How to stop my dog from biting strangers and barking at the mailman?

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/

I am sorry to hear about your dog. I would recommend asking your veterinarian if there is a veterinary behaviorist near you, or consulting https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709 to find a veterinary behaviorist who may be able to help you. These vets are specially trained in behavior issues of this type and may use a combination of specialized training/behavior modification as well as medications if deemed necessary.

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Hanna. Most aggression towards strangers in the situations you describe are a result of fear and anxiety - Hanna may not be comfortable around people she doesn't know, and barks and growls to try and get them to go away. Treatment for this problem is based on teaching her to associate good things (usually treats) with seeing new people, along with making sure that she always has plenty of space and is never forced to interact if she doesn't want to. A basket muzzle can certainly be used to help keep everyone safe, if needed, but it shouldn't be used to put her in uncomfortable situations. Aggression issues in dogs are complex and can be difficult to work on safely without help, so I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can work with you in person. He/she can evaluate Hanna to help determine what is causing her aggressive behavior, and will help you put together a detailed training plan to work on the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Poor Bandit! It does sound like he's very fearful of new people - this is a fairly common problem in dogs, and can be due to genetics, inadequate socialization as a puppy, and/or negative experiences with strangers in the past. The good news is, most dogs with this problem are able to improve tremendously with some help from a professional. I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Bandit in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan for him - this would normally include management recommendations to help keep him from being put in situations that are overwhelming for him, a training plan to teach him to associate new people with good things (usually treats!), and possibly also medication depending on the severity of his anxiety. It can be very challenging to try and do this on your own if you don't have any experience working on this problem, so I would definitely recommend having a behaviorist help you - especially since he does sometimes try to bite. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Aggression toward people is a very serious and complicated topic, and one that should be worked with by a local animal behaviorist or trainer in person. It is best to work together to address the root cause behind the biting (fear, uncomfortable in new home, undersocialized, etc) and then work on a training plan together than can ensure both Okami and any visitors remain safe. In the meantime, moving Okami to another room and not having visitors approach, or just tossing a treat if they walk past where he is is best to avoid direct contact and anyone getting hurt. In the US, this site is useful for finding a certified behaviorist near you that can get you started on resolving the issue: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

I would speak to your vet about a referral to a professional behavioral expert for Dexter. Aggression is a very dangerous behavior to work with in dogs, and it's best left up to an expert due to safety reasons. I never recommend owners try to train this behavior on their own due to this, and good on you for wanting to correct this behavior! Getting Dexter into a professional behavior expert is the best option for fixing this behavior.

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