What does the control complex (formerly dominance aggression) dog look like?
What signals might he use? The confident aggressive dog described by Lindsay says, “[d]uring a strong threat, dogs stand tall on their toes with hackles raised, ears erect, and tail held stiffly up. The body is tense, with the eyes singularly focused on the target, holding it transfixed with a steady and unwavering gaze.” As the threat continues, the dog will “retract the upper lip back and up to unsheathe the front incisors and large canines” and this “snarling action is often followed by a menacing low growl in immediate preparation for attack.” This description may apply to many aggressive dogs, but it certainly could apply to a confident assertive dog that has no intention of backing down. This is how I would describe the control complex aggressive dog. According to Aloff (2002), dogs classified, as control complex aggressive are “abnormal” saying they are “obsessive about rank order” seeming to think of nothing else. She defines them as “control freaks” always looking for “slights
