Another classification of aggression is known as redirected aggression. In this case, the dog doesn’t need to be aggressive, reactive, or have any history of impulsive behavior.
Recently, I saw a case of redirected aggression on TV. A workers' protest was taking place in the street, with people shouting, honking horns, and walking very noisily.
On the left corner of the screen, I saw a dog on a leash, which was barking madly at the protesters and pulling the owner, wanting to get closer to those noisy people. Out of nowhere, he just turned around and bit the owner, or the person holding the leash.
Of course, I don't have any information about that dog I saw on TV, but that's not the point. Any dog, when raised to an excitement level that goes beyond acceptable standards, can react and bite anyone next to him, venting his frustration. For this reason, socialization and exposure to routine elements of everyday life is so important.
There is no treatment for redirected aggression, because it is not a pathology. The best way to keep your dog from reaching this level of arousal at some point in his life is simply to socialize with as many elements of what I call the “outside world” as possible. Cars, bicycles, motorcycles, people running, people shouting, talking loudly, gesturing, and many other factors.
Your dog needs to be adapted to face all the stressors from the outside world.
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