Aggression
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What it means for a dog to be “aggressive” with other dogs
First, a distinction that changes everything. What most people call aggression is in fact reactivity: an exaggerated, uncontrolled reaction to a trigger, barking, lunging, pulling, growling, that rarely carries any real intent to cause harm. True aggression (the intent to bite and injure) is far rarer than people think. Why does this matter? Because the approach differs according to the cause, and anyone who treats every case the same way fails badly. A dog that is reactive out of fear needs the opposite of a dog that is reactive out of frustration.
