Why is my dog becoming aggressive towards unknown small dogs?

I do not think it is anything you are specifically doing wrong. As dogs age they can have a change in personality but it is important to start training to turn this behavior around. IT sounds like she is scared and having some anxiety. I would recommend starting with basic commands like sit, stay and come. I also would recommend getting her in training classes so you can start to redirect her behavior. Once she starts feeling more confident it most likely will help with her behavior around other dogs. i hope that helps

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is just likely a display of dominant behavior. These types of behavior can improve though this does require in person training with the help of a qualified dog trainer. I would encourage you to contact a dog trainer that can work with you and Tova in person to really take care of this behavior. The sooner these behaviors are dealt with, the more likely it is that you can improve and resolve them. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the information you provided, it sounds to me like Molly needs to be enrolled in a behavior class to help train her. I am sure that there are many trainers in your area, so I would begin calling them and see what they have available for classes. This is beneficial at this age because Molly is so young so take advantage of her age and train her early. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is likely being very protective of you. Usually these behaviors can be corrected but this usually requires in person training by a qualified dog trainer. I recommend you consider contacting a qualified dog trainer to work with you in person. Good luck and have a good day!

I hate to hear this is happening. If you do not want to rehome her, I recommend to work with a professional trainer because this will give you the best results the fastest. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. A professional trainer is fully capable of reading the body language and then teaching you how to modify this behavior. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If this is a sudden behavioral change I would have her examined. She could be painful or not feel well and she is acting out because of that. It is better for her health to be spayed, she is at risk for an infected uterus which is an expensive surgical emergency. Hormones can affect temperament, so it MAY help but it might not be the solution. If her exam and blood work are normal, you can have her spayed then consider training and medications to control her aggression. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bella the very best!

How long ago was it when she was spayed? If it was very recent, is she on pain meds? If not then I would recommend discussing this with your veterinarian and see if they can put her on some type of pain medication. If it wasn't within the last week then it most likely has nothing to do with pain related to the spay and there may be something more going on which would require a vet visit and potentially a trainer. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.