My dog barks and bites family. Does yelling make his aggression worse?

This is a hard question to answer without really knowing what is going on. If Max is becoming aggressive, growling, snarling, attempting to bite, etc, then this is a very complex and worrisome issue that should be worked with by a professional in your area. A trainer coming by in person can help observe what is going on, and provide more tailored training plans to address the issue. If Max seems nervous when you approach, you can work on getting him more comfortable with you by tossing a favorite treat to him every time you approach. Over time, he'll start to associate you with with something positive (the treat) instead of something negative. If he does growl or become agitated, moving away and giving him some time to relax before trying again is best to avoid escalation of any behaviors. If he is acting aggressively toward other dogs, separating him if things get too rough or a fight breaks out, and then reintroducing both dogs again slowly can help. Removing items of contention such as toys, bedding, bones, etc can also help reduce the possibility of a fight over these items.

While you may think he "knows he shouldn't do it" that doesn't mean he actually does, or isn't still wanting to do it. It could be that the maid coming by is extremely stressful for him, or he has fear associated with it- especially if you scold him every time. In his mind, he may think maid comes over = I get yelled at, so he tries to shoo away the maid in the hopes he won't be yelled at or scolded. Speaking with a trainer or behaviorist about BAT (Behavioral Adjustment Training) is a good idea. This can help nervous or fearful dogs desensitize to certain stimulus through positive, gradual introductions, rather than forcing him into a fearful situation. Moving him to another room or outside until you can work with a trainer can also help and can keep your maid safe from being bitten if he's actively trying to bite her. Trying to make her coming by a positive experience instead of a fearful one may also help. When she comes by, have her toss him a treat and then ignore him, or give him a special Kong or toy filled with his favorite snacks, so that he begins to associate maid coming over = fun! instead. As aggression is a very complicated issue, I highly recommend working with a trainer or behaviorist in person so that they can observe and work with you to positively change Brownie's behavior. In the US you can find a list of nearby behaviorists here: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

This is a very tough situation. If you're serious about Max getting better, I would recommend scheduling an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to get to the bottom of the problem. This is a good place to look: https://avsab.org/directory/ While you're waiting for your appointment, make sure you aren't punishing him for this behavior (because punishments can make it worse), avoid all situations in which it occurs, when you are on walks take really great treats with you and use them to keep his attention on you if you have to walk pasted another dog (but avoiding all together would still be better). Your dog will likely need a combination of behavior modifications, training, and medication and he may never be a totally normal dog. Wishing you the best of luck. Thanks for using PetCoach

Many dogs become excited and over-stimulated when people are running or playing nearby. I would recommend keeping Max on-leash whenever their are people nearby that he tends to chase and bite - this way, you can prevent him from being able to do this, and can also use praise and treats to reward calm behavior.

Most puppies go through a stage where they become very mouthy and try and bite everything. This is a very different situation to an aggressive dog that is not being playful but is trying to inflict damage. I assume your dog is just being mouthy but if it is aggressive then you should contact a professional behaviourist asap. Mouthy puppies are best handled with consistency. When the pup bites firmly say no and put it on the floor and ignore it for a minute or 2. Resume play and repeat when the pup bites. Give the puppy plenty of toys which it can bite but never encourage it to see your hand as a toy.

What you're describing sounds like a reaction to the general excitement level and maybe the volume in the room. Some dogs will actually become aggressive that type of situation (for example, they will bite ONLY when there's a touchdown -- not so fun for the visitors). As far as stopping it, keeping her a quiet separate area during big gatherings is one way, as long as she doesn't bark to be reunited with the group. You can also try feeding her a continuous steam of small treats to help change her emotional reaction to these events. One thing to avoid is any yelling or punishment, since that may push her over the edge from barking to aggression

Definitely take Max into a veterinary behavioral expert for help! Aggressive dogs are not something to leave alone, and this behavior can and does get worse over time. In addition, if he did bite someone, he could seriously injure them and there could be very severe repercussions for that occurring including euthanasia. There are a number of cases where a dog has had to be put to sleep for biting people, and you do not want that to happen. Speak to your vet about a referral to a professional behavioral expert asap. I hope this helps!