From the book: The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs Copyright 2009 by Alexandra Semyonova — All Rights Reserved
Myth 29: The domestic dog is a naturally aggressive species.
One reason people believe this myth is because of the romantic idea that the domestic dog descended from the great grey wolf (see Myth 1), which he didn’t. We now also know that the domestic dog isn’t a hunter, but that he became what he is precisely…
Myth 30: There is no such thing as a truly aggressive dog.
It’s true that the domestic dog evolved as a species in an environment in which there was strong selection pressure against aggression. Living near humans and their livestock meant that aggression was very bad for a dog’s chances of survival…
Myth 41: ‘What? How dare you growl at me!’ A.k.a. If your dog snaps or growls at you, you should punish this severely.
If you have read this far, you now know that a threat signal is just the way a dog tells you she is feeling very worried and insecure about what you are planning to do. Her inner state is out of balance (too much adrenaline, too much fear or worry), and…