Why does my rescue dog lunge aggressively when tired or near bed?

He may be painful or fearful - I would recommend a full physical exam in light of the crying you describe as it is possible he is becoming defensive due to pain. Do not place yourself in danger as anxious/painful dogs can react very unpredictably, if no source of pain is identified consider calming foods, pheromone products and contacting a certified trainer for a house visit. Some rescue dogs can bring a variety of behaviors due to past experience which start to show in new surroundings and can take a lot of time, patience and experience to deal with

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry you are experiencing this with Bongo, but this is a serious matter. He is not even a year old and what you are describing is very worrisome. A veterinary Behaviorist is the best thing for you and Bongo as you will get the best outcome. Just having him on Prozac is not enough, you need to work and train him daily. Biting your owner, even TRYING to, is unacceptable behavior. I don't think it is territorial aggression that is causing him to not want to go in his sleep area. It could be fear or not wanting to do what you ask. I would suggest, for your safety that you lure him in the sleep area with a special toy, treat, or Kong stuffed with food. Or attach his leash and walk him in to the room after his final walk of the night. If these things do not work, place a basket muzzle on him before forcing him in the room and then remove it. Bongo is not an easy behavior case and there is no easy fix. A behaviorist is your best option so you can manage his behavior in a safe way. I wish you the best!

Ths is very concerning and I recommend you contact a behaviorist for a house visit to fully assess all the triggers and issues in this case. Boundaries are very important and I recommend you restrict his access in the house in order to provide some social structure to his routine - allowing a dog to sleep on the beds and couches can result in mixed messages as to his place in the pack and lead him to think he actually controls the house and access to all things important. It is important he gets sufficient exercise for both mental and physical stimulation every day and should be outdoors at least 1.5-2hours a day as a largem active dog. Do not allow him to be undupervised with your chilrdren at any time until you can have him fully assessed

I am sorry to hear you are having such a hard time with him! Some rescue dogs can be challenging and a certified behaviorist may be able to provide some options but with behavior this extreme I would be concerned about a possible brain lesion which would require CT/MRI to diagnose. You must at all times keep you and your families safety your priority and if such investigations are not feasible, euthanasia would not be a wrong decision either given the risk to others and the poor quality of life he is experiencing given he is so reactive and unpredictable

This sounds like a vet difficult situation and there are a lot of factors that can be contributing. Firstly, I would recommend a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist right away to see what can be done. In the mean time, avoid all situations in which he's showing aggression (yes I realize this will be really really hard). He may need to be in a crate, or in the room on his own with some amazing treats whenever you are both home. If he's not showing any aggression towards your SO, she'll need to be the one to move him around. Don't use an punishments, because this could make things worse. Don't try to fix this on your own, you need professional help to avoid potential injury. Wishing you the best of luck.

Please have him assessed by a vet urgently, it sounds like he is extremely painful and this may be due to a severe injury, spinal pain, infection or hip dysplasia and treatment will depend on the underlying cause

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Simba is either resource (you and/or the bed) guarding or trying to assert dominance over your husband. I would not allow Simba on the bed until your husband is in the bed OR Simba isn't allowed in the bed at all! the second is my recommendation. This is unacceptable behavior and should be taken seriously. Growling may lead to biting and that is not acceptable. You can also have a light leash on him so that you can pull him from in between the 2 of you to prevent a bite. Personally Simba should be removed from the bed permanently and trained to sleep on a bed on the floor or trained to sleep at the bottom of the bed. I wish you the best!