Lunging and biting are typical puppy behaviors that can happen due to excitement, boredom, frustration or even because the puppy is tired and needs a nap. It is most often just playful, affectionate, attention-seeking behavior, which means the pup has no malicious intent. That said, it can still be annoying or painful.
Dogs that are territorial are generally stressed or fear driven. They see another animal or human approaching as a threat. When dogs feel threatened, they either “flight, freeze or fight”. In this case, the “fight” triggers the lunge.
The most common causes include conflict aggression, fear-based, defensive aggression, status related aggression, possessive aggression, food guarding aggression and redirected aggression.
Understand Why Dogs Lunge
The least likely is aggression. Although rare, some dogs truly want to do harm. Fear is a far more common motivator. Using the “I'll get it before it gets me” strategy, dogs lunge to try to make the feared person, dog, or other object go away.
First, it's important to realize that the sudden onset of aggressive behavior may not be a sign of a significant personality change. Instead, it usually indicates a developmental stage of a dog's life. Every day, your dog learns new things and responds to new stimuli.
If the aggression is motivated by fear, punishment will only make the dog more fearful, and therefore more aggressive. Attempting to punish a pushy or controlling dog is likely to make his behavior even worse. In either case, the dog and owner end up in a vicious cycle of escalating aggression.
When your dog notices something or someone they would normally lunge at, call the dog's name. Then, offer the dog's favorite toy or a small treat when it looks at you. This teaches your dog to associate the person or car with attention or treats from you, which can prevent the dog from lunging.
Stay calm, and back away slowly. Instead of screaming, or yelling at the dog, speak to him in a soothing tone as you slowly back away. Don't make direct eye contact. Staring in the eyes of an aggressive dog may prompt him to attack.
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.
Most scientific studies indicate that it is very possible to rehabilitate a dog after they bite another dog or person.
Act like the alpha of the back and show him who is boss. Look him/her in the eye: When you give a command, look straight at your pet. Make sure he can see that you mean business and that it is not a command to be disobeyed. Always hold eye contact with your pet, no matter how big or small he or she is.
You can do this by modeling calm, relaxed behavior yourself: slow down your movements, blink your eyes softly, and stay quiet or speak only using low, slow tones. With practice, your pup will quickly learn to take their cues from you that it's times to take a break and settle down.
Dog aggression can be related to fear, prey drive, socialization issues, and guarding territory, among other things. Most aggressive behavior in dogs stems from fear and anxiety, rather than the desire to hurt others. A certified animal behaviorist can help you safely deal with your dog's aggressive behavior.
An aggressive growl will be accompanied by snarling and snapping, while a playful growl is just a sound, accompanied by relaxed body movements (no tension).
"The motivation for lots of dog bites is fear," he says. "Others are territorial - if they're guarding something that they highly value, or defending their favourite resting place, their bed... Or if they've learned to defend, say, a dog bowl - that can result in aggression."
Dogs that display dominant behavior feel that they must prove they're in charge of a situation. The growling, snapping, or biting occurs when they feel their position is being challenged. Unfortunately, people often mistake the cause of canine aggression as dominance-related behavior when there may be another cause.
In most cases, the best way to get a reactive dog ready for socializing is to slowly expose them to their triggers in a controlled environment and reward them with natural dog treats until they no longer react so strongly.
Simply put, our dogs want to be close to us after being left alone, and jumping up makes that a reality for them! Plus, it's just natural for them! Think about how they greet other dogs… it usually involves some face-to-face interaction!
Puppies (like toddlers) will jump, lunge, bark, chew, and chase because they are; excited, highly distractible, overstimulated, need to meet that dog or person, and/or want your attention!
Ignore him for 30 to 60 seconds. If your dog follows you or continues to bite and nip at you, leave the room for 30 to 60 seconds. (Be sure that the room is “dog-proofed” before you leave your dog alone in it. Don't leave him in an area with things he might destroy or things that might hurt him.)
For a dog who is acting out of fear or frustration (for example, a dog who is barking and lunging on leash), using the word 'no' to stop the behavior without helping to alleviate their fear or frustration will often lead to an escalation in behavior, such as growling, air snapping, or biting.
Dogs can also feel frustrated by being unable to reach something that they want because they are being held back by an owner or leash. Sometimes called redirecting or a redirected bite, dogs in some instances may turn and bite at what or whoever is holding them back.
They pay more attention to the tone and pitch of your voice. Yelling at your dog is more likely to confuse her and cause her to react in a hyper or aggressive way because she's trying to match your behavior.