Resource Guarding Due to Feeding Issues
Resource guarding is a type of aggression some dogs have when they are worried their food is going to be eaten by another animal or taken away. If this is happening at the doggy daycare, it’s important to speak to the staff to let them know it’s causing your dog to be aggressive.
Usually, dog daycare is accommodating to pet parents who request that their dogs be fed alone and have as much time as possible to eat. If your dog daycare isn’t open to doing that, it may not be a good fit for your pup.
The other issue may be if you have a new dog in the home that has been stealing food for your dog suddenly aggressive at daycare, the anger of that could be flowing over into that environment, too.
Learn More: Dog Guarding Food But Not Eating
If there’s been a lot of new dogs and new people at the dog daycare center, your dog may be overstimulated. An overstimulated dog can become aggressive because they are stressed out.
Again, call the dog daycare center to ask if there have been new dogs or people working that may be the answer to your dog’s behavioral issues.
If your pup has just started doggie daycare, the new environment may be causing behavioral issues. This is also a reason for overstimulation as well. With a new environment, there’s a lot to learn and take in, so it causes overstimulation. An overstimulated dog almost always acts differently after daycare.
Ask the daycare if your dog can have a safe space to calm down throughout the day. This may be a kennel that is away from other dogs for a little while, just so your furry friend can ease into being with all of the other dogs.
If your dog’s daycare often has loud noises, such as construction, constant barking dogs, or people yelling, that could be the cause of canine aggression. This is especially true if your dog is used to being at home in a quiet, peaceful environment.
If the daycare environment can be changed, that’s great. If not, it may be a good idea to start looking for a new one. It may take you a little bit to find a new daycare environment, but it will be worth it.
If you’ve recently welcomed a new bundle of joy into your home, your dog may be acting out at daycare because of it. A new baby is a big deal to dogs. They may feel as though they have been replaced or they may feel as though they should be at home to protect the baby.
You can make the transition of having a new family member better by giving your pup as much extra love as possible. It may take a while for your dog to become comfortable with the baby (3 months for some dogs), so hang in there.
Few people associate doggie day care with aggression problems; after all, daycare is a place for happy-go-lucky dogs, right? However, many canine behavioral experts disagree with the advertised virtues of day care, on the basis that they can cause – as opposed to prevent – aggression in animals. Listed here are three reasons that day care can contribute to aggression issues in your dog.
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Becoming a certified animal behavioral specialist or dog trainer requires years of schooling and countless hours in the field. Many doggie daycares are staffed by well-meaning animal lovers who are not be well-versed in recognizing the signs of stress, anxiety, fear, and dominance in animals. Additionally, many day cares have poor dog-to-supervisor ratios, meaning that one person is in charge of too many animals. Therefore, dogs quickly learn that in order to receive attention from a human, they must behave in an extreme manner. Snapping, growling, snarling, and other dangerous, aggressive behaviors become the sole way for animals to communicate their emotions, while lesser (but equally important) signals such as a tail between the legs or uncontrolled trembling go unnoticed.
In a perfect situation, dogs at daycare would be paired with animals of similar size, age, socialization, play style, and training. In practice, however, this scenario is not feasible in most situations. Therefore, your well-trained, well-socialized dog might find him or herself in a play group with an untrained, unsocialized, under-exercised, and over-stimulated animal (or ten). When overcrowding is not an issue, these animals will naturally form smaller groups. However, the variation of personalities in conjunction with overcrowding, which is typical for most doggie day cares, can result in personality clashes with no way for the bullied dog to escape. The end result is a fearful animal that learns to lash out – both at home and around other dogs – when he or she is uncomfortable.
When dogs are at dog daycare they are generally expected – and encouraged – to play non-stop. Even when a dog decides to take a break, he or she either cannot find an area to rest due to overcrowding, or the animal is roused to play by other pets or humans. Down time is necessary for dogs, even for the most active and playful pets. When doggie daycares do provide rest breaks, the overstimulation caused by barking dogs can add an additional level of stress to your pet’s day. Dogs that are stressed out, tired, and fearful are the ones that are most likely to become reactive when they have had enough.
New Dog in the Home
There’s also a chance that your dog is suddenly aggressive at daycare because of a new dog or other pet in the house. Just like with a new baby, your furry friend may believe he/she has been replaced. The added stress of the daycare environment can cause aggression to come out.
Give your first pup some time to get used to another dog (or pet) in the family. There’s an adjustment period that most dogs have to go through. The good news is that it will get better.
Also, remember that a new dog may bring along some new behaviors your dog may adopt – that includes aggression. A local trainer may be needed to help both dogs stop their aggressive responses.
Doggy Day Care Is a TERRIBLE IDEA!?
Your dog has been going to daycare for a while, but his/her behavior has changed – your dog is suddenly aggressive at daycare. Understanding what is causing the change in dog behavior and learning how to stop the aggressive behavior is important. Dog Ownership Guide is here to help with both.