Dog aggression has diverse causes requiring accurate assessment and humane management, with fear-based aggression the most common form and punishment the worst response.
Dog aggression is frequently misunderstood as dominance or defiance rather than recognised as fear or pain. Punitive responses including physical correction remove warning signals without addressing underlying causes, creating dangerous unpredictability. Welfare-appropriate management identifies underlying motivation — fear, pain, resource guarding, or social conflict — and addresses it through behaviour modification, management, and where appropriate, veterinary intervention. Dogs displaying aggression are often suffering and deserve welfare consideration alongside management.