Is that rescue dog aggressive, or is he simply scared?
On this episode of Rescue Tales, Robert Forto and Robin Lucas take a closer look at one of the most misunderstood behaviors in rescue dogs: fear that looks like aggression. In the stressful environment of a shelter or kennel, barking, lunging, spinning, freezing, cowering, lip licking, and other behaviors can easily lead people to label a dog as aggressive when the dog may actually be trying to create distance from something that makes him uncomfortable.
Robert and Robin discuss why labels can follow rescue dogs long after the circumstances that created them have changed. They also explain practical ways handlers, volunteers, fosters, and adopters can lower the pressure by changing their own body language, giving the dog more physical space, avoiding forced interactions, and using food without requiring the dog to approach or take treats directly from the hand.
Then, in this week’s Rescue Tale, Robin introduces Hotch, a Jindo mix who has spent years at Rebel Rescue South Korea. To a stranger approaching his kennel, Hotch can appear intimidating as he barks, lunges, spins, and tries to make the person back away. With people he knows and trusts, however, Robin describes a completely different dog. His story is a powerful example of why a dog’s behavior in one stressful environment should not automatically define who that dog is.
