Is It Narural Animal Instincts To Bully Older Weaker Dogs

Introduction

Because it is inherent in most people to feel compassion, nosotros are perplexed when our dogs do things that seem to indicate a "killer" instinct. Attacking and destroying toys is a harmless outworking of an innate prey bulldoze instilled in animals to help preserve the species. We understand that there was a time when animals had to source and impale their own food to survive. That makes sense to the states. What is more puzzling, and fifty-fifty frightening, is when nosotros witness a dog attacking an animal that is old, injured, or sick. Our nature tells us to protect those who are weak and vulnerable, just human nature varies dramatically from that of what is instinctual in a domestic dog. It is troubling behavior for an owner to witness, simply for your dog, it is quite normal and even advisable. Information technology helps to empathise that in that location are feasible reasons why dogs choose to engage in this action though witnessing it does cause us dandy business concern. Why do dogs assail other dogs that are old, sick, or injured?

The Root of the Behavior

If you take ever witnessed a dog attacking another member of its canine family, information technology is frightening indeed. It'south even more frightening when the canis familiaris that was attacked seemed to do nothing to deserve it. As an owner, it causes you to leap to conclusions. Did I miss something? Is my dog actually an ambitious canis familiaris? Will these 2 dogs ever be able to live in the same household peaceably again? These are all normal questions to enquire yourself after witnessing a canis familiaris set on.

Charles Darwin wrote near survival of the fittest, and this theory certainly finds evidence in canine behavior. Dogs are descended from the wolf family and much of their innate makeup tin can be traced back to this heritage. Though today, we alive with dogs that are far removed from the original wolf and his place in gild, many of those instincts designed to ensure canine survival remain present in our dogs. Instinct cannot exist denied. A dog selectively bred over years to help his possessor on a hunt will still exhibit these traits fifty-fifty if his purpose in his new dwelling has inverse. A leopard cannot change its spots, and a domestic dog cannot deny thousands of years of genetics who have made him who and what he is. Then though some of our furry friends' behaviors can give us crusade for concern in terms of living in domesticity, it does not mean that those actions are wrong or fifty-fifty abnormal from the perspective of the canine.

Often this behavior rears its ugly head when two dogs who have lived in harmony for many years suddenly have a spat. Nearly ofttimes it is a younger canis familiaris attacking an older one or one who is physically compromised in some way. Why does this happen? The answers aren't clearcut, for certain. Many assume that since wolves traveled and hunted in packs that a sick, injured, or old family unit member just slowed downwards and drew unwanted attention to the group as a whole. Since canine survival was dependent on remaining condom from predators and ensuring a plentiful food supply, dogs that could non contribute to protecting and hunting for the pack were eliminated then every bit non to bleed or crave additional resources. Though this is certainly possible, information technology is far more than likely that there is some sort of physiological change in the vulnerable dog that sets off this ancient reaction in its housemate.

Encouraging the Behavior

Nosotros cannot change the fact that our dogs volition historic period and suffer from illnesses and life-changing ailments throughout their lives. This means that at some bespeak your dog could become the target of an attack within your own household if you have more than 1 dog in your dwelling. Things like seizures or fifty-fifty a change in torso or brain chemistry can elicit a strong assail response from dogs in your home that are normally very placid and who get along well with all of their canine brothers and sisters. Dogs react strongly to changes in smell, advent, and behavior of other dogs. Things similar kidney affliction or diabetes can crusade a vulnerable dog and his urine to smell differently. Witnessing a seizure is frightening to a human, only to a canis familiaris, information technology is unidentifiable, odd behavior and is a reason for an attack. Even the uncomplicated human activity of falling down a set up of stairs tin lead to a dogfight.

While we do not want to encourage this behavior in our dogs in any manner, there is trivial nosotros tin practise to alter instinct. What we can do is understand the "whys" behind it and take every precaution to protect our erstwhile, sick, or injured dog. The best matter we tin can do to prevent these things from happening is to stay enlightened of the potential issues and to supervise all dog interactions. If you cannot be there to actively watch your vulnerable dog when he is with other dogs, it is all-time to crate him in a comfortable location where he tin can residual without fear of conflict. To allow him sufficient time with yous, you tin can besides rotate crate fourth dimension then that the younger canis familiaris as well has some placidity time in his crate to permit your older domestic dog the condolement laying on the sofa with you for awhile while you lot sentinel Idiot box.

Conclusion

Canine behavior is fascinating. Considering it can exist so strange to our own instincts, it tin can also be frightening. If normally friendly Fido all of a sudden attacks elderly Fifi, it is upsetting and scary, for sure. Every bit much equally nosotros dislike it, Fido is merely doing what comes naturally to him to do. As loving owners, the best we tin can do for our pets is endeavor to empathise what makes them tick and to set them up for success by ensuring that all canine interactions are supervised. As the old adage goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"