Why is my dog suddenly aggressive to other pets since I'm pregnant?

Hello. I’m sorry to hear about the trouble you’re having with Little Miss Blue. Is there any chance she could be pregnant? I noticed that you listed her as not spayed. Pregnancy can cause aggression especially if they are close to having puppies. If she is not pregnant sometimes dogs that are painful will start showing aggressive behavior suddenly. I would have your vet examine her and make sure that she is OK and not suffering from any thing painful, also it may be good to have them run for blood work and make sure nothing else is wrong. I would start there and if she’s healthy and not pregnant I would try to find a behaviorist to work with to alter these aggressive tendencies.

General temperament can be passed from parents to puppies, so it is possible that Dixie's pups could have an aggressive temperament. However, the benefit of this situation is that you are aware of that potential scenario and will be able to train the puppies from day one to teach acceptable behavior. If any signs of aggression develop, I recommend consulting a veterinary behaviorist immediately to address any small issues before they become big problems. During Dixie's pregnancy, make sure that she has been examined by her veterinarian to assure that she is in good health and that she is up to date on her vaccines. Bear in mind that many vaccines cannot be given to pregnant dogs, although some can. Deworming treatments can be administered to pregnant dogs, so I do recommend doing this under her vet's guidance. During both pregnancy and lactation, Dixie's nutritional requirements will be higher, so she should be fed a puppy food during this time rather than an adult dog food. As she approaches her due date, be sure that she has a quiet, comfortable area in which to next and prepare for whelping (delivery). I hope this helps and that all goes well for Dixie!

I would strongly recommend to get her on an anti-anxiety medicine. If she is this aggressive when she normally wasn't before babies, she could also have something else going on. I would have your vet take a look at her to ensure she is otherwise healthy. Your vet will be able to put her on some anti-anxiety medicine to help calm her nerves. She likely being very protective over her babies or she could be in pain somewhere. I am sorry that I do not have a great over the counter or quick remedy. These things take time. You could give her a calming chew or calming collar but I am afraid these wouldn't be strong enough. Plus, I cannot say whether or not they are safe for a nursing mother. Finally, I would try to arrange a place for her to be when you have your company arrive. If you have to board her or take her to someone else's house, you may need to do this. Having a lot of strangers in her house especially if they are wanting to see her puppies will only stress her out more. I would keep her and the puppis separated from the guests unless you are confident that she is better.

Hello, sorry to hear about Bella. Dogs may indeed sense a change in people which can than indirectly affect their behaviors. However, I would recommend having Bella evaluated as she may herself be undergoing a false pregnancy. This could cause behavioral changes in her as well. Other health issues that may cause her to have behavioral changes but are less likely may include cushings disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this issues! It sounds like there are a few different things going on here with both dogs, which definitely makes the situation more complicated. From your description, I can't quite tell if your male dog's crate aggression issues are directed at the puppy only, or if this is more of a general problem and he also snarls and runs from the puppy at other times as well. This is important information to help determine what may be going on so that we can make suggestions. I'm not sure how old your new puppy is, but if she is younger than six months, aggression at this age is quite uncommon and very concerning. Possessive aggression (also called resource guarding) over owners is a relatively common problem that can often be successfully treated, but you would really need an expert who can help you in person. Particularly in a young puppy, a veterinary behaviorist would be your best bet to evaluate the pup and put together a detailed plan to start working on this problem ASAP. If you want to keep both dogs, this will definitely require some professional assistance and quite a bit of time and effort for training. I would recommend asking your veterinarian to refer you to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist for some hands-on guidance.

This could be hormonal, and it's very serious Kira bit you in the face. I'd be very concerned about an aggressive dog around a baby. You should have her spayed, and get her into professional behavioral training.

Dogs can become more protective when they have puppies. Unfortunately there is not really a way to stop this aggression as it is instinctual and hormonal. A better option is to keep strangers and other unknown persons and pets away from the new mother. Make sure she feels safe and that her litter is kept in a low traffic and quiet area. The more the mother is stressed, the more likely she will be to show aggression. This aggression will generally decrease as the puppies get older. If her aggression is to the point where she is dangerous or extremely disruptive, you may consider removing her from your breeding program and having her spayed. Always be positive towards her and never frustrated or angry. This is normal behavior for a mother. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.