Dog Overprotection Aggression

Dedicating yourself and showing love to your pet is essential to provide a healthy and happy creation. However, excessive humanization can lead to aggression for overprotection. This is dangerous for the animal and for people.

Overprotection aggression: the dangers of humanizing animals

First of all, it is necessary to understand that  when we humanize a pet, we fail to respect its nature. If we force or encourage the dog to behave like a human, we can generate organic and behavioral disorders.

It is not difficult to find examples of dangerous humanizations in the daily life of a domestic animal. And food is perhaps the most obvious aspect.

If we share our food with animals, the result will inevitably be negative. In the best case, we will substantiate an unconscious and inadequate training. We can also  cause serious pathologies in the animal’s digestive system and expose ourselves to the risk of contamination when we let them eat from our plate.

Clothing and accessories

Another clear example is the production of shoes for pets. Although they are aesthetically attractive, their effect is not always positive for the animal’s health. Among other things, because the fabric generally prevents the paws from perspiring and wearing out naturally in contact with the ground.

Humanization can also lead to character and/or behavior problems. And the worst thing is that humans themselves regret and want to correct this behavior later.

Overprotection aggression is a serious disorder  that is almost always linked to exaggerated humanization. Usually, they derive from the lack of limits in education, when the owner does not know how to differentiate his space and that of the animal.

Why do we overprotect our pets?

Overprotection starts when we project the image of an innocent baby onto our pet. We start to believe that the animal needs to be defended and kept away from any kind of external threat.

Even though it seems a demonstration of affection and good will,  excessive care marks the beginning of humanization. Overprotecting your pet will not increase its strength or stamina, but it will do the opposite. By preventing him from developing his instincts correctly, we will make him more vulnerable.

Why is it so difficult to treat animals like animals and humans like humans?

Most psychologists say this is a clear sign of the transformation of the concept of family. In the beginning, this phenomenon pointed to the individualism of our times, while nowadays the animal appears as the only point of union for many families.

However, this demonstrates the human difficulty in communicating and expressing feelings to others. So, it is normal for us to distrust the fidelity of human beings and consider animals to be more honest.

There are many psychological studies that indicate that this excessive devaluation ends up damaging our self-esteem and social skills.

How to avoid aggression by overprotection of dogs?

It is we, pet owners, who must take the first step to avoid aggression by overprotection in our dogs. This means stopping humanizing them and starting to establish boundaries between our moments and theirs.

Thus, the animal must learn to respect the spaces reserved for humans, and it all starts with small demonstrations. For example: don’t get him used to climbing into bed or ordering food at the table.

We must also take into account that animals have their own needs, ways of feeling and understanding the world. Its organism is not the same as ours, nor its language, nor forms of expression. By understanding this, we will be respecting our best friend, providing him with a better education.

Then we must work so that the dog understands that it is part of the family, but not the leader. A dog that assumes the role of alpha develops more easily aggressive behaviors, for wanting to protect “his herd”. So, usually, he will demonstrate his overprotection to other people and unknown animals.

To achieve this, it is essential to learn to say “no” in daily education. Like it or not, not consenting and denying it is necessary to train and teach people to live peacefully.

In this sense, many experts point to the importance of teaching basic commands and training the animal’s obedience. It’s also important to begin your socialization process during your first 20 weeks of life.

To optimize the learning process, it is essential to prefer positive reinforcement to reward good behaviors. And nullify any conduct of “corrective” violence.

Finally, it is necessary to remember that aggression for overprotection can appear in dogs of all breeds and ages. It is essential to pay attention to the animal’s behavior and educate it from its first weeks of life.