Where Does Your Dog Sleep by Mary Mazzeri

I’d like to talk to you about two types of aggression, the cause of which often starts in the home. These type of aggression are called protective aggression, where the dog ‘protects’ its owner and goes after other people or animals who come near them, and possessive aggression, where the dog claims Alpha status over the owner or a member of the household.

Over-Protective Aggression

Whenever I have to deal with a case of protective aggression in a dog, I always ask where the dog sleeps at night even though I am sure what the reply will be: “Oh, my dog sleeps in my bed.”

It is then necessary to explain how and why the dog has started to become protectively aggressive. If a dog has even the slightest bit of aggression in it, that aggression will be promoted whenever it is held in the owner’s arms or held back on a short leash. It will also worsen if the owner bends down and cuddles the dog. When the owner is lying down, the dog takes on a more protective role, just as it would if it was protecting its puppies, if it had any. This might be seen when an owner is lying in the park on a fine summer day and the dog is very close at hand. A stranger may pass by, whereupon the dog will leap aggressively to ‘protect’ his owner who is still lying down.

This problem usually starts in the bedroom then goes further. The car is usually the next place. Once again the owner is sitting down and is with the dog in a very confined space. If any stranger comes near the car when it is stationary, the dog gets itself worked up. Later, the dog reacts in other places, such as when he or she is passing people on the sidewalk.

The same thing can develop if a dog sleeps next to its owner’s bed. It probably won’t show signs of aggression until the puppy reaches the age of around seven months. The answer to this problem once again is to prevent such behavior from developing in the first place, for when it does, it usually becomes progressively worse in a short time. To play it safe, don’t have your dog sleeping with you or your children in the bedroom. By all means have the dog in some other area of the house such as the kitchen, family or laundry room and get it used to sleeping there. Provided this bad habit has not existed for too long, the chances of reversing it are quite good.

Territorial/Possessive Aggression

The other type of aggression also manifests after the dog has been allowed to sleep in some member of the family’s bed or to be on furniture. This dog is generally more dominant to begin with and usually demanding in temperament. It is first noticed when the dog is asked to vacate the couch or bed and it just ignores the request. This progresses to muttering, then grumbling, then growls, snarls, snaps….well, you get the picture. Usually I get the call when the owner has spent the night on the couch because ‘the dog wouldn’t allow me in bed!” In general, there is a poor relationship between the owner and dog. A permissive attitude often exists and confrontations have been avoided, to the point where the dog assumes a great deal of authority in the household. This may also manifest in other areas, such as the food bowl or around toys. Generally such an arrangement suffices until someone inadvertently steps over some invisible line which the dog has drawn and gets bitten. Several recent case histories involve clients whose dogs bit them when they bent down to pick up a napkin or bit of food that they had dropped.

Now some of you reading this might argue that they have always had their dogs sleeping with them in their bedrooms, and have never experienced any kind of aggression. This may well be true. Naturally, the genetic potential must be there. How will you know this ahead of time? You won’t! So I advise dog owners to prevent it before it begins. Preventing a problem from developing is always easier than trying to correct one that already exists.

Training your dog is the first important step toward establishing a healthy relationship with your canine companion.[1]