CDT Aggression Assessment & Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dog shows aggression toward people only when on leash but is friendly off leash. This phenomenon is commonly called:
- Dominance aggression
- Leash reactivity (Correct answer)
- Redirected aggression
- Predatory drift
Correct answer: Leash reactivity
Leash reactivity occurs when a dog feels frustrated or trapped by the leash, unable to flee or greet normally, which escalates into aggressive displays.
Question 2: The 'threshold' concept in aggression management refers to:
- The point at which punishment stops the behavior
- The stimulus intensity at which a dog transitions from tolerable stress to reactive behavior (Correct answer)
- The distance at which a dog can no longer detect a trigger
- The number of repetitions needed for a behavior to become conditioned
Correct answer: The stimulus intensity at which a dog transitions from tolerable stress to reactive behavior
Threshold is the tipping point where a dog moves from manageable arousal to a reactive or aggressive state in response to a stimulus.
Question 3: When a dog is 'over threshold,' the BEST immediate action for a trainer to take is:
- Apply a correction to interrupt the behavior
- Increase exposure to the trigger to promote habituation
- Increase distance from the trigger and allow the dog to calm down (Correct answer)
- Redirect with a toy to engage the dog's prey drive
Correct answer: Increase distance from the trigger and allow the dog to calm down
Removing the dog from proximity to the trigger allows the stress response to subside so the dog can return to a trainable state.
Question 4: Desensitization and counter-conditioning (DS/CC) for an aggressive dog involves:
- Flooding the dog with the trigger until it stops reacting
- Gradually exposing the dog to the trigger at sub-threshold levels while pairing it with something positive (Correct answer)
- Using aversive tools to suppress the aggressive response
- Correcting the dog every time it looks at the trigger
Correct answer: Gradually exposing the dog to the trigger at sub-threshold levels while pairing it with something positive
DS/CC pairs sub-threshold exposure to the trigger with high-value reinforcement to change the dog's emotional response over time.
Question 5: A dog that has learned 'nothing works to stop the threat except biting' and skips warning signals has likely developed which pattern?
- Predatory aggression
- Learned aggression with suppressed warning signals (Correct answer)
- Idiopathic aggression
- Pain-elicited aggression
Correct answer: Learned aggression with suppressed warning signals
When previous warning signals (growling, snapping) have been punished away, dogs may skip to biting because it is the only effective response remaining.
Question 6: Which professional should a CDT ALWAYS refer a client to before beginning behavior modification for aggression?
- A certified animal behavior consultant (CABC)
- A veterinarian, to rule out medical causes of aggression (Correct answer)
- A certified applied animal behaviorist (CAAB)
- An animal control officer for a formal risk assessment
Correct answer: A veterinarian, to rule out medical causes of aggression
A veterinary evaluation is essential first because medical conditions such as pain, thyroid dysfunction, or neurological issues can cause or worsen aggression.
Question 7: Predatory aggression differs from other types of aggression primarily because it:
- Always involves a recognizable threat display before attack
- Is typically silent, lacks warning signals, and is triggered by movement (Correct answer)
- Is directed only toward unfamiliar humans
- Responds well to obedience-based counterconditioning
Correct answer: Is typically silent, lacks warning signals, and is triggered by movement
Predatory aggression is driven by the predatory motor sequence and is usually silent, sudden, and triggered by fast-moving stimuli rather than social threat.
CDT Aggression Assessment & Management 3
A dog shows aggression toward people only when on leash but is friendly off leash.
This phenomenon is commonly called: