Why is my 3-year-old dog suddenly aggressive towards her mom?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Mylah and her apparent aggression. Aggression problems can be very complicated and complex. One thing you should do initially is take her to your veterinarian and let them make sure that she is healthy and that nothing appears wrong medically. Pain, etc can bring about aggression and irritability problems. Once the medical check is cleared, then you can discuss with your vet exactly what is going on behaviorally. Your veterinarian may want to refer you to a certified trainer or animal behaviorist to try to sort out what is triggering the aggression. I see she is spayed so we can rule out irritability/aggression associated with her heat cycles. I wish you the best of luck with little cutie Mylah.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem! If this has been a fairly sudden behavior change for Elsa, the first thing I would suggest would be to have her examined by a vet to see if there may be a medial reason for the aggression - many illnesses including thyroid problems and neurologic issues can cause sudden mood swings and behavior changes like this, as well as anything that may be painful such as an injury of some kind, arthritis, etc. If your vet determines that Elsa is healthy, then I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist as the next step. Aggression towards humans is a serious and complex behavior issue that needs to be handled by a professional who can work with your dog in person. The behaviorist will evaluate your dog and help you determine what is triggering the aggression, then 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

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If this is a sudden behavioral change I would have her examined. She could be painful or not feel well and she is acting out because of that. It is better for her health to be spayed, she is at risk for an infected uterus which is an expensive surgical emergency. Hormones can affect temperament, so it MAY help but it might not be the solution. If her exam and blood work are normal, you can have her spayed then consider training and medications to control her aggression. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bella the very best!

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

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!

I would recommend a few different things for Annabelle. The first is getting a trainer to come to your home and see what the triggers are for her. That way they can help you learn how to deal with it and hopefully redirect her. There is medication that may help. Understand that it may take multiple medications, multiple trials and it can take time for medication to fully work. Your veterinarian will be able to prescribe medications to see what would be best for her. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.