My dog snapped at a puppy. Is this aggression or just boundaries?

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is most of the time dogs being territorial or even trying to be protective of their owners. Sometimes as difficult as it seems to comprehend, they just do not like each other. I am glad to hear that Chaktah was not injured in the process. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I find that flipping puppies that misbehave on their back in your arms or on the ground and holding them in place for a minute or two helps. I've had some fairly aggressive puppies that this trick worked well with. Also, saying in a stern voice "off!" or "stop!" when the unwanted behavior happens can help correct this as well. I would also consider incorporating a spray bottle filled with water and using this every time the puppy becomes aggressive. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At almost 14 years old Kissy is probably arthritic, can't see or hear as well and probably prefers to sleep mostly. A puppy may be a bit much to be thrown at her. I would suggest not allowing the puppy access to Kissy, so baby gate the puppy, have the puppy on a leash so she won't get hurt by Kissy acting out aggressively, start teaching the puppy "manners". Go slow with the introduction. Do not allow the puppy to keep going at Kissy with out intervening. Puppies are a lot and we do not want the puppy to get bitten. My advice is watch them, leash the puppy, separate them frequently when you can't watch them and give it time. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is just likely a display of dominant behavior. These types of behavior can improve though this does require in person training with the help of a qualified dog trainer. I would encourage you to contact a dog trainer that can work with you and Tova in person to really take care of this behavior. The sooner these behaviors are dealt with, the more likely it is that you can improve and resolve them. Good luck and have a great day!

This can be very common behavior for young puppies. It is important that you initiate training with your dog now so that his aggressive tendencies do not continue into adulthood. Somethings you can do to discourage his nipping and aggressive behavior are to try and redirect his aggression by giving him a toy to play with and bite on instead of using your hands and fingers. Also, when he missed behaves firmly tell him no, put him down and walk away and ignore him for 2 to 3 minutes. After that time you can start playing with him again and if his bad behavior returns ignore him again. If you continue to do this he will quickly learn that when he misbehaves you will not pay attention to him so he should stop the bad behavior. It would also be beneficial to start training him with basic commands like sit, stay, and come. This will help establish your role as the dominant one in the relationship. Also be sure he is getting plenty of exercise by taking him on 20 to 30 minute fast-paced walks at least 2 to 3 times a day. This will help drain some of his energy and make him be able to focus on training with you better. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. That’s the one.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She is likely being very protective of you. Usually these behaviors can be corrected but this usually requires in person training by a qualified dog trainer. I recommend you consider contacting a qualified dog trainer to work with you in person. Good luck and have a good day!