The Labrador Retriever continues to be the reigning Most Popular Breed in the U.S. for 30 years, based on the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) annual listing. This is testament to the breed’s stellar temperament and personality. With its natural friendliness, loyalty, gentle nature, and intelligence, it is no surprise that the Labrador is everyone’s “family dog”.
However, there are cases wherein aggressive behavior has been reported even in this gentle breed. What should you do if you happen to have an aggressive Labrador?
Here are the 10 things that you should know about aggression in Labrador Retrievers.
1) Are Labradors aggressive?
By nature, Labrador Retrievers are NOT aggressive. Labs are known for being gentle, friendly, playful (sometimes even goofy), loyal, and intelligent dogs. In a 2008 study on canine aggression, Labs were listed among the least aggressive breeds against humans and dogs. Their gentle and loving nature make them the ideal “family dogs” because they get along well with kids and other pets in the home.
2) How were Labradors developed to be non-aggressive?
If you look at the history of the Labrador, their ancestors were the working dogs known as St Johns Water Dogs. These dogs served to aid Newfoundland fishermen in retrieving nets and catching fish. English noblemen were impressed with the breed and brought them to England in the 1800s to become shooting dogs. Although the St Johns Water Dog eventually died out, breeders developed the Lab into the breed that we know today, taking extra care to preserve the very traits that they admired, and that includes its non-aggressiveness.
Suffice to say, Labs have been developed to be their humans’ loyal companion.
So, instead of asking if Labradors are aggressive by nature, the best question to ask is this…
3) Can Labradors become aggressive?
Yes, just like any other dog, a Labrador can become aggressive. Let’s get right to the point though. Aggression is still a normal behavior because it is a dog’s way of telling you or anything they perceive as a danger to them to back off. There are also times when a dog displays aggressive behavior because they are reacting to certain stimuli. This is called “reactivity” (which we shall discuss below).
If the stimuli that provoked the aggressive behavior is persistently applied, even a gentle dog like a Labrador can be pushed to its limit so that it attacks and bites.
4) What should I know about reactivity and aggression in Labradors?
Reactivity and aggression in Labradors are often mistaken by dog owners to be the same. In reality, they are not. Reactivity refers to a dog’s tendency to overreact to certain stimuli or situations. Reactivity can escalate into aggression if the stimuli/situation continues to trigger the dog.
You know that you have a reactive dog in your hand if they are easily triggered by certain factors, such as the presence of other dogs, children, and men with hats or beards. Even a dog’s leash can be a triggering factor, especially if they feel trapped or suffocated by it. Push the dog with these triggers and their overreactive behavior can lead to aggression.
5) What are the reasons why Labradors become aggressive?
Your Labradors can become aggressive due to a number of reasons, which include the following:
- Fear – Your Lab may be afraid that any person or other animal that approaches them will hurt them and thus become aggressive to protect themselves and maintain their safety.
- Pain – Aggression may be exhibited if your dog is feeling pain or is injured as they want to protect the body part that is hurting.
- Past trauma or stressors – This is especially true if the dog has experienced abuse at the hands of a former owner.
- Social aggression and Establishing dominance – This occur in households wherein other dogs are present so that your Lab becomes assertive to establish itself as the pack leader.
- Protecting their territory or possessions
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Leash aggression – This can be often seen in dogs who have been kept chained or leashed for long periods of time.
6) What are the warning signs of reactivity and aggression in Labradors?
You should be able to recognize the warning signs of both reactivity and aggression in your Labrador. In the case of reactivity, if you recognize your dog’s tendency to react to certain people, situations and other stimuli, by knowing the warning signs, you can already take the necessary steps in order to prevent escalation into aggression.
Warning Signs of Reactivity
Your dog is uncomfortable about the people and situation it is in when it presents with the following warning signs of reactivity:
- Turning or moving away from the person, animal, or situation
- Yawning
- Nose and lip licking
- Dilation of pupils
- Sudden scratching
- Sniffing
- Panting
Warning Signs of Aggression
If the above warning signs are ignored or if the trigger intensity is too high, your dog’s reactivity can progress to outright aggression.
- Growling that progresses to menacing barks
- Curling of the lip
- Teeth baring
- Rising of the hair at the back of the neck
- Piercing stare
- Nipping
- Snarling
- Lunging
- Snapping
- Biting
7) How do I properly deal with an aggressive Labrador?
If you are to properly deal with an aggressive Labrador, there are three specific goals that you need to keep in mind:
- That you should not attempt to suppress aggressive behavior as this will only make the situation worse
- That you should, instead, attempt to improve your dog’s self-control in triggering situations
- That you should remove the dog’s need for aggression by changing their behavioral and emotional responses to the factors that trigger them
Keeping these goals in mind, here are the ways by which you should properly deal with aggressive Labs:
- Reward them appropriately – Never give your dog a treat when it is aggressive because you are impressing in its mind that aggressive behavior will lead to more rewards. Instead, give it a treat when it is calm or responds to your command to “stay” or to “come”, especially when getting it away from a trigger.
- Always be patient – Dogs, including Labradors, are sensitive to your emotional state. You only increase their anxiety and aggression if you become anxious or overemotional.
- Give them lots of exercise and play games – Labradors are bundles of energy which need release. Allowing your dog to release their pent-up energy through exercise and games can help to prevent the building up of tension, anxiety and frustration which can lead to destructive and aggressive behaviors.
- Try your best to know and understand your dog – Be observant of your dog’s behavior. Identify all triggers that cause your dog to overreact and become aggressive. Do not be rough with them during these situations, but instead lead them away from the triggers.
- Establish your dominance – Teach your dog to recognize you as the leader through proper control and training. Never hurt your dog to assert your dominance. Use positive reinforcement and give rewards whenever appropriate.
- Socialize your dog – Take your dog out to meet new people and other dogs and animals. Start by walking them around the neighborhood. By letting them see how other people and pets are behaving, they would learn by observation the proper behavior that is expected of them. If they react, emphasize the commands “sit”, “stay”, “come”, or “leave it” so that they will know how to behave. As it gradually becomes accustomed to conditions during your walk, you can begin introducing your dog to one person or pet at a time, so as not to overwhelm them. Never force them your dog to interact if they feel uncomfortable.
8) Are there techniques for changing aggressive behavior in Labradors?
There are certain techniques that are being used by dog experts in changing aggressive behavior in dogs, such as:
- Desensitization and counter conditioning (DS/CC) – utilizes the principles of classical conditioning to transform the dog’s emotional responses to triggers from negative (aggression) to neutral or positive
- Behavior Adjustment Therapy (BAT) – wherein the aggressive dog is exposed at a distance to the trigger and, if it remains calm, the functional reward is to lead it or take it away from the trigger
- Constructional Aggression Treatment (CAT) – wherein the aggressive dog is continuously exposed to the trigger until it stops displaying aggressive behavior on its own
Of these three techniques, DS/CC is considered to be the most effective because it utilizes positive reinforcement through the giving of rewards for appropriate behavior.
9) How do I get help for an aggressive Labrador?
If you are having difficulties with an aggressive Labrador, start by consulting with your veterinarian. Take a video of your dog during aggressive moments as these may not be replicated in the vet’s clinic. Your vet may be able to identify if your dog is sick or has suffered an injury you don’t know about. If there are no identifiable illnesses or injuries in your dog, consider bringing your dog to a trainer with expertise in curbing aggressive behavior through positive reinforcement.
While Labs are gentle by nature, certain factors can trigger them to behave aggressively. Thankfully, aggressive behavior can be resolved through positive training and reinforcement and socialization.
