CDT Aggression Assessment & Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dog growls when a stranger reaches over its head to pet it. This behavior is best classified as which type of aggression?
- Territorial aggression
- Fear-based aggression (Correct answer)
- Predatory aggression
- Redirected aggression
Correct answer: Fear-based aggression
Growling in response to a stranger reaching over the head is a classic sign of fear-based aggression triggered by a perceived threat.
Question 2: When conducting an aggression assessment, which tool provides the most standardized framework for evaluating bite severity?
- SAFER assessment
- Ian Dunbar Bite Scale (Correct answer)
- ASPCA Meet Your Match
- C-BARQ questionnaire
Correct answer: Ian Dunbar Bite Scale
The Ian Dunbar Bite Scale (Levels 1–6) is the most widely used standardized tool for evaluating and communicating bite severity.
Question 3: A dog that shows aggression only toward other intact male dogs is most likely exhibiting which form of aggression?
- Predatory aggression
- Inter-male aggression (Correct answer)
- Resource guarding
- Idiopathic aggression
Correct answer: Inter-male aggression
Inter-male aggression refers to aggression between intact males, often driven by hormonal influences and social competition.
Question 4: Which management strategy is most appropriate as an immediate safety measure when a dog has bitten a household member?
- Increase the dog's exercise to reduce arousal
- Use a muzzle and implement strict confinement protocols (Correct answer)
- Begin punishment-based corrections immediately
- Allow the dog to 'work it out' with family members
Correct answer: Use a muzzle and implement strict confinement protocols
Muzzle use combined with confinement protocols prevents further bites while a behavior modification plan is developed.
Question 5: Maternal aggression in a dog is MOST likely to diminish as:
- The owner increases obedience training with the mother
- Puppies are weaned and become more independent (Correct answer)
- The litter size decreases through rehoming
- The owner spends more time socializing the mother
Correct answer: Puppies are weaned and become more independent
Maternal aggression is hormonally driven and typically resolves naturally as puppies are weaned and the mother's hormonal state normalizes.
Question 6: A trainer notices a dog displaying 'cutoff signals' such as lip licking and yawning during an introduction. This indicates the dog is:
- Ready to engage playfully with the other dog
- Experiencing stress and attempting to de-escalate (Correct answer)
- Showing dominance over the other dog
- Preparing for a predatory sequence
Correct answer: Experiencing stress and attempting to de-escalate
Lip licking and yawning are appeasement or stress signals (calming signals) used to de-escalate social tension.
Question 7: Which of the following is the MOST important factor to assess when determining if a dog with a bite history is safe to place in a home with children?
- The breed of the dog
- The Dunbar bite level, context, and predictability of the aggression (Correct answer)
- Whether the dog has completed a basic obedience course
- The age and size of the dog
Correct answer: The Dunbar bite level, context, and predictability of the aggression
Bite level, context (what triggered it), and whether the aggression is predictable are the most critical factors for accurate risk assessment.
CDT Aggression Assessment & Management 2
A dog growls when a stranger reaches over its head to pet it.
This behavior is best classified as which type of aggression?