When once-friendly Fido suddenly snaps or growls at you, it can be scary and heartbreaking.
In fact, of all the canine-behavior cases I see, owner-directed aggression can be the most emotionally challenging issue that pet people face.
But don’t worry: There are things you can do to help solve your dog’s sudden aggression problem.
We’ll explain everything you need to know, including not only some of the reasons this can happen, but what you’ll want to do about it, below.
How Do You Know if Your Dog Is Being Aggressive Instead of Just Grumpy?
To distinguish between grumpiness and aggression, we’ll need to start by defining aggression.
Aggression is a threat or harmful behavior directed towards another individual (be it a dog, human, or another pet).
A few common examples of threats and harmful behaviors dogs may exhibit include:
- Hard stares
- Growling
- Barking
- Snarling
- Lunging
- Snapping
- Biting
On the other hand, dogs can easily feel overwhelmed, tired, like being left alone, or even feel unwell — they can just feel, for lack of a better term, grumpy.
Grumpiness is really just another way of saying less-tolerant than normal. Any dog who is pestered or pushed beyond his level of tolerance could potentially lead to an aggressive response.
Grumpiness shouldn’t be taken any less seriously, and these signals should be respected. A grumpy response could tell us there is something more, perhaps even medically, going on.
In such cases, dogs may do things like:
- Warning growl
- Removing themselves
- Warning nip or air snap
- Yelp or bark
In general, “grumpiness” does not lead to bites unless you continue to provoke your pooch. But the more times they find themselves provoked, the greater the risk for a bite to occur in the future.
Addressing Your Dog’s Sudden Aggression: What Should You Do?
Regardless of whether he is growling at you because he is being aggressive or he is just telling you off, you must always heed your dog’s warnings.
Your pup has every right to tell you he doesn’t feel like cuddling, having his hair brushed, or sharing his food.
Ultimately, we need to understand the root cause of his aggressive behavior. What type of dog aggression is he displaying? What has caused your dog to act aggressively, and how can we help him?
Often, owners will need professional assistance from a qualified behavior consultant, positive trainer, or veterinary behaviorist to determine the underlying reason for his aggro behavior.
In fact, aggression is one of the leading reasons people call a professional for help.
But unfortunately, the dog training industry is unregulated, and not all trainers are equally qualified or educated.
So do your homework, choose a reputable dog trainer or behavior consultant with a solid evidence-based ethos, who is certified by an organization with a positive-based code of ethics. Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
It is especially important to obtain professional advice if your dog has bitten you or your dog has bitten someone else — particularly if the bite was severe enough to require medical treatment.
Nevertheless, whether you try to treat your dog’s sudden aggression issues with professional assistance (recommended) or on your own (not a great idea), the basic plan of attack will be the same.
All dog behavior issues are treated by addressing one or more of three similar components:
- Ruling out medical conditions or assessing for medical interventions.
- Training (behavior modification).
- Implementing management solutions.
We’ll talk about each of theses three facets below.
1. Medical Solutions
If your dog’s aggression seems unusual and out of character, it is advisable to see your vet.
Your vet can do a complete check-up to rule in/out any underlying medical issues. This is one step that many people don’t think about, but pain or feeling unwell can be a common reason for the sudden onset of aggressive behavior.
Even if there are no medical issues causing the sudden aggression, behavioral meds (available through your vet) may represent a treatment option.
However, the cautionary tale here is, behavioral medications should always be used in conjunction with behavior training. Otherwise, we are not addressing the root cause of the aggression; we’re just treating the symptoms.
Alleviating the symptoms may, however, be helpful for the training process, as it will help him to feel more relaxed and less anxious, thereby allowing him to learn new coping strategies.
For example, my dog is on canine anxiety medication because she has “stranger danger” issues (as well as generalized anxiety).
We have made incredible progress with by implementing behavioral modifications to address her underlying issues. This two-pronged combination of behavior medication and behavioral training can help you more safely socialize an aggressive dog.
Accordingly, we’ll soon be able to start weaning her off of these meds knowing we have helped create better coping strategies and more positive associations with her triggers.
2. Training Solutions
Once you’ve established that your dog is in good health (or you’ve begun treating any health problems causing the aggression), you can start using aggressive dog training procedures to help your dog overcome his aggressive reactions.
Because the aggressive reaction is an emotional response, we need to address the emotional underpinnings. This typically involves one or more of the following techniques:
Desensitization
Desensitization involves slowly, consistently and repeatedly exposing your dog to his trigger at a tolerable distance or intensity. This is often done in “baby steps” until you reach the end goal.
If, for example, walking near your dog’s food bowl triggers him, you can try sitting or standing at a far enough distance that there is no response from him at all. Then, over time, you can begin moving closer and closer to his bowl at meal times.
I never advise “poking the bear,” (so to speak), or in this case, sticking your hand in his bowl while he is eating. But you may, over days, weeks, or months, be able to walk by your dog while he is eating without soliciting a reaction.
Counterconditioning
This is a big word that really means changing your dog’s underlying emotional response. This way, instead of thinking a given stimulus is bad or scary, your dog will begin to find that it is harmless, and therefore not scary.
For example, if sitting close to your dog triggers his anxiety and aggressive response, you can try tossing treats to him every time you sit on the couch with him. Start far enough away that he doesn’t act reactively — this might even mean that you start on the floor.
The goal is for your pup to equate you sitting next to her with her favorite things (like cheese, peanut butter, or yummy sausage!). The associations she makes with you sitting near her will change over time as your proximity begins to foretell good things.
Teaching Him Alternative Behaviors
Sometimes we need to provide our dogs with an alternative way to cope.
If, for example, your dog reacts aggressively when you get up to walk to the kitchen, you can teach him that when you stand up, it means “go to your bed” (and get a piece of meat for doing so).
By teaching him to do something instead of reacting aggressively, it will give him clear direction, a predictable outcome, and it will mean that he’s about to enjoy something tasty and positive.
Relaxation Protocol
Teaching anxious dogs to relax is one of the first things I teach new clients. Doing so can help the pup cope with his overall environment, and it will also help him to settle down. Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol is one tool to help with this, but there are others as well.
If you think about it, all of these training solutions work together.
When we counter condition a dog, we can also desensitize him at the same time. Similarly, when we ask for an alternative behavior, we are also desensitizing, and the reward he is earning for the new behavior is an example of counterconditioning.
3. Management Solutions
Management is a key component to helping your dog through the difficulties he is experiencing.
Management helps to prevent aggressive reactions, and in some cases, it may be all you need to do to address the situation.
For example, if your dog acts aggressively when his food bowl is down, try feeding him in a separate space and pick the bowl up and put it away once he is done eating.
Management tools can also help to keep you safe.
If your dog is triggered by scary situations while out on a walk and redirects this onto you, you could condition him to wear a muzzle (which is also an example of a management solution).
If your dog is triggered by strangers or other dogs, this might not only be a good solution to keep everyone safe, but it may also cause strangers to steer clear of you, creating a little less anxiety for your pooch.
What Not to Do When Faced with Sudden Dog Aggression
A common misconception about aggression is that our dogs are actually trying to dominate us. This then leads people to attempt to gain the upper hand by using force, intimidation, and punishment.
But here’s the thing:
- Your dog is not trying to be dominant. Your dog isn’t trying to gain rank by displaying signs of aggression. Think of aggression as a defense mechanism, an emotional response to something scary or anxiety provoking.
- If you punish your dog for growling or reacting aggressively, there is a good chance you’ll make that aggression worse. Punishment will often result in stress and anxiety, which will only make aggression more likely.
- If you punish your dog for growling, they may bite without warning the next time. Again, growling is a warning, which is a good thing.
Ultimately, you want to avoid punishment or corrections if your dog is acting aggressively. Instead, try some of the strategies discussed earlier.
Why Would a Dog Be Aggressive Towards His Owner?
There is a motivation behind every behavior. In many cases, whether we realize it or not, aggression can be caused by fear or anxiety.
In fact, fear and anxiety are the most common reasons I get called for aggression-related cases, and many of these dogs have reacted aggressively at least once in their lifetime.
Often times, when a dog feels anxious or fearful, their parasympathetic nervous system (which operates on an involuntary basis) kicks in, dumping hormones into the pupper’s bloodstream. This rush in hormones triggers the dog’s fight or flight response.
Also, in our society, dogs have a lot of restrictions placed on them; leashes, barriers, and the threat of consequences can both increase the anxiety and trigger an aggressive response because he has no option to flee.
Fear and aggression are not the only motivation for a dog to act aggressively towards you, though perhaps one of the more common reasons.
Some of the other common motives that can lead a dog to attack his owner include:
Resource Guarding (AKA possession aggression)
The root cause of resource guarding is also anxiety — he’s concerned about people being close to his valued possessions. These valued possessions could include food, toys, beds, or even people.
Sometimes aggression brought on by resource guarding seems sudden, when in fact your dog has given several subtle warnings that you’ve failed to detect.
Medical
There are many reasons why your dog might act aggressively that are caused pain or sickness. It is a good idea to talk to your vet and have a complete wellness exam, especially if the aggression is a new or a sudden change in their normal behavior.
Redirected Aggression
This is often an aggressive response that is redirected onto the closest person or another animal. For example, if you try to break up a fight between two dogs, there is a high likelihood that this aggression could be redirected onto you.
Similarly, if your dog is lunging and barking at the end of his leash at a passerby, he could turn and redirect his frustration onto you.
Punishment
We have a saying in the dog-training world: “Never punish the growl”.
First of all, punishing a dog for responding aggressively is a bit like punishing someone who has just been mugged for acting upset. Secondly, punishing the growl might mean that instead of warning you next time, he may skip that step and just go straight to the bite.
I don’t know about you, but I prefer a warning! Thirdly, punishment and aversive training tools such as shock collars have been proven to increase aggression in dogs.
Trigger Stacking
Say what? Trigger stacking refers to the cumulative effect of multiple triggers.
Imagine this: You are watching the new IT 2 movie. Suddenly, there is a large banging noise and the creak of a door down the hall. That noise and squeaky door likely caused you to jump a lot higher and your heart to beat much faster because you were already scared to begin with.
Similarly, your dog may be able to handle one or maybe two of his triggers with tact, but once the third one happens, he loses his ability to remain composed.
Age Related
Dogs who are experiencing Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (doggie dementia), can often become suddenly aggressive. Some senior dogs may become more irritable in the evening if they have dog sundowners syndrome. Similar to humans, aggression is a common symptom of CCD and is due in part to their confusion and memory loss.
Physical Disability
Dogs who have trouble hearing or seeing can react defensively if suddenly startled. Sometimes it can feel like this happens overnight if your dog is getting older and his senses begin to decline.
Consider talking to a vet or doing some in-home experiments to determine if your dog is blind or deaf.
Rage Syndrome
Though this term was coined in the 70’s, Rage Syndrome is currently considered idiopathic aggression (idiopathic simply means the cause is unknown).
The onset of this is generally between the ages of 1-3 years and is more prevalent in certain breeds, suggesting a possible genetic component.
Cocker and Springer Spaniels, Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Lhasa Apsos seem to be the most susceptible. Nevertheless, “Rage Syndrome” or idiopathic aggression is pretty rare.
A behavior consultant or veterinary behaviorist can help you get to the bottom of the issue.
No matter the cause, just remember that aggression is the byproduct of an emotional response; it is not a conscious choice.
What Kinds of Things Commonly Trigger Aggression Towards People?
Aggression rarely just happens. Something your dog is feeling, or something in his environment triggers that fight or flight response.
Depending on your dog and his unique situation, triggers could vary greatly.
Some of the more common triggers I see include:
- Being touched, moved, or lifted.
- The dark can exacerbate movement or sound-related triggers
- Someone getting up off the couch or moving around the house. This could be one person in particular or anyone who moves.
- Moving near your dog’s bone, food or favorite toy.
- Approaching strangers or other dogs when on leash.
- Having someone visit the house.
There are so many scenarios and different triggers, and each one could have a different root cause.
My dog, Juno, is “people selective”. This means she likes certain people and dislikes others.
The people she dislikes either look unusual to her, are doing something unusual, or they try to approach her.
Her resulting reaction stems from general anxiety and fearfulness of unusual or novel stimulus. Because I am aware of her specific triggers, I can better control her environment, and we can work on positive and controlled socialization.
I suggest making a list of all of your dog’s triggers. I also have people keep a journal. Sometimes we don’t know what the trigger is (or all of them) until we start logging the situations as they happen. But by journaling, you may start to see a pattern emerge.
Sudden Canine Aggression Is Often Surprising
Part of the problem with sudden canine aggression is that it comes about, well, suddenly. After all, if your dog is typically prickly, you wouldn’t consider displays of aggression to be sudden.
Quite often, these dogs who exhibit sudden aggression are normally quite happy and easy-going. They’re usually friendly dogs, not the Cujo-type canines we might imagine them to be.
But that doesn’t mean these dogs aren’t tipping their hand, because many are giving clues that there’s a problem. In fact, one common misconception about sudden aggressive behavior is that it happens “out-of-the-blue.”
However, in reality, our dogs give us plenty of warnings. It’s just that these warnings may be subtle and often go unnoticed or unheeded.
We’ll talk about some of these signs below
What Are Some Warning Signs that Your Dog May Become Aggressive?
Dogs communicate with their bodies. We just often fail to learn their language, a lot of the time.
We bring our own human biases to the table, and often misinterpret our dogs’ body signals, assuming they are synonymous to human behavior, which could mean we are entirely missing what they are actually telling us.
The video below shows several early warning signs.
Aggression is like a ladder. At the bottom of the ladder are avoidance behaviors, calming signals, and subtle signs of stress like yawning and lip licking.
As we climb the ladder, we see the warnings become more and more overt, such as stiffening of the body, freezing, or a hard stare. Once we have reached the top rungs of the ladder, it might be too late. This is where we see lunging, snapping, growling and/or biting.
The more you begin to learn about dog body language, the easier it can be to manage your dog’s aggression by recognizing the early warning signs. You can mitigate a problem before it becomes one.
Why is My Dog Aggressive Towards My Husband But Not Me?
There are several reasons that your dog may be aggressive towards one particular family member over another.
It could be that your dog feels safer with you, you are more predictable, or that you are not doing anything to provoke the aggression. Other family members may be unknowingly triggering an aggressive response, thus becoming a trigger themselves.
Your dog may also be resource guarding you. He may feel anxious when other people are close to his prized human.
My former dog, Stewie, used to growl when my husband came to bed. This is because my husband wasn’t as good at reading Stewie’s body language as I was, and often provoked him by getting too close.
I, on the other hand, was able to avoid this type of reaction by paying close attention to Stewie’s signals. Over time, he learned that my behavior was predictably safe (I never solicited his cuddles) and that my husband was predictably unsafe (he would try to force him to cuddle).
Stewie’s growl and avoidance was all that transpired, and eventually he would just automatically get up and leave the room as soon as my husband came to bed. But it easily could have gone in a different, more aggressive direction.
How Can You Prevent Your Dog from Becoming Aggressive with You?
Take the time to know what is normal and abnormal for your individual dog. Preventing a bite in the first place is our main goal. Often these bites seem to come without warning or when we least expect it, but here are some things you can do to prevent a bite:
- Be considerate. We often forget about the concept of consent and autonomy when it comes to our pets and put them into situations that they perceive as unfavorable.
- Have your dog examined annually by your vet. As he begins to age, you may want to visit your vet every six months, including routine blood work.
- Notice subtle changes in his behavior or daily routine. Try to pinpoint what is happening right before this change of behavior occurs.
- Keep your dog’s mind mentally stimulated. This means providing lots of enrichment such as walking games and puzzle toys, allowing him to sniff a lot during walks, and playing other types of brain games.
- Avoid punishment. If your dog thinks of you as being scary, they won’t seek you out for comfort when they are feeling worried or anxious and it can be detrimental to your bond.
- Be consistent. If your dog is anxious, having a consistent routine. When you act predictable, it can help your anxious pouch feel more at ease.
***
Aggression is not a conscious decision, it is an emotional reaction, often with complex underpinnings. It can be difficult and emotional for everyone involved. But if can often be remedied by employing the tips discussed above or by consulting with a certified trainer.
Do you have a story about your dog’s aggression you’d like to share? What management tools were successful for you? We’d love to hear about your experiences!
54 Comments
January 22, 2023
Your solutions seem to ignore dogs being pack animals – which necessitates a hierarchy. The owner/handler needs to be “the alpha” or the dog feels compelled to step up and assume the role – which is a huge stressor for him…
January 23, 2023
Hey there, Lana.
Sorry, but notions like “being the alpha” and “dominance theory” are outdated approaches that we now know are based on flawed science.
Check out our article about debunking the alpha myth to learn more.
Thanks for checking out the site!
October 10, 2022
We have a 1.5 year old male GSD. Gunnar is happy, energetic, and smart. When we took him to the vet for his rabies shot, he went ballistic. The vet gave us anxiety meds and told us neutering him may or may not take care of his acting out. We got a muzzle and with the anxiety meds, my husband was able to get it on him. They walked around and Gunnar eventually forgot the muzzle and just enjoyed sniffing around; even ate a couple of treats while the muzzle was on. BUT, when my husband went to take the muzzle off, Gunnar was very agitated and my husband said, “He kind of came at me.” It seems that Gunnar is triggered when people bend down even though not around him. I can’t have him in the bedroom when I’m making the bed. My husband just picked a towel up off the floor and Gunnar growled. What’s up and what can we do???
October 10, 2022
Hey Cynthia – it sounds like there are a lot of different factors at play going on! First of all, it’s very normal that Gunnar would get upset at the vet. I’m sure getting the rabies shot was really scary for him! Behaving aggressively is pretty normal in this situation, since he was clearly really scared. I’d suggest working on getting him desensitized to the vet’s office and work on building positive experiences at the vet’s office. It might also be worth considering a “fear-free certified” veterinarian’s office if he continues to get freaked out at the vet.
I couldn’t say for sure if Gunnar is experiencing a lot of generalized fear and anxiety concerning people bending down to face-level, or if he’s struggling more with resource guarding. I’d definitely make sure to properly desensitize Gunnar to the muzzle and working slowly up to wearing it as needed.
As always, if you do decide to consult with a pro, make sure you’re working with someone who is certified in animal behavior!
October 6, 2022
We have had our 18 month old male doberman for 3 months now. (He came from a rescue). When I’ve stroked him he sometimes tries to clamp his teeth around my arm or even my throat but he doesn’t bite hard. Recently he has started hard staring at me and yesterday whilst I was stroking him he hard stared at me, put his ears right back, pulled an evil, evil face, put his nose to my nose still with the stare, and bite me in my face grabbing my cheek and lower jawbone and shaking my head. The bathroom small sink ended up half full of blood, the bleeding was so profuse. My partner and I are obviously fearful of the dog and for our other female doberman (who has never ever shown any aggression) The strike happened so fast but it did start with a hard stare. There was no provocation other than I was gently stroking his sides (sides of ribcage). Friends have told us to have the dog put to sleep but we’d like to find out why he did this and could it be prevented.
October 7, 2022
Hey there, Grahame.
We’re so sorry to hear about your dog and the bite you suffered! That sounds terrible!
For starters, we’d recommend learning a bit about dog body language and what to do about it. For example, when/if your dog starts exhibiting a hard stare, you’ll want to move to diffuse the situation or redirect him. By staring back, you’re essentially matching his energy and (probably) making him feel threatened.
Secondly, we’d strongly recommend reaching out to a certified dog behavior consultant (not a trainer). We hate to hear about any dog requiring euthanasia, but it is sometimes the best path forward. However, you won’t know if that’s necessary until you have a professional assessment performed.
Best of luck!
January 22, 2023
He did that because you are a subordinate “pack” member rather than leader and you were annoying him and did not back off when he warned you. Your lack of knowledge and experience mean this is really not the dog for you…
January 23, 2023
Sorry, Lana, but as I mentioned in response to your other comment, the alpha dog myth has been thoroughly debunked.
Please check out that link to learn more.
August 5, 2022
My boyfriend and I have a 1 year old female GSD. She is a super loving, sweet, and smart dog. She shows affection towards both of us and gets excited when we both get home. But for some reason, the past couple of months she has been growling at my boyfriend. We both spend equal time with her but she is closer with me. She only growls at him if it’s dark in the house or if he is a far distance from her in the yard. He tells stop to her in a firm voice and eventually she stops growling. She has never done this to me, not even in the dark. We also have a Australian Shepard in the house.. I have wondered if she is trying to protect him but there have been times when she done it even when he wasn’t around. We are a bit concerned and confused because we don’t want the behavior to escalate.. thank you!
August 5, 2022
Hey, Bailey.
It’s obviously impossible for us to tell exactly what’s going on from afar, but it sounds like she just isn’t recognizing him, either because it’s dark or because he’s far away.
Best of luck!
May 9, 2022
We have a 2 year old mini dauchshund, male,intact, that we raised from pup during vivid. I have been teleworking and mostly raised him. He is a sweetheart, cuddly, playful, etc. he’s got the dachshund attitude, barks a bunch at outsiders (some socialization issues but getting better). My husband works out of the house 50 hrs per week. In the last several months, Andouille has started to hang out with hubby at night, following him around now instead of me, and when we go to bed he, he has started to growl at me. Never barks, bites, but gives me the eye and growls if I move around or try to touch him on the bed. Just when hubby is there. Why is it that I raised him, but he’s taken this turn and only obeys me when hubby is not here? Could this have to do with him not being neutered? Hubby wants to breed him, they are very close. If we were to fix him, will this aggression towards me, and snubbing stop? Or do you think he is protecting hubby because he gets more snacks from him? It’s such a bummer! Makes me . Please help!
May 10, 2022
Hey there, Sandra. It can certainly sting when our four-footers change their loyalties!
It’s hard for us to know exactly what’s going on from afar, but your doggo’s preference for your husband is more likely due to the snacks than being intact.
Having him altered may cause personality changes, but they can be tricky to predict. Check out our article about the pros and cons of spaying and neutering to learn more about some of the things you’ll want to think about before going down that road.
Best of luck!
April 22, 2022
Thanks for this article. I am struggling with my 3 year old shih tzu being aggressive towards me. She growled at me once, so I backed off and we began doggie yoga to improve the bond. I got her after I lost my soulmate dog and I think I got her too soon after my soulmate’s death. I needed to do something to improve that bond but then I went on vacation and she stayed with my parents. It has been the routine that she goes to my parents daily while I am at work but anymore she doesn’t want to go home with me. When she is with me all she does is sleep and there is no real bonding time. I haven’t been able to pick the doggie yoga back up since getting back from vacation yet. She randomly bit me the other night. I think though her spending more time with me playing, walking, yoga and less time at my parents will be beneficial for the bond too. Yearly vet appointment should be approaching too. This article gave some good insights!
April 22, 2022
Glad you found the article helpful, Julie!
Just try to look for little moments you can share with your doggo too — a quick walk or ride to the park, some “out of nowhere” scritches, etc.
Best of luck!
November 23, 2021
I relate to this articles comment “your dog may be resource guarding you” my Chow Shepherd who is a rescue from an abusive family and is so protective of me that he becomes aggressive towards me if he thinks I’m hurting myself something as simple as scratching an itch or stubbing a toe can trigger his aggression this has recently become more of a problem as I was injured in an auto accident shattered my pelvic bone and wheel chair bound as I recover which as you can imagine is extremely painful especially when I move and I tend to groan or say owe a lot and even when I don’t my beloved Behr seems to sense my pain therefore every time I move he believes I’m hurting myself and therefore lunges growls and tries to bite me, this obviously is a problem as I sometimes can’t even cover up in bed without provoking this behavior. reading this article is helpful I’ll be scheduling a vet visit and seeking out a behavior specialist.
November 23, 2021
We’re glad you found the article helpful, Amanda! Best of luck moving forward!
July 30, 2021
We have our Pit/Choc Lab/Hound mix a year in April, he will be two in November. We have been with him daily since we got him and he’s been to daycare several times for weekends and he is very happy there. We recently went on vacation (June) and the day we got home he bit me and has been very aggressive since. We now struggle with putting on his leash, he snarls his nose as you approach. We can’t come at him if he is on our bed or couch as he snarls. It is hard as he was not like this prior to our June trip and now he is very aggressive. We have been taking him to have scans/waiting on blood work results. Wondering if this is more of an anxiety issue or is there more involved?
August 2, 2021
Hey, Donna.
It’s hard to tell what’s going on from afar, but we’re glad you’re starting with the vet. A lot of medical issues can make a dog feel rotten, which may cause them to act differently.
If the vet doesn’t turn up anything, you should probably reach out to a canine behaviorist, given that you’re dealing with a dog who’s already bitten you once.
But, if you feel comfortable doing so, you may want to try some trust-building activities to help him feel safer.
Also, it’d probably be wise to use some positive reinforcement training when you need to leash him (or do just about anything while trying to restore your relationship).
Just be sure to be safe and use good common sense when doing so — if he is telling you he needs some space, definitely give it to him.
Best of luck!
July 30, 2021
I have an 8.5 year old labrador/collie Cross called Ted who is the softest dog going we also have bill and stan both crosses
Recently Ted will not go out for walks with his dad and will growl aggressivly, we put it down to him being grumpy but then today he snarled and scared me when I tried to put his lead on to go out with his dad something he has never done I am worried about him as he is my baby..I will be taking him to be checked out at the vets ASAP
Many thanks
August 2, 2021
Best of luck, Patricia!
July 30, 2021
So I’ve had my goldendoodle (male) dog since he was 8 weeks old. He’s going on two this year and 3 days ago he suddenly started being very aggressive towards my 13 year old brother as my brother went to give him a hug before he went to bed. Anytime he sees my brother now or hears him coming down the stairs he jumps up and snarls and growls at him. Once my brother comes into site he lunches and tries to attack my brother. He has “bitten” him a few times now but has not broke skin any of the times he has done it. He’s a very loving dog and sometimes he will allow my brother to pet and play with him but other times he’s totally not okay with it. He doesn’t do this with anyone else in the house in fact he’s very calm and lovely with all of us except for my brother. What could possibly be wrong with my sweet baby, it’s truly breaking my heart and I’m trying to do anything to not have to rehome him
July 30, 2021
Hey there, Kelsea.
Sorry about the problems with your pooch! Here are a couple of tips:
1) Don’t let anyone hug your dog. Although your brother is undoubtedly just trying to show affection, a lot of dogs don’t like to be hugged. In fact, check out this article on the wrong ways to greet a dog.
2) Brush up on your dog body language cues (and share the lessons learned with your brother). It’s important that you learn to better interpret how your dog is feeling, so you can give him space when he needs it.
3) It may be worth having your brother try a few trust-building exercises with your pooch. This may help to “reset” their relationship and rebuild it on sturdier ground.
Of course, you have to be sure that everyone stays safe, so use good judgment when implementing these tips (and if you’re not yet an adult, be sure to keep mom or dad in the loop too).
Best of luck!
July 23, 2021
I need advice on my 1 yr old lab who gets aggressive toward me and my husband ONLY when we enter her pen outside she growls and lunges and barks at us,. But calm and loving inside the house.
July 23, 2021
Hey, Sandy.
Dogs frequently display different behaviors in different contexts, as you describe. There are a million variables that may be causing her to behave defensively while in her pen, but it sounds like she may be displaying territorial aggression.
Check that link out, and try some of the strategies provided. But if that doesn’t help, you’ll probably want to talk things over with a canine behaviorist.
Best of luck!
July 18, 2021
We have a lab mix, we rescued soon be 4 months old. I can be playing with her, she will suddenly jump, grab my leg, feet and hands. She growls, and shows her teeth. Can be painful at times so of course I hit to get her off. I tried loving, but more pain. My husband gets very upset and afraid of when she gets larger. We love her, not sure how much longer we put up with this behavior.
July 19, 2021
Hey there, Sandra.
Puppies frequently get a little carried away during playtime, so don’t panic yet. We can’t tell from afar if she’s really demonstrating aggressive behaviors or she’s just getting too worked up during play time, so you may want to reach out to a behaviorist and have an assessment performed. Also, check out our article about puppy play biting.
One other thing: We’d really discourage you from hitting her at all. If her biting is related to anxiety, it’ll likely make the problems worse. Also, it won’t really help anything and will damage your bond. When she gets out of control, just stop playing immediately and take away your attention. She needs to learn that when she bites, play time ends.
Best of luck!
July 12, 2021
We’ve had our Saint Bernard Oliver since he was 10 weeks. He is now 4 months shy of 4 years. I’ve noticed a change in him in the past month, where he will get aggressive and snap at only me, not my husband. Today it happened. I came home from work, hes not greeting me with a tail wag anymore. He came and laid by my feet and rolled on his back. I started to give him belly rubs, which he usually loves, and he growled at me. My heart is breaking. This isn’t the first time he’s shown aggression toward me
July 13, 2021
Hey there, Kathy.
We’re so sorry to hear about the changes in your dog’s personality.
To be honest, it sounds a bit strange that he’d roll over on his back (presumably to solicit scritches) and then started growling.
Is it possible that he’s suffering from an injury?
Either way, it’d probably be a good idea to have a canine behaviorist assess him, so you can figure out what’s going on.
Best of luck!
July 11, 2021
I have a 6 month old Australian Cattle Dog and he bites my hands/arms/feet a lot. He will also jump up and snap and gets my stomach, back, and thighs. He doesn’t do this behavior nearly as much with my boyfriend, but it happens with me multiple times a day where I can’t seem to get him to stop. I have been told to ignore the behavior because he might be trying to get a reaction from me, but it is very hard to ignore since the bites hurt and make it so I can hardly walk. I have noticed it happening more when I put his leash on, but it will also happen other times when I’m just walking around the house or trying to take something away from him that he is not supposed to have. I am just stuck with not really knowing what to do when he gets in that biting mode. I would love some advice, thank you!
July 12, 2021
Hey, Mary. So sorry to hear about the issues with your pooch! Definitely sounds like a frustrating time.
Honestly, the best step forward would be to reach out to a canine behaviorist (not a trainer) — we recommend doing so anytime you’re dealing with aggression. Your ACD may not be gigantic, but he’s certainly large enough to cause some damage via a bite, and even if he weren’t, it’s no fun to get nipped all day long!
Best of luck!
June 20, 2021
Hi There,
We just adopted an English Cream Golden Retriever. She was one of ten. We got to observe her with her litter mates before we chose her. She seemed appropriately playful with them. We have had her for two weeks so she is ten weeks old. She is really bitey and we are working to reward her with good behavior with treats. My concern is her aggressive behavior when any of my family goes to pick her up. Either she is laying down to sleep and I know she needs to go out one more time, or I move her away from stealing the laundry. Basically anytime we are redirecting her from something she wants. She will growl and snap. Really don’t know what to do. We can’t socialize her with training classes for another two weeks. Please help.
Stephanie
June 21, 2021
Hey, Stephanie.
Sorry to hear about the issue with your pooch, but do realize that 10 weeks is still very young.
That said, if the behavior is concerning you reaching out to a canine behaviorist may be a better option than focusing on socialization or obedience training.
Best of luck!
June 12, 2021
My lab/shepherd/black mouth cur mix is 4 years old. Her name is Lillie. We have had her since 8 weeks old. She’s the kind of dog that doesn’t like to be petted or touched. She does not snuggle. Sometimes she wants to get on the bed with us but if u touch her at all, she’ll growl!! I have been bitten by her for trying to get a tick off her! She has bit my husband on the foot for nudging her and she’s also bit my son, he’s 23, for trying to grab a tick off her too! If she is sleeping, steer clear of her because if you even nudge her by accident, she will flip! Bark & growl! It’s been a rough 4 years with her. We take her for off leash walking every day for at least an hour or more! She swims when it’s hot! We take her to the river! She’s always outside. We have 10 acres and she’s got it made. My husband is retired so she’s hardly ever alone. We haven’t been anywhere for 4 years because I’m not comfortable with leaving Lillie with anyone. It’s really hard. But we love her so much, just wish she wouldn’t bite us or act aggressive toward us. I won’t give up on her. Just need some serious help! Thanks, Meagan
June 14, 2021
Hey there, Meagan.
So sorry for the struggles with your pooch! That sounds incredibly frustrating — especially given all the awesome ways you are trying to give Lillie an awesome life.
Have you considered reaching out to a canine behaviorist? It honestly seems like the best path forward.
That said, it’s important to realize that some dogs — just like some people — are more affectionate and tactile than others. Lillie may never be the snuggliest pupper in the world, and you may just need to accept that.
Best of luck!
April 12, 2021
Hi,
We have a 2.5 year old human aggressive French Bulldog.
We aren’t even sure where, when, or how it started with him but throughout the pandemic, he has become significantly worse.
Buddy attacks me quite a lot, we have been seeing a trainer that cannot even get close to him and just throws him treats etc.
Yesterday, Buddy attacked me, out of the blue when I was in the living room with him. I had put his food down for him and he showed no interest, he started barking at his brother eating in the other room, was sick from eating grass and barking, and as I was walking back into the living room with him he put his mouth around my foot. I managed to get him off but then he was launching for my face, hair and hands.
We are at a point where we have worked with a few trainers now and we are seeing no progression, he’s only got worse. The vets have commended us on the work we have done for him but are now saying that there may only be one option for him now – PTS.
Any suggestions?
Note – I am contacting a veterinary referral company to see if we can have a CT scan done, in case there is a brain tumour or something(?)
I don’t want to lose my boy but, we can’t go on!
Help, please!
April 12, 2021
Hey Sarah,
The first step when dealing with aggression is to do a vet check. Has your vet done full labs and bloodwork evaluation yet? I’d start there because if there is a medical issue at play, no training in the world will be able to help without first resolving those underlying medical issues. Next I’d suggest reaching out to a Veterinary Behaviorist and/or a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant. These are very specific qualifications and they are really the only certified individuals who should be working with an aggressive dog. While I have no knowledge of the trainers you have used, keep in mind that anyone can call themselves a trainer with zero actual qualifications. It’s easy to end up working with a trainer or “behavior expert” who can make your dog’s issues much worse!
I hope that helps, the situation certainly sounds stressful!
March 15, 2021
I have an almost 2 yr old Yorkie Lahsa, he has been just a sweetheart. But suddenly has been very aggressive with me. He has biten me in the eye and again on my lip. Causing stitches both times. It happens when he is snuggling with me. He’s usually by my legs. I’ve noticed that when I move, move him or try and pick him up he gets very aggressive. Growls, shows his teeth then attacks. I’m to the point that I am afraid to get near him when is resting. Any suggestions. Thank you
March 15, 2021
Yikes! That sounds pretty serious, Jan.
Given that your dog has already caused you pretty significant injuries, we’d recommend reaching out to a force-free trainer or canine behaviorist pronto.
Hopefully, with some professional guidance you’ll be able to turn your little fella around!
September 23, 2021
Hi Jan I am currently going through the same situation with my 2 y/o shitzuhad him since a pup and so loving and just the last 3 months or so he started doing the exact same thing he’ll even be licking me or laying rite nxt to me and I’ll move a lil or pet him rite after and he attacks me and he use to never do that and he’s closer to me then anyone else so it breaks my heart
February 18, 2021
Our dog hates being crated. She was not crate trained when we got her and worked with a trainer on teaching her with positive reinforcement. After a year, She still doesn’t like going to the crate and has started snapping when we give the command and doesn’t respond as readily to treating (ie bribes). She has a comfortable space and we’ve tried various cushions and blankets. We cannot have her snapping at us or anyone but crate training is important.
February 18, 2021
Hi Karen – can I ask, is crate training really important for your situation? If your dog doesn’t like the crate, x-pens and dog gates can work as great alternatives to keeping your dog safe and happy when you’re away. Crate training is by no means mandatory!
If crate training is essential, you’ll have to go back to the basics and start offering very high-reward Kongs or lickimats while she’s in the crate. Also try starting out with just a few seconds of crate time (with treats), then minutes. Make sure she is always happy and comfortable in the crate before increasing crate time to 30 minutes and beyond.
February 8, 2021
I have an 8yr old french bulldog who is deaf and missing a back leg.
I have had her to the vet and everything has checked out fine…at night time she has turned aggressive towards my husband..i am no where near him and he will be laying on the sofa sleeping and she will straight up stalk him and attack…she has not bitten him but given the opportunity im certain she would…any recommendations??
February 8, 2021
That’s kind of strange, Katrina!
If your dog is always aggressive with your husband, you can try working through the recommendations discussed above and just trying to improve their relationship.
But, if she is only getting aggressive at night, and only with your husband, and she’s in great health (aside from being deaf and missing a leg), you may need to talk to a behaviorist to get to the bottom of the issue.
Let us know how it goes!
December 28, 2020
Hi, I have a 2 yr old black mouth cur named scooby. I rescued him at 10 weeks old and he’s been the sweetest baby. We have had a lot of big lifw changes in the last year so behavior issues have come and gone with management. About 2 months ago I moved in with my partner and there’s been a lot of behavioral issues in the pack. But today scooby was snuggling me on the couch and sat up, when I went to tap his legs to tell him to lay down as I usually do when he’s on furniture, he bit me, he’s never bitten me before. We put him in his room to let him calm down, and when we went in, he would come out for my partner but not for me. And he has been standoffish with me since. He will listen to commands ie sitting, giving me paw etc but when I pet him I notice he gets agitated and goes to my partner. I haven’t punished him for anything lately and there have been no recent changes in our routine so I’m not sure what would have triggered him. Should I be worried or just give him a day to himself?
January 4, 2021
Hey, Amber. So sorry about your troubles with Scooby.
It’s possible that a “day off” will help, but — for safety’s sake — we’d recommend working with a trainer ASAP.
Best of luck! Let us know how it goes.
December 12, 2020
Hello. I have 5 dogs, typically they get along with no problems. My 3 year old female pitbull, Blue, is growling threatening at my 19 month old male doberman. They have ever gotten into fights twice. It doesn’t involve food or toys. She just goes from her playful self to stiff and growling. When I see/hear her body posture change and her growls; I separate them. She doesn’t have any problems with my other three dogs, just my doberman. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Blue is a great dog. Laid back, loving, playful.
December 12, 2020
Hey, Sara. Given that you have a bunch of doggos (which means the social interactions between them are going to be pretty complex), we think you should really work with a trainer to address the problem. In the meantime, it’d simply be best to keep them separated by using baby gates or by keeping them in different parts of the house.
Best of luck!
July 22, 2020
Our dog freckles is 4.5 years old. She has always been a little prickly, but lately has gotten a little more aggressive. My girlfriend moved in with me a little over a year ago. Freckles was jealous of her for a while but got alot better with her in time. I can always tell when we need to let her be or when she wants attention. The last few months she will come to whoever for some petting but after just a few minutes i see her get really still and i will tell them to stop touching her if they don’t or are slow about it then she will give a warning snarl. She seems to be alot more aggressive towards our other 2 female dogs that are younger than her but not our 13 yr old male dog. She actually try to jump him over a bowl of food for the first time ever the other day but he put her in her place real quick. My main concern is the other day she was on the couch my girlfriend leaned over to rub her ears, she would stop an freckles would paw at her wanting her to continue, my girlfriend turn to talk to me with one hand still petting freckles, she turns to lean down again towards freckles, i seen the look on her face about the time she kind of lunged towards my girlfriend’s face. Thankfully my girlfriend was able to pull back fast enough that she barely nip her nose and chin. I didn’t have enough time to tell her to stop leaning down, freckles changed so fast. I am at a loss as to what to do. Any advice???
July 22, 2020
Hey, Michelle. So sorry for the difficulties with Freckles (great name, btw).
You can likely address these issues, but we typically recommend working directly with a personal trainer anytime a dog is biting (or, as in your case, right on the threshold of biting).
If you can’t find a trainer in your area to work with, you can always reach out to Journey Dog Training (Erin is actually one of their trainers). They have a number of long-distance training options available.
I know that’s not a terribly satisfying answer, but sometimes you simply need professional help. Better to obtain said help before a bite than afterward…
Best of luck!
April 21, 2020
My 2 year old cane corso is whom we’ve have had since 10 weeks. He has nit been fixed. Noticing a increase in staring, wanting to be close, too close and biting then ensues. I am noticing this pattern more and more. But was wondering what the theory of the parent dogs being inbred!? Or the likely hood of impending seizure issues arising. We do not punish the behavior, but are uncomfortable with tryjng to figure out the behavior and or the episode. Because they are increasing. I am worried to see a vet we will need to medicate him and or muzzle (but too scared to try) him. The cost for his size is also a conern he’s 146 lbs. We are trying to do what we can, financially figuring what to do without spending thousands pf dollars or waiting weeks to months for a rescue to help taking him. It breaks my heart, he’s a beautiful dog but seems lost in so many ways. Any feedback would be great! Thanks Ranger Ru’s Mama!
April 22, 2020
Hey, Michelle. So sorry to hear about your struggles with Ranger Ru!
The behaviors you describe certainly sound like cause for concern. We’d definitely recommend trying to address the problems now, rather than trying to rehome him later — doing so probably won’t be easy with such a large dog, who’s exhibiting some safety issues. Medications may be necessary, but don’t get ahead of yourself. Your best bet is to work with a certified trainer or canine behaviorist. You can find one in your area here, or you can reach out to Journey Dog Training (they provide distance-training solutions if you’re unable to leave your home right now).
Also, it would probably be a good idea to at least have a muzzle on hand and go through the initial steps of getting Ranger Ru used to wearing it. Just check out our article about muzzles to learn more.
Best of luck! Keep us updated.
February 14, 2020
Hi, all of a sudden when I leave to go to work,my dog gets very angry and growls and if I go to pet her she will bite me. I love her so much, just can’t figure it out!! She’s ok if I leave during the day. I work at night
December 12, 2019
I adopted a Male Maltese who was intact at at 3 years old. I’ve had him for 4 months. He has aggressive feelings about things and I try hard to respect that. I dont smack him and I dont yell at him. I simply ask him to go to his room. ” kennel ” he seems like he has been totally kennel trained and feels safe there. All the sudden he seems to be terrified of me. I’m totally confused about this. We just took a trip and nothing really happened that I can think of that could make him seem to be scared of me. He will not let me pick him up. He goes totally out of control towards me. I dont understand. My friend came in and he was fine as he usually is . I cannot believe that this is happening. I truly have no idea what I’ve done to hurt him. I have respected his issues. He has been fine and now totally not ok with me. Any ideas?I
December 12, 2019
Hey, Brenda. How heart-breaking and strange!
We’d recommend starting with a trip to the vet. Your pooch may not be feeling well or be suffering from pain, and that could be causing him to be a bit prickly.
Assuming you get the all-clear from the vet, it’d probably be wise to consult a private trainer who can observe your pooch and figure out what’s going on.
Best of luck!