Aggression: (growl, show teeth, or snap)

 

Cause:

Dog feels intimidated, stressed, confused or threatened. If your dog suddenly starts exhibiting aggressive behavior there could be a medical cause, so consult your veterinarian first to rule out any medical issue.

Solution:

  • Make sure your dog is properly exercised to get frustration out, this is CRITICAL to rehabilitation. Walk AT LEAST 30-60 minutes, 1-2 times a day most days of the week.*
  • For one-on-one help consult a dog behavioral specialist
  • Whenever possible avoid the situations where the dog exhibited the behaviors and separate the persons or animals involved.  (ex. if the aggression was during mealtime between two dogs, feed the dogs in two separate rooms.  If the aggression was exhibited while running the fence line let each animal out separately so as to keep the excitement level as low as possible.)

Additional Information:

Evaluating the situations where your dog behaves inappropiately and set your dog up for success by avoiding those situations wherever possible.  Keeping yourself and your dog calm is key. Do not allow yourself to get frustrated enough to relinquish your dog, reach out to a dog behaviorist to understand how to fix the behavior.  Be prepared to commit to the behavior modification training plan recommended by your behavior expert.