Defining what aggression means is not easy,
because there are so many variables associated with what is a highly complex behavior.
But by investigating the function served by an aggressive act as well as why it occurs
and what result it achieves from the dog’s point of view, we can begin to gain a better understanding.
At its core, aggressive behavior addresses the dog’s need to increase distance from a perceived danger
and includes threat and action displays, ranging from a subtle lip lift to a deep bite.
In most cases the intention is not so much to harm as it is to change the “threat’s” behavior by making it go away.