Why did my senior Golden Retriever suddenly attack and bite me?

Oh dear! That is a worry for sure! It's really important that you don't get hurt, because dog bites can be pretty serious. I would suggest making an appointment with your vet to talk about possibilities. They might be able to link you up with a behaviorist, or dog trainer that could help a lot. There also could be medications that might help. Or, like you said, there could be a medical problem that is upsetting him.

If this was a sudden behavior change for Luk, I would recommend having him examined by a vet before doing anything else - he may be sick or in pain, which can often cause aggressive behavior in dogs since they are less tolerant of many things when they don't feel well. Blood work to check his thyroid and other organ functions may also be recommended. If his exam and blood work are normal, then it's likely that you will need a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer to help you with this in person - aggression towards humans is a complex behavior issue that is a bit beyond the scope of what we can tackle in this forum. Generally speaking, treatment for aggression problems involves identifying things that trigger the aggressive behavior, then using positive reinforcement to change how the dog feels about these situations. It can be difficult to do this safely on your own, which is why working in-person with a professional is always recommended.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry for Lucy's troubles. As dogs age, they do seem to sometimes become more anxious with the world around them. Diminished senses, such as sight & hearing, & chronic pain from osteoarthritis would make anyone grumpy. Is she ready to be euthanized? If she is a danger to anyone, then yes, but with a little more care & considerations, she might be OK. Never leave her where unsupervised children will be, & put her up when non-family will be around. Make sure any underlying disease or osteoarthritis is addressed with the proper medications. Calming pheromone sprays can reduce anxiety ( Adaptil ). Any dog can develop aggression as they get older, but I do not see more retrievers with this any other breed. If you can take some precautions, then I would see how Lucy does, but if this is a severe change in her disposition, then there may indeed be something more serious going on. I hope this helps in your decision. Take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Benny. I am sorry to hear about his behavior changes. That is very upsetting. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. My first thought is that he could have a medical problem contributing to the change you are observing in him. For example, if a dog is painful from arthritis, an ear infection, periodontal disease or some other issue, he may act out aggressively. Another consideration is if he has dementia. This is common in older pets and is frequently observed at night. The veterinarian will thoroughly examine him and determine how best to help you both. In the meantime, be careful around him to keep yourself safe and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

The sudden temperament change can be due to stress from a new baby or maybe an indication of pain or a neurological problem such as tumor or dementia. You can talk with your vet about medicine for pain but with a new baby it is probably safest to not chance it and always keep them separate. If the medicines do not help and her behavior continues then I am afraid your only other option is considering euthanasia for everyone’s safety. I am so sorry you are faced with this!

This is quite strange behavior. It sounds like it is mostly anxiety and stress related due to the change in environment and care givers. I would have your girlfriend try to give him some treats and feed him to help "win him over" again as long as he isn't being too aggressive. I do not want her to get bit again. If this behavior continues on and off, I would consider putting a calming collar on her like adaptil and giving him a calming chew like vetriscience composure. Finally, if that doesn't help, I would talk to your vet about starting him on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine. I hope this helps and he starts to get back to normal soon!

I would make sure the dog that has become aggressive isn't having any other issues like pain or discomfort. Also, has anything change in your schedule or house that could have made her feel more insecure or anxious? You could talk to your vet about starting her on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine as this may help. I would also make sure they aren't becoming aggressive over any treats, bones, toys, etc. I hope this helps and she starts to act like herself soon.