Dog aggression is both a welfare problem for the aggressive dog, who is often anxious and stressed, and for victims of bites, and is significantly undertreated due to stigma, cost, and lack of owner understanding of the condition.
Aggressive dogs are frequently misunderstood as dangerous animals that cannot be helped, when in reality most are anxious animals whose aggression is a symptom of fear, pain, or inadequate early experience. An aggressive dog living in a state of chronic anxiety — constantly vigilant, frequently stressed by triggers — has significantly compromised welfare regardless of whether biting incidents occur. Punishment-based approaches worsen aggression by increasing fear without addressing root causes. Effective treatment addresses the underlying emotional state rather than just the surface behavior, improving welfare for both the dog and its household.