My dog bites ankles and fingers. How can I stop this aggression?

It could be that Littleboy is nipping at people's ankles out of fear or frustration, and this type of biting can indicate problems with aggression. If he's looking stiff, pulling back his mouth to show his teeth, and has tension in his face, then Littleboy's biting is aggressive and not playful. In that case, I'd recommend having him seen by a professional behavioral expert. Aggression is a difficult and dangerous behavior to train, and that's best left to a professional for safety reasons. I'd speak to your vet about a referral to one. If Littleboy's body and face is relaxed and there's no tension in his body, then he is playing. This behavior you can work with him at home. I will give you a link to the ASPCA's page that gives details on how to train a dog with play biting: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/mouthing-nipping-and-play-biting-adult-dogs

Unfortunately it's impossible for me to tell without observing the behavior. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Unless you are very familiar with reading canine body language and training, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. 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 I recommend to do some research. Here are a few articles on puppy teething: https://www.petcoach.co/article/tooth-eruptions-when-puppies-get-their-teeth/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-great-toys-for-teething-puppies/ It is also possible that your puppy is simply an over excited and rough player. Reading the body language will help significantly. Best of luck.

Aggression toward people is unfortunately a very complex issue and outside the scope of the answer length I can provide here. I highly recommend speaking with a trainer or behaviorist in your area that can help you by observing the issue in person (or over video) and tailoring a more specific plan to Ellie and your needs. That said, it is possible Ellie is feeling fearful of people in the house, and that the roommates walking away (while she nips at them) are inadvertently rewarding her because they go away when she nips. You have her listed as a mixed breed, but some herding breeds will also nip or bite at ankles too when they want more attention, are trying to get attention, or are trying to control the situation. Simply yelling at her when she nips is probably making her stress levels higher, and may be encouraging her to ramp up the behavior. Working on positive reinforcement techniques, such as having Ellie on a leash while the roommates toss her a treat, but not get close enough to approach/pet her, and then backing away without turning while you give more treats and praise her if she is calm and interested in the treats instead of the people may help her start to form a positive association with them (IE she gets her favorite snack whenever they are around) rather than a fearful one, while still keeping enough distance that no one gets hurt. If you're interested in learning more about animal behaviorists, or finding one in your area, this link can also help: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

Because Milo is still so young there is definitely time to correct her aggressive behavior. You should start with basic training commands (sit/stay/come) to help establish the fact that you are the one in charge. It is also important to make sure she is getting plenty of exercise. You should take her on fast-paced walks for 20-30 minutes at least twice a day. I would also recommend that you seek the help of a veterinary behaviorist to help you identify and treat Milo's underlying problem. Good luck.

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.

Without being able to observe the behavior, it's impossible to know if this is true aggression or if this is play behavior. True canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Unless you are very familiar with reading canine body language and training, 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. Rough play is a completely different behavior and will not generally be affected by neutering. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Desensitization and counterconditioning Desensitization is the process of taking a fearful stimulus and slowly exposing your dog to it. You have to start slowly and gradually increase the amount of stimulus that your dog is exposed to, until she is no longer responding negatively to the stimulus. Counterconditioning should be used in conjunction with desensitization. This is the process of pairing the fearful stimulus with a reward, such as praise or a treat. Your dog thus begins to associate the previously feared stimulus with positive emotions. An Example of Desensitization and Counterconditioning: Dog Afraid of Men In a spacious, neutral environment, like a park or large fenced yard, start with a man at a distance from your leashed dog where she does not cower, growl, try to run away or otherwise appear fearful. Make sure you have a good amount of high value treats to work with, which may be hot dog pieces, cheese, etc. Small treats given fairly constantly with proper behavior are a great tool. Adjustments to distance from the stimulus should be gradual and paired with constant treating while the proper behavior (i.e. lack of fearful behavior as described above) is maintained. Your dog may reach a point where she feels threatened and may display signs of fear toward the man, possibly even aggression. If this occurs, expand the distance and repeat the process. This technique can be adjusted and applied to most situations that cause your dog to be fearful. Conclusion Keep in mind that this is a process and will take some time. Have reasonable expectations of your dog and what is acceptable behavior within your family unit. Each fear will likely have to be addressed separately and may never be abolished completely. And as with any training exercise, it should be fun and a great way for you and your dog to bond! Adding obedience training or agility classes may make the process smoother and ultimately more enjoyable for everyone involved. For further information and help, especially with working with specific triggers, please contact your veterinarian.