Why does my dog bark at other male dogs? Is it fear or aggression?

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. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. 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. Certainly male dogs who are not neutered are more prone to fighting and aggression. Neutering him may help but it will not likely solve all the problems. Best of luck.

Dogs may bark for a variety of reasons, but in most cases the reason is quite simple: your dog is demanding you to do something (i.e. feed him). This seemingly pushy behavior is generally known as "demand barking" or "nuisance barking," and it's pretty common. After all, barking is one of the main ways dogs have to communicate with us, so expect your canine companion to bark at you from time to time if he's not getting his way!

Dog aggression is relatively common and while there are training techniques to reduce dog aggression it can be difficult. If you can identify certain triggers: i.e. if she is only aggressive when she is at home, or when she is on a leash, it can be easier to work on training her to 'ignore' other dogs or desensitization. I would recommend seeing a behaviorist - your veterinarian would likely be able to recommend someone in your area. Until you are able to work on some training I would recommend avoiding contact with other dogs so that there are no injuries.

It's likely this behavior is related to puberty. Sometimes temperament can change. Spaying and neutering may help but training is still needed. I also recommend to work with a trainer. Someone at doggie daycare may be able to help or recommend someone. Here is a link with some other helpful information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-stop-excessive-barking-in-dogs/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Aggression is a complicated behavior because it can be due to dominance, possessive behavior, fear or anxiety. The treatment for each is different. I recommend to work with a trainer if possible as they will know why it is occurring and will teach you how to react to modify the behavior. You can also read about dog behavior and learn how to recognize the body language. Many training books are published which can give guidance on how to react. You can also try to train Freddie to look and pay attention to you instead of strangers. You need a high value treat. Every time Freddie looks at you when you approach a stranger, he gets a treat. Keep giving him treats until the situation passes. You must do this consistently. Make sure to praise him a lot when he makes a good decision. Most dogs will learn that strangers mean treats. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

There are a few things that could be at play. One, some dogs can get leash shy or leash aggressive, and while they are fine interacting off-leash, may get too overexcited while on leash. Second, Chief may also be very excited and trying to initiate play by barking. Watching his body language can help you determine which is the case -- wiggly soft bodies and play bows can indicate play, while stiff bodies, tail up, hackles showing, etc can indicate distress. Keeping meetings on leash brief (IE 4-5 seconds max), and then praising Chief and continuing on your walk can help him get used to greeting without it escalating to getting too excited and barking. If he is meeting a new dog that he'll be playing with for longer, several short greetings and walking alongside each other can help him stay focused on the walk without becoming too excited, or moving to an area where the dogs can play off leash can help.

Hello, and thanks for your question. Most “aggression” issues in dogs are ultimately based on fear to some degree, so I would suspect this is at least partially fear based. Maggie knows that your family is her “pack”, and she’s nervous of outsiders. Every time she barks/growls at others and they end up walking away, she may be reinforcing to herself that “hey - this works! I should keep scaring strangers away!” If this is a behavior you want to work on (and I would recommend it, before it escalates to biting a visitor or stranger on the street) I highly recommend recruiting the expertise of a professional. Ideally a veterinary behaviorist, but your primary vet may be able to direct you to trainers they recommend. Behavior concerns require a lot of time, effort, patience, and consistency, and it’s important to give Maggie the right response at the right moment, before she’s too worked up to be receptive to you. A professional can help you learn how to read these subtle signs before Maggie is completely overstimulated. Here’s a link on aggression that may be helpful to you. https://www.petcoach.co/article/aggression-due-to-dominance/ Hope this helps!