My puppy is aggressive. How can I train her to stop this behavior?

Because Milo is still so young there is definitely time to correct her aggressive behavior. You should start with basic training commands (sit/stay/come) to help establish the fact that you are the one in charge. It is also important to make sure she is getting plenty of exercise. You should take her on fast-paced walks for 20-30 minutes at least twice a day. I would also recommend that you seek the help of a veterinary behaviorist to help you identify and treat Milo's underlying problem. Good luck.

Actual aggression in a two month old dog is highly unusual, and a definite sign of bad things to come unless it is nipped in the butt immediately. I would highly recommend obtaining professional help from a behaviorist or dog trainer before Blue turns in a large adult dog with behavioral issues. In the mean times, do not interact with Blue if he shows any signs of aggression what so ever. You do not want him to mistake attention given to him as a reward. Typically I never recommend punishment since it is not as valuable a tool as positive reinforcement. However, in extremely young puppies such as these sometimes punishment can be effective. Once again, professional assistance is highly recommended in this instance. Hope this makes sense.

Yes, all dogs can be trained. It's important to focus on daily exercise and training. Some dogs will have a very high exercise requirement and may require 1-2 hours a day. A tired dog is generally a better behaved dog. Also, you need to figure out if this is true aggression or simply mouthy play. Some dogs like to play rough and if they are not taught appropriate boundaries, they can accidentally hurt their humans. True aggression is more worrisome. 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. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. 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.

While you may think he "knows he shouldn't do it" that doesn't mean he actually does, or isn't still wanting to do it. It could be that the maid coming by is extremely stressful for him, or he has fear associated with it- especially if you scold him every time. In his mind, he may think maid comes over = I get yelled at, so he tries to shoo away the maid in the hopes he won't be yelled at or scolded. Speaking with a trainer or behaviorist about BAT (Behavioral Adjustment Training) is a good idea. This can help nervous or fearful dogs desensitize to certain stimulus through positive, gradual introductions, rather than forcing him into a fearful situation. Moving him to another room or outside until you can work with a trainer can also help and can keep your maid safe from being bitten if he's actively trying to bite her. Trying to make her coming by a positive experience instead of a fearful one may also help. When she comes by, have her toss him a treat and then ignore him, or give him a special Kong or toy filled with his favorite snacks, so that he begins to associate maid coming over = fun! instead. As aggression is a very complicated issue, I highly recommend working with a trainer or behaviorist in person so that they can observe and work with you to positively change Brownie's behavior. In the US you can find a list of nearby behaviorists here: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

I would be happy to help you - feel free to request a consultation if you want to discuss Koda's issues in more detail. For now, I can certainly give you some general information about food aggression and how to treat it :) Food aggression, like other types of resource guarding, occurs because the dog is afraid that you are going to take their food away from them. This doesn't have to be based on any negative experiences in the past - it's a hard-wired, instinctive behavior that is stronger in some dogs than others. Treatment is based on teaching the dog that good things happen when you approach his food bowl, so that over time, this doesn't make her feel threatened anymore. You can start by walking by her and dropping a treat into her food bowl while she is eating. Once she's comfortable with this, you can gradually work up to approaching her, picking up the bowl, adding a special treat of some kind, and giving it back. It's never recommended to punish this behavior, or to bother her or take away her bowl while she is eating, since this only reinforces the idea that bad things happen when you approach her and will make the problem worse over time. The book "Mine!" by Jean Donaldson gives an excellent overview of this issue, along with detailed step-by-step training instructions to address it.

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 that about Jimmy. Aggression is a very complex problem and one that may be difficult to fix without a trainer. Aggression can be related to dominance, possessive behavior, fear or anxiety and each one needs to be addressed in a different fashion. The trainer will be able to determine the cause. The trainer will then work with you and your pet to modify both of your behaviors to meet a common goal. There are several different training methods so you will need to find the one that works best for you and your pup. You should also pick up a few books about dog behavior and dog training so that you can learn to recognize your pet’s body language. By knowing what he is saying, you be better able to react before he reacts. Neutering Jimmy can also help to reduce undesired behavior. I hope this at least points you in the right direction. Please post again with any further questions.