My dog is aggressive, lunges, and bites. How can I stop this?

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!

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

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Aggression like this is serious. Dogs reach their social/behavioral maturity around 2-3 years of age. This is when a dogs behavior can change. Since he wants to bite and attack I recommend a trainer or a veterinary behaviorist. They may want to start a behavioral modification drug while you start trainer. You will need to put in the effort and also make realistic expectations for how Pablo will be. He may never be a dog that strangers can walk up to and pet. You need to learn his triggers and learn to avoid situations where someone could be hurt or negative behaviors are initiated. I hope this helps and I wish you and Pablo the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. My advice is to get professional help sooner rather than later. This type of behavior is often due to anxiety. I would strongly recommend talking to your vet about anti-anxiety/ behavior modification medication which can make a huge difference! Once the medication is on board, the fear-threshold is lowered, and learning can occur. At that point, working with a reputable trainer in your area is a must. Best wishes to you and Cooper.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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 Micah 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. I also highly recommend you have your other pup evaluated by a veterinarian to have the bite wounds checked and treated. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I find that flipping puppies that misbehave on their back in your arms or on the ground and holding them in place for a minute or two helps. I've had some fairly aggressive puppies that this trick worked well with. Also, saying in a stern voice "off!" or "stop!" when the unwanted behavior happens can help correct this as well. I would also consider incorporating a spray bottle filled with water and using this every time the puppy becomes aggressive. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I hate to hear this is happening. If you do not want to rehome her, I recommend to work with a professional trainer because this will give you the best results the fastest. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. A professional trainer is fully capable of reading the body language and then teaching you how to modify this behavior. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.