My 2-month puppy growls and bites. Is this aggression or normal play?

Yes it can be normal at this age, but you have to stop the behavior now or it will get worse as Capi gets older. Unfortunately, this is a serious problem - aggressive behavior like this (assuming it's true aggression and not rough play) is very abnormal in such a young puppy. To have the best chance of growing up to be relatively normal, puppies like this need early behavioral intervention from a professional. I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist as soon as possible for a in-person evaluation of your puppy. He/she can give you a much better idea of whether this issue is "fixable", in the sense of having a relatively normal dog when he grows up. They will also help you put together a step-by-step training plan to work on the problem, and give you very specific management instructions to make sure everyone stays safe. You can search for a behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Growling and biting isn't inherently a sign of illness, but it doesn't hurt to schedule a vet visit to rule out any issues, however I would be more concerned that a puppy is biting and growling at only a month of age and acting aggressively. I highly recommend trying to find a veterinary behaviorist in your area that can deal with aggression, or working with a trainer on basic puppy obedience so you can start to instill some ground rules and learn to communicate with each other better. http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

What you are describing may be normal puppy behavior for Bear because some puppies respond very poorly to dominance type of behavioral training. However, I would be concerned with the behaviors that you are describing. I would recommend contacting your veterinarian or the foster organization for a recommendation on a trainer to work with to have someone else observe Bear's behavior to help you decide where to go from here. The longer this behavior continues, the more serious it will be become, so this needs to be dealt with immediately. In the meantime, I would not reprimand or challenge Bear since that seems to escalate the situation. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That is a lot going on and it sounds like Oggy would benefit from a visit with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in your area, especially if she is being aggressive to the point of bruising or drawing blood. Aggression usually looks very different from play/exploration biting and can include low growling, stiff bodies, showing the whites of the eyes, hair raising on the back, baring teeth, and then nipping or biting. This is unusual in a puppy of this age, so if it is happening, it is best to seek professional help in person ASAP since it is a complex issue that needs to be worked with. If the nipping is just puppy nipping, and she is also chewing on lots of things, it could just be normal puppy behavior and a puppy kindergarten/training classes is a great way to establish some ground rules and get used to interacting with each other in a positive manner. I'm also including some articles on general puppy nipping/chewing that may help as well. https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-nipping-of-hands/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/puppy-biting-when-does-it-stop/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/chewing-in-puppies-how-to-control-it/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-tips-to-help-prevent-destructive-chewing/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-choose-a-dog-trainer/

Hi there! Aggressive behavior (snarling, growling, etc.) when picked up or disturbed is not normal in a puppy this age, and is a very concerning red flag for future behavior issues. I would take this very seriously, and make an appointment to see a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Zelda in person and help you put together a detailed plan to work on this issue while she's still young, rather than waiting for things to get worse as she gets older. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Saban is very cute! Biting and mouthing is very normal for puppies this age - and since it sounds like he was taken from his mom and littermates much too early, it's likely that his bite inhibition and general play skills aren't as good as they would be in most puppies. This doesn't mean that he can't learn, but it does mean that you'll need to be very patient with him, and you may need to enlist professional help to get things on the right track if you're having trouble. In general, we want to focus on redirecting puppies to something more appropriate when they start to bite our hands, feet, clothing, etc. - so when he does this, I would grab one of his toys and encourage him to bite it instead, then reward by tugging on the toy and engaging in play. I would also make sure that he has plenty of things to lay and chew on, such as bully sticks, rawhide chews, cow or pig ears, and puzzle toys such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. If he isn't already enrolled in a good puppy kindergarten class, I would also start this right away. You can search for a qualified trainer offering classes in your area here: www.ccpdt.org. If you are not seeing improvement in the next few weeks or if things are getting worse, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person to help determine if what you are seeing is normal or not, and can also put together a detailed plan to help you address the issues he's having. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hi there. Resource guarding is a very common (and normal, to some extent!) behavior in dogs. Do not try to take high-value treats away from her while she is chewing them, as this will only teach her to be anxious and on guard whenever you approach. Instead, leave her alone to chew them in peace. You can also practice walking up to her while she is chewing on something, dropping a tasty treat like a piece of cheese or a hot dog slice, and walking away without bothering her. This way, she learns that having you approach her when she has a "treasure" is a good thing, and not a threat! If this behavior escalates over time instead of getting better, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a training plan to address it. Play growling during tug of war is normal, and it not typically a cause for concern.