Corrected On A Technicality Re: Fearful Behaviour

[Guest Willow]

I was corrected by someone last week for using the term "fear aggression" when describing a dogs behaviour, and was told the correct term is "fearful behaviour leading to aggression" as technically, a fearful dog is not aggressive, it is fearful, but it may be driven (in the blink of an eye) to aggression if pushed.

I was told that the term "fear aggression" is technically incorrect, as the fear stage & aggression stage are seperate "emotions" alhtough one can rapidly follow the other. Is this person being pedantic, or is the term "fear aggression" an incorrect term to use?

I understand the difference between the two, but I would love other people's opinions on whether the actual phrase "fear aggression" is incorrect.

[PAX]

I have no real clue but I call one of my dogs 'fear aggressive', she will lunge at unknown dogs that eye ball her or even want to be friendly, she is just so frightened of other dogs she acts tough to deter (I beleive) them. I know if let loose with them she only would air snap and then if confronted would roll on her her back and pee. It makes no difference to me, her behaviour is not acceptable and something I have to fix so I don't think it matters what it's called.

Sorry not much help for your question.

[huski]

I was corrected by someone last week for using the term "fear aggression" when describing a dogs behaviour, and was told the correct term is "fearful behaviour leading to aggression" as technically, a fearful dog is not aggressive, it is fearful, but it may be driven (in the blink of an eye) to aggression if pushed.

I was told that the term "fear aggression" is technically incorrect, as the fear stage & aggression stage are seperate "emotions" alhtough one can rapidly follow the other. Is this person being pedantic, or is the term "fear aggression" an incorrect term to use?

I understand the difference between the two, but I would love other people's opinions on whether the actual phrase "fear aggression" is incorrect.

I use the term fear aggression. Regardless of the 'type' of aggression it is still aggression. It is still a dog reacting to a trigger and exhibiting aggression accordingly. That's how I understand it anyway!

[Guest Willow]

I was corrected by someone last week for using the term "fear aggression" when describing a dogs behaviour, and was told the correct term is "fearful behaviour leading to aggression" as technically, a fearful dog is not aggressive, it is fearful, but it may be driven (in the blink of an eye) to aggression if pushed.

I was told that the term "fear aggression" is technically incorrect, as the fear stage & aggression stage are seperate "emotions" alhtough one can rapidly follow the other. Is this person being pedantic, or is the term "fear aggression" an incorrect term to use?

I understand the difference between the two, but I would love other people's opinions on whether the actual phrase "fear aggression" is incorrect.

I use the term fear aggression. Regardless of the 'type' of aggression it is still aggression. It is still a dog reacting to a trigger and exhibiting aggression accordingly. That's how I understand it anyway!

Well, that's what I would have thought too Huski!!!

[Steve K9Pro]

K9: sounds like the person that corrected you was full of their own self importance.

[Erny]

I 'categorise' fearful behaviour as "fear aggression" mainly because I will 'treat' it similarly and because it has the potential to escalate to aggression in a heart beat. I don't tend to use the same description as your 'friend' suggested and if I'm talking to colleagues simply describing the dog as "fearful" is (IMO) generally sufficient for them to understand the dog as one who has not exhibited aggression yet but has the very real potential to do so.

If I'm not talking to people who I think would otherwise know, I do explain the dog's fear can very easily lead to aggression (and this is what we don't want because ..... blah, blah, blah).

But if a dog is fearful yet has only exhibited flight rather than fight, I generally would not describe it to someone as being "fear aggressive" as this would IMO paint the wrong or at least inaccurate picture. When you use the word "aggressive" it depicts a dog who has gone into a defensive emotion.

Edited February 24, 2009 by Erny

[huski]

I 'categorise' fearful behaviour as "fear aggression" mainly because I will 'treat' it similarly and because it has the potential to escalate to aggression in a heart beat. I don't tend to use the same description as your 'friend' suggested and if I'm talking to colleagues simply describing the dog as "fearful" is (IMO) generally sufficient for them to understand the dog as one who has not exhibited aggression yet but has the very real potential to do so.

If I'm not talking to people who I think would otherwise know, I do explain the dog's fear can very easily lead to aggression (and this is what we don't want because ..... blah, blah, blah).

But if a dog is fearful yet has only exhibited flight rather than fight, I generally would not describe it to someone as being "fear aggressive" as this would IMO paint the wrong or at least inaccurate picture. When you use the word "aggressive" it depicts a dog who has gone into a defensive emotion.

But if it has exhibited a fight response you would call it fear aggression?

[Kelpie-i]

Ditto to what Erny said.

In a conversational aspect and to simply describe a dog that is acting aggressively, I don't see anything incorrect about calling it fear aggression. After all, it is aggression brought on by fear just as territorial aggression is aggression brought on by protecting territory.

The person who told you this is what I term "one who splits hairs". :D

Edited February 24, 2009 by Kelpie-i

[persephone]

I always call it fearful aggression .That's what I was taught...

[Tonymc]

Have to agree with Steve. Tony

[Erny]

But if it has exhibited a fight response you would call it fear aggression?

Actually, if it exhibits any of the smallest of early warning signs to defensiveness onset I would refer to it as fear aggressive. (Eg. Stillness; still eye; etc.).

But if someone describes to me a dog as "fear aggressive" (and assuming they've asked me for opinion), I don't think I tend to pull them up on their description when, after me asking if the dog has actually aggressed towards anyone/animal or appeared threatening, they answer "no". If that person was in a teaching capacity though, I probably would, assuming the opportunity to do so was appropriate.

Edited February 24, 2009 by Erny

[huski]

But if it has exhibited a fight response you would call it fear aggression?

Actually, if it exhibits any of the smallest of early warning signs to defensiveness onset I would refer to it as fear aggressive. (Eg. Stillness; still eye; etc.).

But if someone describes to me a dog as "fear aggressive" (and assuming they've asked me for opinion), I don't think I tend to pull them up on their description when, after me asking if the dog has actually aggressed towards anyone/animal or appeared threatening, they answer "no". If that person was in a teaching capacity though, I probably would, assuming the opportunity to do so was appropriate.

Thanks for your explanation Erny. I get what you are saying about a fearful dog vs one who has actually acted on that fear with aggression. Although I am inclined to think the actual term of the behaviour itself is not that important, compared to how you deal with the problem!

[Erny]

... I am inclined to think the actual term of the behaviour itself is not that important, compared to how you deal with the problem!

Absolutely !

[Guest Willow]

Thank you for the responses everyone, I feel less "stupid" now

Just to clarify, the dog In question had displayed fearful behaviour & then bitten a dog who didn't back away quickly enough.

[Erny]

Just to clarify, the dog In question had displayed fearful behaviour & then bitten a dog who didn't back away quickly enough.

.... Then I don't know what the person who pulled you up on what you said was talking about. By the above, that is something I would describe as "fear Aggression".

[corvus]

Well, I think that this person is correct in that technically it is fear leading to aggression more than it is fearful aggression, but fearful aggression is, IMO, a technically correct way to describe the aggression that fear has led to.

It's all very silly, though. Communication is useless if other people don't understand what you are talking about. Perhaps if I were in the business I would insist on calling it fearful aggression or fear that may lead to aggression, but when all is said and done if other people think I'm talking about something different to what they would call fear aggression, then what's the point in me using a different term except to flaunt my different view? If that mean I have to explain exactly what I mean when talking to other people that use the other term, then I'm wasting a lot of time and probably annoying people, so I may as well just say fear aggression.

[Guest Willow]

K9: sounds like the person that corrected you was full of their own self importance.