fit for your facility. While this may not be the answer they want to hear, it is unacceptable to knowingly risk the wellbeing of other clients’ dogs and the safety of employees.

Slip Lead Handling Methods
Slip Leads are an effective tool to have available at all pet care facilities. Usually made from a rope or leather material, a slip lead is a collar and leash in one. When a dog needs to be caught quickly, the design of the slip lead allows the handler to swiftly place a large loop over the dog’s head, then tighten it by pulling it taught to prevent slipping. This provides the user the security to handle reactive and aggressive dogs without running the risk that they will slip out of a potentially ill-fitting collar.
red and blue lead laying on grass
Fig 1) A regular lead can be attached to the part of a slip lead that tightens and loosens to allow the handler to be able to easily release a reactive or aggressive dog without having to be any closer than necessary. The dog handler simply has to pull the regular lead, which will immediately loosen the slip lead so it can be easily removed.

Fig 2) If faced with a dog redirecting its behavior towards a handler, thandler can place both hands on the slip lead and push outwards from their torso while moving their body in the opposite direction of their hands. This will create space between the handler and the dog.

woman holding blue lead above dog's head
By understanding the numerous triggers of reactivity and aggression in dogs—especially those which present in the boarding or daycare environment—canine handlers are better prepared to proactively avoid certain stimuli with reactive or aggressive dogs that could create an unsafe situation. And when faced with a dog actively exhibiting these behaviors, adept handlers are able to competently react to such situations, reducing the likelihood of a negative outcome.
Resources:
  1. Aggression. ASPCA. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/aggression
  2. Martin, DVM, Diplomate, ACVB, K., & Buzhardt, DVM, L. Aggression in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/fear-vs-aggression
  3. Reinecker, D. (2014, June 26). Redirected dog aggression explained in simple terms. David Reinecker | Dog Trainer and Behavior expert. https://davidreinecker.com/dog-aggression/redirected-dog-aggression-explained-in-simple-terms
  4. RP, T. (2020, July 8). Dog temperament tests: Best practices for daycares. Revelation Pets. https://www.revelationpets.com/blog/dog-temperament-tests
  5. Gibeault, MsC, CPDT, S. (2024, February 21). Dog Reactivity: Understanding the difference between reactivity and aggression. American Kennel Club. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/reactivity-vs-aggression/
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