Rage syndrome can be managed, but not cured, so that means that all of your family members have to be aware that episodes of rage can happen again. You want to make sure everyone knows what warning signs to look for that might signal an aggressive episode.
Treatment may include medication, behaviour modification, and environmental changes. Responsible dog ownership, early socialisation, basic training, and regular veterinary care can help reduce the risk of aggression.
The behavior associated with Rage Syndrome includes outbursts of aggression that are intense and at times unpredictable. These episodes also tend to be large dramatic responses relative to a seemingly benign situation. Affected dogs often freeze, stare, and may rapidly escalate to biting.
The causes of rage syndrome are genetic in nature, and some dog breeds are far more likely to develop this problem than others. Springer Spaniels are particularly linked with the syndrome, but Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, and Dobermans are also breeds that may be more likely to have rage syndrome.
Certain breeds seem more prone to suffer from rage syndrome, including Cocker and Springer Spaniels (hence the once-common terms – Spaniel rage, Cocker rage, and Springer rage), Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Lhasa Apsos.
However, there's no guarantee that an aggressive dog can be completely cured. In many cases, the only solution is to manage the problem by limiting a dog's exposure to the situations, people or things that trigger her aggression. There's always risk when dealing with an aggressive dog.
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is an impulse-control disorder characterized by sudden episodes of unwarranted anger. The disorder is typified by hostility, impulsivity, and recurrent aggressive outbursts.
Though many dogs maintain a cheerful disposition throughout their lives, a combination of factors related to aging can lead to “grumpy dog syndrome,” the unofficial term for the phenomenon of a dog exhibiting an increase in aggression due to the combined effects of aging.
Like humans, dogs go through a rebellious “teenager” phase (around 5 months to 18 months). During this time, they'll often test their owners, seeing what they can get away with. Being firm and consistent with your training will help establish boundaries.
Probably the most notorious breed on this list, the pit bull has a reputation for unpredictability and aggression, even against its owner or his family. State and local governments have been vigorous in restricting ownership of this dog with breed-specific legislation.
The life of a dog suffering from fear aggression can be very hard, but many of them do just fine if they are with one owner or a family that they can trust. If you want to introduce them to a new person, it can be done if that person is willing to give them treats and allow the dog to approach at their own pace.
The results demonstrated no reduction in aggressive behavior after surgical castration and a significant increase in dog-directed aggressive behavior after chemical castration. By contrast, other studies seem to suggest that gonadectomy prevents or improves the aggressive behavior of dogs.
For some animals, training along with behavior modification may be the right thing. For other pets, treatment with antianxiety medications may be needed along with behavior modification. Treatment is very individualized and needs to be tailored to the pet and the conditions that cause the pet to be fearful or anxious.
There are multiple reasons that a dog may exhibit aggression toward family members. The most common causes include conflict aggression, fear-based, defensive aggression, status related aggression, possessive aggression, food guarding aggression and redirected aggression.
Desensitization involves gradually exposing the dog to the thing that triggers the aggressive behavior, starting at a level that does not elicit a response. From there, the level of exposure is gradually increased until the dog is no longer reactive.
Can a Dog That Bites Ever Be Trusted Again? With enough patience and care, many dogs can learn how to manage their stress levels more effectively. As you build better communication skills with your dog, you'll also start to rebuild your trust with them.
Use sedatives or anxiety medications.
We have several patients who are given a trazodone dose before coming to the vet. They don't stop being aggressive, but now we can handle them better and they remember less.
By about two years of age, many dogs have reached the full extent of whatever aggression they have in them, and there may be a dogfight or biting incident around this time.
Not all anger is linked to anxiety, but often if individuals take a step back and uncover what is triggering their anger, they may discover that they are showing signs of fear and panic, which may be the root of an anxiety disorder.
While anger is not commonly a symptom that is associated with anxiety, there is evidence to suggest that when a person has an anxiety disorder, the rate and intensity of their anger can increase [source].
Road rage, domestic abuse, throwing or breaking objects, or other temper tantrums may be signs of intermittent explosive disorder.
While most dogs are well-suited to life with their human companions, not all are. Aggressive dogs can cause serious harm to you, your family and anyone else you come across in some situations. Dog aggression can be dealt with, but it takes a lot of training, patience, understanding and caution.
As already mentioned, management and behavioral modification can be extremely effective in dealing with aggression. They require vigilance, effort, and patience, but with the help of a professional, like an animal behaviorist or veterinary behaviorist, you can make great strides with your dog.
A few widespread types of anti-anxiety medications used for treating dog aggression include Anafranil, Clomicalm, and Buspirone. For dogs with less extreme cases of anxiety, Buspirone is generally the go-to medication.