Why does my dog aggressively charge and bite me when off-leash?

Yes, this does sound very scary. I would look for a collar that he cannot get out of like a pinch collar or a harness that is properly fitted. This could be a liability to you if your dog is running into another person's yard and being aggressive. I would also consider talking to a behavioral specialist to help train him so he doesn't do this. You could also talk to your vet about starting him on a anti-anxiety or calming medicine like trazadone that you can give before your walks. Finally, you can be safer by either not walking him if you have a backyard or try to walk him when no one else is around. I hope this helps!

Biting aggressively is a serious concern and a very complicated thing to deal with. Leash aggression can sometimes manifest and be redirected toward the person putting on the leash, however if this suddenly happened out of the blue I'd be concerned. A good first step with any behavioral issues that comes on suddenly is to schedule a vet visit to rule out any issues such as pain or illness. Something wrong such as a slipped disk causing pain in the neck or shoulders may make having Griffy's collar or neck handled painful, causing him to bite. If he checks out healthy, talking with a trainer or behaviorist in person is a good next step. They can work with you on a plan to gradually reintroduce the leash to Griffy through positive experiences (such as giving a treat when you bring out the leash, gradually getting him used to it again, etc) and can observe in person what exactly is going on to better tailor the plan. A veterinary behaviorist can also work on both medical treatment and behavioral treatment at the same time to make things less stressful for both you and Griffy. If he is attempting to break the skin while you put the leash on, refraining from doing so until you've talked to a trainer or behaviorist in person is best. You can find a list of local behaviorists in your area by checking out this link: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

I would recommend having a trainer come to your home and working with Chai. I would have them walk with you and Chai to see exactly what is going on and then work with you and her to help you control/fix the problem. I don't like the fact that she became aggressive towards the lady and so I would call someone as soon as possible. Your veterinarian should know someone who should e able to help you. If this is a new behavior I would recommend having your veterinarian do a full evaluation of Chai just to make sure there isn't anything medical going on with her. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Mickey. Sounds like you have tried almost about everything. Unfortunately, some dogs never make good pets due to underlying problems that lead to bad behaviors. I would advise working one on one with a certified canine behaviorist or trainer and placing Mickey on a drug trial. There are many drugs to try to affect his abnormal behavior while working with a trainer to modify his behavior. I would advise taking him to your vet. Your vet can gather a history, perform an exam and then advise you on any diagnostics/treatments that they feel is appropriate. Some bad behaviors could be caused or made worse by medical problems so ruling them out is important. A minimum database would be fecal/blood/urine tests and possibly some imaging studies such as x-ray. Once a medical problem is ruled out, a sound treatment plan can be implemented with drugs and effective training. Good luck with Mickey.

It sounds like two different things might be going on: overexcitement and potentially leash aggression. To me it doesn’t sound like Bruce is timid or anxious around other dogs and new places, but rather that he is really really excited to be out and about. The attacking fences where there are other dogs could be a sign of leash aggression. There are things to do to help - you should start by working with basic commands at home - ask him to either sit or make eye contact at home, then start practicing with him on a leash and when there is a minor distraction around. Gradually work up to going outside in a quiet area. If you’re struggling an obedience class might help, or you could also ask your vet for a referral to a behaviorist.

If Bruno is aggressive he needs to be confined to the backyard or be walked on a leash. I would get a trainer to work with him and help with the aggression. This is a concern since you are liable if he bites someone. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry to hear that this has happened. This behavior is certainly concerning as you don't want Boston to cause serious harm to your wife or anyone else for that matter. I would recommend taking Boston to a behaviorist for training and other recommendations. There are trainers that will take Boston for several weeks for the training or trainers that will come to your house for in home training. At 4 months of age, this is easier to correct than when he is 4 years old. Now is the time to take action as it is much easier to train a puppy. I hope this helps and for now, please take the necessary precautions and keep Boston away from anyone until he is appropriately trained.