My dog growls and snaps at family. How to stop aggression?

I strongly recommend you consult with a professional, in-home dog trainer. You need a trainer to come to your house and see the behavior and the interaction of all the family members with the puppy. This is your best bet. Aggression problems need special care and it is not recommended that you try to correct this on your own. You may give him the wrong signals and make him worse. This needs to stop before he hurts someone.

At this point, I think you need to have a professional trainer/behaviorist examine your dog and try to come up with a training plan. That is very concerning that she is aggressive and I think you need some professional help before someone in your family is injured. Call your vet and see if he/she can recommend a good trainer in your area.

Before assuming this is a behavior issue, I would want to rule out a possible medical issue first. When I hear about sudden changes resulting in aggressiveness, the possibility of pain or discomfort in one of the dogs could be the root of the problem. When a dog is not feeling well, it is only natural for it to react in a negative way if one of its buddies is trying to get it to act normally. A thorough physical exam should be performed by a veterinarian in order to rule out any sort of orthopedic or neurologic pain. Thyroid conditions can also be responsible for behavior changes as well. If it turns out that no medical issue can be be identified, you will have to start considering what may have started this sudden change of heart by Mill. You will have to think back to when it started, when the problem occurs most, where it occurs most, who is around when it is occurring, who ISN'T around when it is occurring, so on and so forth. These types of issues can be long and complicated to resolve, but usually as soon as the issue is identified the road forward becomes much easier.

I hate to hear that about Munnu. Aggression is a very complex problem and one that may be difficult to fix without a trainer. Aggression can be related to dominance, possessive behavior, fear or anxiety and each one needs to be addressed in a different fashion. The trainer will be able to determine the cause. The trainer will then work with you and your pet to modify both of your behaviors to meet a common goal. There are several different training methods so you will need to find the one that works best for you and your pup. You should also pick up a few books about dog behavior and dog training so that you can learn to recognize your pet’s body language. By knowing what he is saying, you be better able to react before he reacts. I hope this at least points you in the right direction. Please post again with any further questions.

I hate to hear this is happening and unfortunately, it's impossible to know the real cause of the behavior without being able to observe it. 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. I also recommend to have Cezar neutered. Intact males tend to be more aggressive but again, aggression is complex and it may not solve the problem. Best of luck.

I'm sorry that Von is having some issues. If its definitely gotten worse recently, I recommend that you have him examined by a vet. He may be painful somewhere, or not feeling well, both of which could make him more "guarded" and irritable. I am concerned by what you are saying that he is going to end up hurting the other dog (his mom). I would recommend that you not leave the 2 of them loose together unattended. separate them when they are not supervised. Call your vet and ask for a recommendation for a trainer local to you. This could provide invaluable insight and perspective into some of the dynamics that may be contributing to his behavior. Here is some info you may find very helpful. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/aggression thank you for asking PetCoach!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bruno. When a puppy shows aggression, I immediately advise neutering him to remove the male hormone-driven behaviors. I would advise taking him to your veterinarian for their opinion also. He may have some medical reason for his sudden onset of aggression. Your vet can gather a history, perform an exam and then offer a diagnostic/treatment plan based on their findings. Possible tests include fecal/blood/urine tests and x-rays to look for underlying medical problems that could cause aggression. If a behavioral problem is suspected, then neutering, behavior modification, and drug therapy can be tried. I wish you good luck with Bruno