Fear aggression is very common among the dogs adopted from animal shelters and often stems from past abuses. These animals require rehabilation. Dogs with fear aggression appear scared even when there is nothing to trigger the fear. Try to observe that they may appear terrified of an approaching pedestrian, or of an object on the road side. Dogs respond to fear aggression by growling, shaking, tucking their tails between their legs, backing away from certain object or person, and they might urinate or defecating. The hair on their neck and rump will usually be erect. Animals with fear aggression is advisable to seek help from an animal behaviour specialist. Usually they require medication and a programme of desensitisation.

There are some temporary measures can be taken :-

• Try to avoid contact with stimuli that may trigger a fear response until help can be found
• Don't reward the fearful behaviour by patting the dog
• When the dog starts to relax, reward the relaxed behaviour

Preventing fear aggression :-
It is probably impossible to prevent fear aggression completely in genetically predisposed dogs. Early exposure to different environments and people and positive experiences associated with these may help.

Dogs that have possessive aggression are such as they refuse to return the owner's toy or object after stolen it from the owner. They may growl, snarl and even bite when pressed to return the item. Possessive aggression is quite dangerous where young children associates with the animal. You may use several tactics to prevent possessive aggression.

Preventing possessive aggression

• Avoid playing fighting games over toys with young puppies or older dogs
• Teach puppies to give up toys in exchange for rewards

Dogs showing food aggression may be dangerous to young children. Dogs with food aggression defend their food and growl constantly while eating. If they have a bone or biscuit, they may even lunge and bite anyone who passes close to them. It is easier and safer to feed dogs with food aggression in a separate and enclosed room. You may train them out from this bahavior by asking the dog to sit at a distance from its empty food bowl. Pick up the empty bowl, place a little food in it. Place the bowl on the ground and allow the dog to eat it. When the dog has finished, repeat the process. Eventually you should be able to hold the bowl while the dog eats from it. If the dog growls during any part of the procedure, stop the feeding.

Preventing food aggression :-
However, food aggression is a normal behavior because it is natural for dogs to protect their food. Puppies in large litters may rapidly learn to fight for a largre portion and to guard whatever they have. It is good to hand feed your puppies frequently from its bowl and to sit nearby while it eats.

Maternal aggression usually happens to the bitches who defend their puppies from intruders and on occassion that might have killed their puppies. Maternal aggression may also occur during false pregnancy when there is no prospect of puppies and toys are protected instead. To deal with maternal aggression, try these tactics :-

• Try to avoid disturbing the bitch during the first week of motherhood
• From then on, call her out from her place, attach a lead and walk her while someone esle changes the bedding
• Feed her on her return and leave her alone
• In cases of false pregnancy, remove the nest and toys while the bitch is out walking. Provide new interest to her but some bitches may need hormone treatment

Preventing maternal aggression :-
Bitches showing maternal aggression should be spayed as they are likely to behave this way with future litters and there appears to be an inherited tendency for this behavior.