It can be scary when your dog has an aggressive reaction to something, especially if they have been in similar situations before and didn’t react poorly then. Several factors can cause unexpected aggression, but you should be able to narrow down the cause based on the circumstances. Once you have figured out what caused their reaction, you can work on correcting the behavior.
Injury or Illness
A sudden aggressive reaction to being touched or approached – especially in a home where they are usually calm – signifies that your dog might be hurt. After all, a dog’s instinct is to protect itself when hurt; weakness could mean they would be targeted in the wild. If you touch a part of their body that is painful, they may turn and snap or growl at you to get you to stop. A sick or injured dog may not even want you to approach them. They could be experiencing arthritis, tumors, broken bone, or cuts.
Alternatively, your dog might be suffering from some neurological disorder. Older dogs that develop dementia or brain tumors are more likely to act out with random bouts of aggression, even if they were not aggressive earlier in life. The best course of action when you notice sudden aggression in your dog is to have their veterinarian look at them—especially if you suspect an injury.
Fear
Just like any other animal (or person, for that matter), a dog that is afraid is likely to lash out with aggression. This is particularly true if the dog feels trapped and like they need to defend themselves. A dog that gets backed into a corner or is suddenly surrounded by a crowd of people might lunge to try to escape.
Rescue dogs exhibit this behavior frequently since their pasts often contain some level of abuse, trauma, or lack of proper socialization. It is essential to learn your dog’s triggers and then slowly socialize them to be less afraid of everyday objects, people, or motions. If you need guidance, reach out to a local trainer to help you figure out the best course of action to help ease your pup’s fears.
Possessive Aggression
Another common cause of aggression is possession, otherwise known as resource guarding. This is when dogs protect items they see as their own (food, toys, etc.) with aggression to prevent them from being taken away. Some dogs develop it throughout their puppyhood if they experience food scarcity, while others may selectively resource guard only the highest-value treats they receive, such as a pig’s ear.
Dogs may also be possessive of their favorite person or the house in general and may try to bite strangers who approach.
Resource guarding can be dangerous behavior, especially when you have young children around. While you should teach kids not to touch the dog’s food while they are eating or not to steal toys away when the dog is engaged, you also need to work on training the dog to not guard their items fiercely and exhibit unexpected aggression.
If your dog is becoming unpredictable and showing unexpected aggression, you may need professional assistance. The experts at Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training offer a full program of obedience training, from puppy classes to mature dogs. Call today for more information on Sarasota or Bradenton dog training classes.
