Sometimes a dog's fearfulness is obvious. Perhaps he lays his ears back, tucks his tail between his legs and hides behind his owner when visitors come into the home. Or maybe he refuses to approach a stranger closely enough to get a treat. However, the symptoms of fearfulness sometimes can be deceptive and look more like aggression: growling, raised hackles, and even biting. A dog's fear may be a response to any number of stimuli, including humans, other dogs, bicycles, etc.

In our modern world it seems as though the media is full to capacity with dog owners wanting to find the answers to cure their pet's behaviour. Everybody appears to live within the confined boundaries of their family's busy and hectic life. Breakfast is rushed, the commute, the school run, shopping trips, social activities and yet more and more households still wish to own a trusted companion.

When people think of living their perfect lifestyle, there is always the picture in their minds of the family group, made complete by the adorable dog sitting by their side.

Aggressive dogs may exhibit only threats such as growling, posturing or snapping, but aggression can lead to a serious bite to a human. It is important to seek advice from your veterinarian at the first signs of aggression so that appropriate actions can be taken. There are many causes of aggression in dogs:

When an owner deliberately spoils a dog or unintentionally rewards him for barking, the dog quickly learns how to get attention. For example, a dog barks because he is startled, and the owner reaches down and pets the dog to assure him that all is well. The dog perceives the petting and consoling as a reward for barking. Thus he barks whenever he wants attention.

 Attention-getting barking can be corrected, provided that the owner is determined to unspoil the dog. Let's create a fictitious scenario and the solution to the problem it produces. This problem is common to small dogs and their owners.