Aggressive Lab Mix

by Jessica
(Missouri)

I have a six year lab mix male who is fixed and has had a rough life. Previous to me rescuing him from the shelter, he was attacked several times by different dogs and has attached another dog while with me.

I cannot take him to the vet, pet park, and hardly on a walk without seeing a dog, so not sure what to do at this point.

He recently developed aggression towards people approaching him while on a leash as well. Mostly males, but today, showed aggression towards some kids that were walking by.

I have been researchng e-collars, but have mixed reviews and he is certainly too big to control on a choke chain which I think is inhumane anyways.

Any advice is good advice. Please help!

Thank you,
Jessica - Missouri

Aggressive Golden Lab

We own a 9 month old Golden Lab, she had been re-homed twice before we made her part of our family. We also own a 11 year old Maltese Shitzu, who at first was territorial towards her but as they got to know each other they became close.

Our 11 year old Maltese Shitzu has always been a heavy guard to his food. One night our Lab finished hers and thought she would have some of his and this is when the fights started.

We started feeding them separately and thought it would be just a one off thing. Unfortunately these fights have become more and more common and are getting a lot worse.

Our Lab will not let go of our Maltese Shitzu until we manage to force her off. The fight before last our Maltese was badly injured. We don't know what to do. We do not want to let go of our Lab and we definitely do not want this to continue.

What do we do?

Please help.

Aggressive Labradoodle

by Amber
(Colorado)

I currently own a one and a half year old labradoodle that will be two years old in April of this year. I have owned him since he was a puppy and is the sweetest dog at home, where I also own another labradoodle who is four years old. We also live with two miniature poodles who are eleven and thirteen, he is a wonderful dog when he's at home.

So whats the problem?

Well, I love going to the dog park and when we are around other dogs he is the nastiest aggressive dog. He growls, bares his teeth, goes after dogs, and has even started fights. I've had to leave the dog park because he just won't calm down, but as soon as we are home, he becomes the sweetest dog again. I just don't know what to do to sort this out.

An help would be greatly appreciated.

Aggressive Labradoodle 4yrs old

I have a dog, I brought him when he was 5 months from a pet shop. Was always an excitable dog, loved people, anyone and didn't really bark at anything. I trusted him with anyone.

I took him for a walk one day and he jumped at a lady when I was walking him and nipped her when he was about 1 year. I thought it was random but was a little nervous after that when walking him.

He got worse and worse until now I dont walk him cause I'm too scared. I have brought in dog whispers and he was fine, not agressive and just barked at other dogs.

I got another dog which was from a kennel and she ended up really agressive and my labradoodle got worse. We had to give up the second dog we had because they just kept fighting with each other and hurting each other.

I took both of the dogs to a dog training centre in penrith but kept getting told to take them for a walk or stay at the end of the line with the dogs because they barked too much.

I took the labradoodle to the sydney dog school and they said he was fine, a little highly strung but they could control him fine and he was good with the animals and children there.

I have not had a lot of time with him lately because of my hours, but want to get back into training him but he has gotten worse, he is even agressively barking at my friends he used to like now.

I dont trust him with anyone apart from me and my mum and aunty... and get really scared when anyone else comes around. I know his behaviour is my fault but I want to fix it but dont know how.

He listens to all my instructions when no one else is around and im proud of his obedience but when others or animals are around he is so unbelieveabley naughty.

I really need not only him trained but myself trained I think and I need to trust him again but I only think that could happen if we are trained together and I actually see his progression with people and other dogs.

Aggresive Lab Shepherd Mix 1 year old

I have a lab shepard mix and he is aggresive to my wife and 16 year old daughter. My 6 year old daughter and myself he is fine with. He jumps at them and trys to bite at them and when they go to leave the house he tries to attack them and jumps while he is barking at them and when people show up he does not stop barking.

Thanks

Aggressive Black Lab Mix .. HELP!

by Stephanie
(Anderson, sc)

We moved into a new house 10 months ago. We used to have an acre of land. This new house is very close to the houses on either side. My dog (black lab mix)has become extremely territorial. She lunges at the door if the bell rings and if she gets out, will try to attack anyone who comes into our yard. She has already bit one person and a dog. This problem did not happen until we moved. She is fine boarding at the kennel or going to the vet, or at home when there is no one else around. My neighbors are scared that she will get out and I am scared as well that she will hurt someone. I don't know what to do.

Aggressive Lab/Red Heeler Cross

by Sue
(Loyalton, CA)

We have had Willie since he was 10 weeks old. He'll be 2 in May. He's very smart. For me, he's very obedient: always comes when called, heels without leash, sits, lays down, stays (for a short time reliably and for longer periods til he gets distracted), does a bunch of tricks and loves to fetch. One of his issues is with our youngest son who will soon be 7. Adam loves Willie and always wants to play with him but the dog treats him like a puppy-he nips, or growls over his bone and such. Adam feeds him and makes him sit and look at him and then releases him to eat but an hour later, the dog will growl at him over a bone. He's nipped him a time or two as well. We don't know how to teach the dog to respect Adam and other children. We don't feel he is safe with kids so we lock him in his pen when there are children around other than our own kids.

Willie is also aggressive to anyone who comes in the yard. He barks, his hair goes up and he growls- even with people that come on a daily basis, people he knows. We grab him and tell him no bark, we see it and it's OK but he doesn't seems to get it. It's like he doesn't trust our judgment about folks. We put him in his pen to be sure he doesn't scare people or eventually end up biting someone. I would like him to learn to warn us and then accept our judgment that it's OK for these people to be here and ignore them.

Willie also barks at every car that goes by our house. Thankfully it's a rural area so there aren't that many. He barks at someone working in their own yard 1/4 mile away.

When Willie gets excited for his ball, for example, , he'll sometimes nip. It's like he is trying to get you to do something. It's hard to correct because it happens so fast and you have to correct it right way. It hasn't happened to me but maybe two or three times but it happened to my husband the other day when they were playing fetch. He's doing it to Adam as well.

Will is a generally nice dog with us and very obedient but he seems to be getting these aggressive tendencies that we are not sure how to break. All of this seems to be escalating.

I would like to learn how to train Willie out of these habits, otherwise, he'll have to find a new home...I would be very sad to have to do that. I've raised from puppyhood and he's a great and faithful dog. He has safe around people and kids.

Willie is fine with other dogs, no aggression issues there.

Any ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Late-onset of Aggression in my Lab/Pit Bull Mix

by Kayleigh
(WI, )

I have a Lab/Pit Bull (?) mix breed dog who has developed an aggression toward other dogs. I rescued her and do not know anything about the first year of her life. To all people, cats, and children, she is the sweetest, most affectionate and playful dog. You would never guess she has an aggression bone in her body. But in the lasst year and a half or so she has begun showing serious aggressive tendencies-- she growls and barks at select stranger dogs (some she completely disregards) Her hair will stand up on edge and she has even attempted to attack/bit other dogs. Because of this, I have taken precautionary measures-- she is always on lead when not in the house, she is only allowed certain types of toys,I avoid other dogs and have taken her to obedience classes twice now. Before starting to get aggressive, she was always around so many dogs and interacted wonderfully. While doing so, she has actually been bit several times. I believe that some of her aggression is fear based but I also think there is more to that because her aggression is selective.

I love my dog and am looking to do whatever necessary to alleviate these aggressive habits. Any new advice or suggestions is always welcomed!

Aggressive Boxer Lab Mix

We have 2 dogs, a boxer lab mix (doc) and a small pit bull (gaia). We had Doc first for a few years and then adopted Gaia and once we got Gaia, Doc became agressive towards others. When we take him for walks he barks and growles at other people and dogs. Gaia could care less. Gaia is scared of everything from her shadow to a plastic bag rattling. How do we train him to be less agressive. He was not like this before we got Gaia?

Aggressive Chocolate Lab Mix

by Linda
(Las Vegas)

We recently adopted a chocolate lab mix from a shelter. She is a total sweetie pie at home, but when I walk her, she pulls her leash and growls and barks at people along the way. She goes crazy when a motorcyle goes by. She gets along well with other dogs. We are going to dog training classes, but even using proper dog walking techniques, she's still pulling and growling/barking. The only history we know of her is that she's about 1 1/2 years old, she was a stray. When they spayed her, they aborted her puppies. We don't want to give her back as she has bonded with us and we with her. But I don't want an aggressive dog. I really don't want to walk her anymore.

Any suggestions?

First Instance of Aggression in Lab/Walker Puppy

by Jenna
(Alabama)

This afternoon was the first instance of agression in my Lab/Walker mix puppy. He growled first, then growled and snapped at my face. He got a new bone today and I believe was being territorial of it.

He hasn't had a traumatic past, is the only dog in the house, and is well socialized with other dogs on our street. He is 20.5 weeks and I've never seen him act like that before. Just wondering why it is starting now. I can't help but be overly concerned.

Aggressive labx

by Leah
(Cairns, QLD)

Our dog is a 1 year old labx (possibly staffy). He shows alot of aggression if someone wakes him up or steps over him no matter where he is sleeping. He will wake up and start showing his teeth. He has never bitten anyone from doing this... Yet. But when he has food or a bone, if you go near him he will start to growl.

Tonight, dexter had a bone for a few hours. My partner made him sit and drop his bone which he obeyed, but when she went to pick the bone up, dexter snapped and bit her wrist (latch on & drew blood). If this was anyone else, he would need to be put down. As soon as it happened, I tied him up on his rope and he was ignored for a good half an hour, then untied and ignored for the rest of the night.

We don't know what to do to stop his aggressive behavior. If someone comes onto 'his land' he will growl and bark and also get his 'mowhawk' as we call it down his back.

He is usually very obedient, sits when told, drops when told and doesn't eat his food until we tell him 'ok'. I'm not sure what other options we have to help him get over this & we do not want to get him put down, but if he continues this way, we won't have any other choice... Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Leah.

Aggressive Chow-Lab cross

by Alex
(Vancouver, BC, Canada)

We rescued our dog, Maggie, from the SPCA a few years ago. She was about 3 years old when we adopted her and we don't know her past except that she was probably abused a bit.

At first she seemed like a calm dog, although a bit timid, but within the past year she has been getting increasingly aggressive on leash and most recently, off-leash. She has taken to lunging and bearing her teeth at other dogs while on leash, but not all dogs, just chosen ones. When she is off leash at the dog park, she is usually fine and she has good interactions with other friends' dogs and dogs in her hiking group.

This evening, she was off leash and bolted toward a rottweiler who was on leash. A fight ensued and it was a few minutes before the dogs were separated. I have never seen her like this. She just went right after the dog and attacked it. I am afraid that the previous acts that were not dealt with are now leading to bigger, more serious problems.

I have enrolled her in many training classes and she always does well while in a training environment, but it is out in the real world that she doesn't do so well. Any suggestions?

Aggressive Labrador

I recently rescued a black lab puppy who didn't live the beginning of his life in the best of conditions.

He is currently 7 months old but was born into a dog hoarder's trailer with tons of other dogs and didn't see the light of day for a while.

At his foster home he was around 15 or so other dogs for a while before he came to me. Now, he lives with another lab, 8 months, and 3 miniature dachshunds.

He is never aggressive towards the humans at all, not even when I touch his food or toys or bones, but if another dog, especially the little ones come near his food or toys, he goes after them and bites them even until we break up the fight. He has made them bleed a few times now and I don't know what to do about it.

This is obviously unacceptable behavior and needs to stop. Any advice on how to discipline him regarding food/toy aggression will be appreciated.

Aggressive Black Lab Barks And Nips

by Donna
(New Jersey)

Smokey doesn't leave me alone.

He is a black lab about 11 months old. He barks and nips at me when I try and sit and do some paperwork or anything else for that matter other than preparing food. Then he sits quietly and waits. We don't feed him from the counter, we put scraps in his bowl.

He doesn't bother my husband as much as me and my daughter. He also gives us a hard time getting into his crate. He bites the choker collar so we can't pull him.

Smokey is a beautiful dog except for this one traight.

How do we stop him from reacting like that?

Untrainable Dog - I Love This Idiot!

by Brad
(Iowa)

I have a four month old Black Lab/ Jack Russel mix male puppy, totally untrainable moron. The only command I have been able to get him to understand is "sit" when I have something he wants.

He barks, he bites and runs totally rampant thru the house. I've had a variety of dogs before, but never have I found such a challenge as this one little pup.

His temperment can change in an instant. One minute he's calm and the next he's bouncing off the furniture. I've never had to strike a dog before to train him and I never planned to, but this dog asks for it and loves it. It's all part of a game for him. He wants a big playmate to fight with.

At four months I can't understand his need for dominance. Usually at this time puppies are searching for acceptance. HELP? I'm hoping he's not brain damaged. He is a beautiful dog.

Aggressive Golden Retriever

by Katie
(Cincinnati)

I just recently adopted a 6 year old golden from the SPCA.

I've had her for almost a year now and she is usually the sweetest, loving dog who loves attention. But if she has a toy in her mouth, food in her bowl or if I try to get her to move from where she is, she is downright nasty.

She has bitten me twice since I adopted her and I'm sick of it. She has dominance aggression and it needs to stop, but I don't know how!! Please help me!

Female Dog On Leash Shows "Fear" Aggression Towards Other Dogs

by Mich G.
(North Carolina)

We have a 4 year old spayed female pointer-chow-lab mix - "Rita."

Rita is a sweet, affectionate family dog who loves our children and especially loves the "alpha female" of the family (me). She gets along with most dogs and is decently socialized. Meaning, we don't do dog parks but she is around quite a few dogs. She does have a consistent issue with dominance/aggressiveness towards small dogs. I believe this stems from her experience with some small dogs in a neighboring yard who had come through our fence to attack her as a pup. Those dogs have since moved away, but she continues to show aggression and dominance toward small dogs, especially if they bark at her, so we are careful whenever small dogs are around. Rita has been boarded at a doggy "day care" where she's been exposed numerous times to packs of dogs and has not had issues. However, there have been a few occasions where Rita has been on-leash for a walk, has been approached by off-leash dogs, and has become aggressive towards those dogs on approach. Overall, we've determined that Rita is an alpha female who nevertheless submits to her human alpha.

Our recent problem is with a rescue dog that my recently widowed father would like to adopt. This dog, "Petunia," is a 2 year old pit bull mix who was found abandoned and is being fostered by a family with other pit bulls. The foster family describes Petunia as an alpha female, but she gets along with their own female pit bull who is also an alpha. Petunia was sweet, affectionate, and wonderful with my children. When Petunia met Rita she was receptive towards Rita, and wanted to greet and play. But Rita was not at all receptive to Petunia; upon approach, Rita withdrew, her hackles raised, lips curled, and she growled and snapped. Petunia responded in kind, but I do not feel she became aggressive (she was just responding to the affront). This did not improve over the course of an hour. We tried walking outside, no difference. Rita moved quickly into an "avoidance" behavior which meant no outward aggression during the walk, but whenever Petunia approached to smell or greet again, Rita reverted back to the aggression (frequently with tail tucked, eyes averted, and panting nervously). What is Rita trying to tell us?

I would really like these dogs to get along, because I want to be supportive of my dad so that he can adopt Petunia and I would be able to keep her at my home with Rita when he travels. But I need to feel comfortable that I won't end up with a dog fight! Is there hope for this pair??

Note: the initial meet-and-greet took place at my dad's current home, which Rita is familiar with but is not her "territory" or so I'd think. Both dogs were on leash the entire time.

Alpha Female Aggression

by Courtney
(Wichita, Ks)

I have a two year old black lab, who really is just the sweetest thing. She melts when anyone pets her, strangers included. However, yesterday I saw some very alarming behavior that worries me to no end.

Last year, we took PetSmart training, and Matti was just a doll with other dogs. We often go to the lake, and she meets other dogs without issue. However, yesterday we went to PatSmart training, and she tried snapping at every dog that came near her. Luckily, she stops when you yell at her, but she goes right back towards lip curling if the dog approaches again.

The only thing that has changed is our oldest German Shepherd died, and Matti has taken the role of pack leader. We babysit other dogs, so we have up to 6 dogs in our yard at any given time (the same 6 dogs). They all are very submissive and give her the leader status without any thought.

I am not comfortable with her now, I feel I can't trust her with another living thing (dogs or humans). I find this very disturbing, but I don't know how to show her this is not correct behavior. I can kind of understand if something "breaks" into our backyard being a threat, but I don't see how another dog on a leash at PetSmart is a threat.

Is it too late for her, do I just need to keep her locked up to protect everyone?

Fear Aggression in my Labrador

Charlie is 4.5 yrs old black labrador. When a puppy we took him to training classes the trainer had what I now realise a strange way of training the dogs.

We then realised we had problems with Charlie and the vet said he had fear aggression.

I contacted and employed Barkbusters. To no avail.

His symptoms are as follows:

1. He barks incessently when someone comes to the door or past the house. He doesn't respond to the command to stop.

2. He barks at us if we try to command him, no matter what tone we use.

3. He growls aggressively and ferociously at us if he is on his bed at the top of the stairs and we talk to him.

4. He barks and growls ferociously at us when we put him in the back of the car.

The vet diagnosed fear aggression. We are at our wits end with anxiety in case he attacks someone. He is fine with other dogs and most humans outside of the house. However, if they come near our caravan, car or house he will growl and run at them. To date he hasn't bitten anyone.

My husband has now said if we can't change him SOON he will have to go. Where will I find someone to give him a home given his problems?

Your advice would be very welcome.

Angela

Aggressive burst in black lab mix

by Michelle
(Hales Corners, WI)

We have a 7 month old male black lab mix, we believe he may be mixed with a border collie. We got him at 8 weeks old from the humane society. He was a rescue with a few other puppies. He's a very good dog and I love him to death, but he has this aggressive streak that I don't know how to stop! He'll start jumping at our arms, pulling our sleeves and shirts. He'll start growling and biting, I have bruises and welts everywhere and it's rare if he breaks skin. I notice this happens mostly when we come in from outside or walk out of one room to another. I don't understand why he does this. He gets plenty of exercise, play time, food, water, and love. I'm desperate to fix this. He only does this to my fiancé and I, but I'm petrified that he will do it to someone else. Please help!

Aggressive Lab

by Ted
(Pittsburgh)

When I take my 3 year old Female to do bumper work if another dog comes around she will run with it, start growling, then fight. The other dog has to older it seems for her to want to be aggressive. I have a e-collar on her but I don't know if I should hit it when she does this.

Dog Aggression With My Chocolate Lab

by Hai

My Chocolate Lab is very untrained. He constantly lashes out and gets into the trash or food around the house. He always barks and jumps on people and kids. I would like to know how to train him. I'm trying to learn how.

Aggressive Lab Mix

by Becki
(Texas)

We have a 5 yr old Lab mix we adopted from a shelter. We think she might be part rottwieler, based soley on the fact she has the double dewclaw. She is very moody and aggressive in every sort of circumstance. She will growl and show her teeth when we walk by her bed, her food, a toy or just her laying beside the couch. She stiffens up and holds her mouth tight. We have tried to socialize her with my parents pug but she just wanted to eat her.

We have taken her to a training facility and they said that she could come, but it would have to be alone because she doesnt show the correct manners to be with other dogs and even shows aggression towards the staff there.

I walk her at least three times a week and she just acts nervouse with all the surroundings -- keeps her tail tucked in and just about trampels me...if I keep a choke collar on her she walks fine however, if I use regular collar she will walk me. I would love to have a dog that I can take places with me and it frienlty to people and dogs (withough having to muzzle her) but I don't know how to get her to that point. I'm ready to make her an outside dog beacuse its obvious she doesnt want my husband or I to mess with her -- Is there any hope?

Aggressive Rot/Lab Mix

by Ricki
(Syracuse NY)

We have a gorgeous lab/rottie mix who is scared of the world, so she is very protective over our home and takes a while to get used to a stranger. When she barks its loud and constant which scares people. Once she knows you're not there to hurt her family she's a lap dog and she's cuddled on you. I NEED her past this stage and get her to be more friendly or we'll have to give her to another family:( please help!

Aggressive 1/2 Retreiver, 1/4 Lab, 1/4 Husky

by Kim B.
(Gresham, OR)

My dog Fenway is a great dog - until you tell him no. We have a large yard that he gets to run around in. We take him on walks. He goes for car rides with us. He's great with big or little dogs alike. Good with kids. Passed two obedience classes with flying colors. Yet when he wants to play and we don't want to, he will begin to jump and nip and bite and rip clothes. We've tried everything . . . what do we do??????? Oh, he just turned 9 months old.

Dog aggressive Golden Retreiver

by Peter
(Cape Cod)

My Golden plays with several other dogs on a regular basis. When a new dog shows up she may or may not be very aggressive growling and chasing the new dog. Shedoesn't do it with every new dog just some including a puppy.

I don't like this behavior, she is sweet in all other respects and is never aggressive with people.

I'm not sure how to change her occasional aggressive behavior

Aggressive female golden retriever

by Lisa
(Newbury Park)

Trixie is 1.5 yrs old. Was the runt of the litter. Was the first to bark at "strange things". As a puppy she was submissive yo strange dogs. She is very timid of new things. Huffs and strikes at them. She was afraid of the po and it took me weeks to teach her to swim. Still terrified if the beach. Jumps on me and grabs my belt and tries to pull me away. When she got about a yeAr old she started getting aggressive with strange dogs. She mock fights with her brother but strange dogs- especially timid small or weak ones- she MUST Attack and dominate She acts exactly like the dog on the video. BIG dogs like leonbergers or newfies she will cower in front of. I can pull her off without fear of her biting me. She would never dare. But I want her to learn to play with other dogs like she plays with her brother ! She acts like she is a badass but she really is a chicken. How do I help her?

Aggressive Husky/Retriever/Lab Mix!

by Jaime
(Canada)

My dog is bittersweet. For the most part, she is a great dog and listens most of the time, but other times she will become aggressive and bear her teeth, lunge or bite people or other dogs. She shows signs of dominance and fear aggression. Whenever she is scared (ie trying to bath) she will bear her teeth and bite me. She also will try to bite me when I try to move her from my side of the bed. She does not get along with any dogs, and will bark and lunge forward and/or bite them.

Is there anything we can do to solve these problems?

We are desperate and do not have the money to spend on expensive training! She is 1-2 years old (unsure because she came from the pound) and was a stray before.

Aggressive Lab

by Pam
(Bloomfield, Ia USA)

My One and a half year old spay female lab is aggressive towards adult strangers, barking, growling, and bearing her teeth. She doesn't seem to have a problem with children, except jumping on them, as she does most of the time. Millie is a house dog and since we live in the country, she runs free, (no chain). My husband has threatened to get rid of her permanently if I don't do something. PLEASE HELP!

Territorial Lab

by David
(Park Falls, WI)

My 20 month old lab has been attacking men (especially) when they approach him, when I am not around. He is on lead and secured. Even men that know the dog cannot approach him if I am not there.
The dog is not alpha, however very intelligent and layed back around me. Loves to play, and retrieve.
What am I doing wrong with him?

Border Collie/Lab

by Tim
(Fort Worth)

We adopted a 3-yr-old border collie/lab mix from a friend. She desperately seeks attention from us, to the point of jumping on us and trying to snuggle constantly. It's as if she must always be assured of our love. If we tell her "down," she will almost always lie down and expose her belly. We thought this submissive behavior was odd, and were afraid that she might be overly shy among strangers. The truth turned out to be just the opposite. When other adults try to talk to her, she growls and her hackles rise. She even snapped at my son when he visited recently. We have also discovered that she is extremely aggressive with other dogs. We enrolled in a group training class, and at the first session she tried to attack another dog. We are avid hikers and backpackers, and we were hoping to take "Layla" on our trips. But, at this point, we're afraid to even walk her through the park. How do we get past this?

Suddenly Aggressive Lab

by Amy
(NM)

I have a 4 year old male Labrador. He recently had to stay at a kennel for a 10 day quarantine for biting a friend of mine. The injury was actually a claw from jumping, not an actual bite, but since it was presented as a possibility he had to do his time. He has now been home for two days and he is acting aggressive towards everyone in the household beside me. I have to keep him on a tight leash indoors. He had not been aggressive prior. Could this be due to the recent confinement? Will he snap out of it or is this our new normal?

Growling Black Labrador

by Amanda
(London England)

Our 2 year old lab has so far had an excellent temperament and seems to know his place in 'the pack'. I can put his food down and he will wait patiently, even if i go out of the room, before eating it until I give him the word (I don't tease) and will wait to follow us out of a door. He has always been good with toys, dropping them on command and has taken any rewards or treats and sat near us with a bone or stuffed kong and enjoyed it. Recently however he has started to sit on 'his mat' with a bone (his choice) and while this has never been a problem before (he would turn over for the boys to sit on the mat and tickle his tummy - bones or toys there too) he has on the last 2 ocassions of having a rawhide bone growled and indeed there was a snarl when I removed it to try and say that was not how to behave. He does not growl when we appraoch or sit by him on his mat at any other time. I am planning on giving him a break from bones as a treat until we work out how best to deal with it. I don't want to reinforce the behaviour and I don't want him to also think by removing the bone if he does growl that he has just cause to be warning me (or indeed any of us) off. It has come out of the blue. He has never appeared to show territorial or aggressive behaviour at any time that we can think we have missed. There has been no change in circumstances. He does seem to be respectful of all members of the family even though I am probably 'top dog', but on one of the ocassions it was me he growled at.

My Aggressive Black Lab

by Dixie
(weeki wachee)

We just recently moved on to 10 acres of land, we used to live in a community with very close houses. Ever since we moved she has been attacking my small dog the she has been with since she was a puppy. She has never ever shown aggression towards anything. She has always shown love towards the small dog, Princess. What should I do I'm scared she may attack my 6 year old sister?

dog aggressive lab mix

by cheryl
(Davie, FL)

My 5 year old lab mix was a stray I found 4 years ago. She was at first scared of most dogs besides my other 2 year old ridgeback mix. She wanted to play with my other dog all the time but still feared other dogs. For the last 3 years that fear turned into aggression. Now she wants to kill every dog she sees. She even lunges at men sometimes. She is as sweet as can be with me and my 3 year old. Yesterday my daughter opened the door and my dog ran out and attacked the neighbors 5 pound dog almost killing it. I was shocked. I paid the vet bill and they called the cops to report it. The little dog growls at my dog but clearly my dog was in the wrong. I can't control her. She is always on the hunt. Help!

Aggressive 7 month Chocolate Lab

My boyfriend and I got our chocolate lab, Jack, when he was 12 weeks old. At first he was extremely calm, almost like he was sick. He was great! We could stick our hands in his food bowl and he would just eat around it, we could pick it up and move it and there wouldn't be a problem. Then one day, he started growling when we would go near him when he was eating. We let it go and just let him be. Then he started growling and trying to keep my boyfriend out of our bedroom. He wouldn't do it when I was home, only if it was just my boyfriend and Jack. Now he is aggressive with bones, certain toys and even if we're about to go in a room where he got into something or had an accident. Otherwise, he's the sweetest dog.


He just fractured his tibia, so he has to have a splint and has pain meds, but the way he acts is starting to scare us and we're worried it could get worse. He bit me, my dad, my brother and my sister all in one day. I believe part of this new aggression is having to be less active along with being on the medication and the cast, but I'm lost about what to do. I don't want to lose my baby, but I don't know what else to do.

Aggressive labradoodle

by Jane
(Epsom)

My 3 year old nervous normally well behaved dog has started growling at strangers, and strange young children - never barks, not aggressive in the house and I am very concerned.

Aggressive Chocolate Lab

by Ema
(Wisconsin)

Tonight was the last straw for me. My dog who is a 3 year old chocolate lab tried to very aggressively bite me. He has done this many times before with every member of my family. Luckily tonight he didn't break the skin. Other times we haven't been so lucky. It has gotten to the point where I don't even want to pet my dog in fear that he will snap on me. He wanted me to pet him tonight and I could tell this because he kept putting his head under my hand. I wasn't petting him because I know that this means he thinks he has power over me. I guess he was fed up with not getting his way and he tried to bite me. I have tried to train him but I am just so scared now because if he tries to bite someone again we have to put him down. It saddens me deeply that I can't help him on my own. Please, anyone, help me and my family get our lovable dog back.