Why is my golden retriever suddenly aggressive to his owner?

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

There are many possible reasons for this, I'm afraid - aggression is a complex behavior issue, so it can be hard to provide a succinct answer in this format. Many dogs develop aggression issues related to fear or anxiety around the age of 2-3 when they reach social maturity, so it's possible that this may be the issue. Or, since I see that Chucky is a bit older than that, he may have a medical problem causing him to be painful or uncomfortable - this is a common reason for "new" aggression in a previously friendly dog. I would recommend having Chucky examined by a vet as a good first step - he/she can check for anything that may be causing him pain or making him not feel well, and get him started on treatment if needed. If everything is normal medically, then it would be best to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to help you determine what is causing the aggression - he/she can observe your dogs in person and also give you a step-by-step treatment plan to work on the issue.

How awful for both your girlfriend and Cruz! Cruz may have some emotional issues. I recommend a full behavior workup with a veterinary behaviorist if this is all possible, since this sounds like a dangerous situation. Your vet should be able to refer you to a specialist in this area. Cruz may need a full exam and medications like antidepressants and anti anxiety medication to help in conjunction with behavior modification.

Please have Lady seen by a vet to help rule out a possible medical cause for her behaviour. If nothing is found to be physically wrong, seek the advice of a dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement techniques, or a veterinary behaviorist, to help curb this behavior. If left untreated, Lady may injure our other dog, a person or another animal. I would advise keeping her on a leash and away from other animals and people until you have the chance to work with a trainer or behaviourist, and keep her in a separate room from your other dog. You may need to muzzle her to prevent injury. Visit the following link for more information on dog behaviour issues. http://www.dacvb.org/resources/for-the-public/ .

Yes, the pain could be a part of it but I would expect him to be aggressive with everyone and not just other dogs. Are you doing anything to manage his hip dysplasia? I suggest you speak to your vet about that. Training with a professional, in-home dog trainer is definitely recommended. I like BarkBusters. You will have to contact them to see if they have a trainer in your area. If they can't help you, you can do an internet search for trainers in your area or ask your vet for a recommendation. ( http://www.barkbusters.ca/?_ga=2.243114116.782344675.1568958000-120774648.1566591306 )

Hi there. It's unusual to see aggression issues suddenly start in a dog this age without any history of aggression, so I would be suspicious that Danny may have a medical problem causing this. He may be painful or uncomfortable for some reason, or may have a hormonal problem such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease causing him to be more irritable. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam and possibly lab work to see if an underlying cause can be found.

I'm sorry to hear Cooper has been acting this way. If this behavior is sudden and new, a good first step is to schedule a visit with your veterinarian. In some cases, underlying pain or illness can cause a dog to change behavior and suddenly lash out when otherwise they were sweet or friendly. Your vet can help determine if this may be the case. If Cooper checks out healthy, I then recommend talking with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in person as aggression toward people is a very complex and serious issue which requires professional help in person. You can learn more about veterinary behaviorists and find one in your area with this link: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about