Why is my dog aggressive when playing with a hidden hand?

Hi there. From your description, it sounds like he's getting over-aroused during play and becoming too rough - this is a common problem in puppies, and is not a sign of "dominance" or any other issues :) He just gets too excited and doesn't know how to calm down. If you can, try and pay attention to the signs he gives that he's starting to get too worked up, so that you can end playtime before this happens. Give him a peanut butter stuffed Kong, a rawhide chew, or something else to keep him busy and help him calm down. If needed, you can put him in his crate or an x-pen for a few minutes to settle before letting him back out. If the problem continues, I would recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a more detailed plan to work on this behavior. You can search for one in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

This is a serious and potentially dangerous situation and I recommend you enroll in some behavioral/socialization classes in order to create some positive behavior patterns. I do not recommend any rough play at this stage and only use exercise and toys which do not create such heightened excitement - do not encourage any tug games or chasing of ropes/toys in hand or of your own hands/feet shoes under any circumstances as this blurs the lines of acceptable behavior and biting/chasing behavior. Ensure he is receiving adequate physical and mental stimulation daily in order to fully engage body and mind

No, you should never hit or hurt your dog as that is both cruel and only teaches your dog to distrust you or become more aggressive. If Bingo is acting aggressively toward you it would be best to first bring him to the vet to make sure there isn't a health problem causing pain or behavior changes, and then talk to a trainer in your area that can work with you on stopping and redirecting the behavior with proper training and without abuse or pain. Neutering can also help with some behaviors, however I suggest working with a trainer, especially if you don't know what to do to handle your own dog.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Brutus! Owner-directed aggression is a complex behavior problem that can be quite serious, especially in such a large dog. This is a more complicated issue than we can really address in this type of forum, so I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Brutus in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to work on the problem. This will likely include management recommendations, training exercises to work on, and possibly medication if the behaviorist feels that this would be helpful for him. In general, I can tell you that treatment for this problem normally involves identifying what situations tend to trigger the aggression (verbal corrections, collar grabs, and disturbing the dog while resting are all very common triggers), and either finding ways to avoid them, or working with Brutus to teach him to be more comfortable in these situations so that he doesn't feel the need to snarl or bite. Punishment of any kind is not recommended for this problem, as it is likely to make the issue worse over time and will greatly increase the risk of a bite. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Hello, sorry to hear about Jackson. I am concerned this behavior could lead to more severe results. I would recommend not leaving them unsupervised in the same room to hopefully prevent this from happening. It is likely that your other dogs are being triggered by something Jackson is doing that they do not agree with. This could include moving too closely to the food bowl or water bowl, a special toy or area at home all of which could be a sign of territorial aggression. Here are some more tips on how to reduce the incidence of aggression between your dogs. Ultimately if this does not work, you may need to seek a professional behavior consultation to obtain further recommendations. ntroduction Aggression is a common problem faced by many dog owners. It is commonly misunderstood to be based in dominance. In actuality, there are various reasons that dogs can react aggressively. Most commonly these acts are based in fear or anxiety. This handout, will attempt to help you differentiate whether your dog’s aggression is based in dominance or another stimulus, like fear or possession. However it is not meant to replace visits and discussions with your veterinarian. Common types of aggression • Fear aggression: Many commonplace human behaviors are threatening gestures to dogs, but their reactions are often times very subtle and easily missed by most people. Anything that can cause your dog to feel distressed or uneasy can illicit an aggressive reaction. Such things include: sustained eye contact, pressure over the top of the head, lifting the dog, bending over the top of a dog, certain force-based training techniques, or trying to take something of high value away from the dog. • Territorial aggression: Dogs can react aggressively when a person comes into an area that it regards as its home. There is often a basis of anxiety in dogs that have territorial aggression. • Possessive aggression: When aggression is directed toward a person that the dog views is approaching something of high value (food, toys, family members). • Redirected aggression: When the dog is frustrated by the inability to reach an object or person that elicits its aggression and instead acts aggressively toward a person that is within reach. • Dominance aggression: True dominance aggression is very rare. Most often aggressive acts are based out of another type of motivation. Usually what is assumed to be dominance aggression is actually based out of fear or anxiety. What is your dog’s motivation for its aggression? It is important to watch the body posture of your dog during a time of aggression to determine the underlying emotional state of the dog causing the aggression. Here are some examples of what to look for: Fearful or submissive postures • Avoiding eye contact • Lowered head and tail • T ense body posture • Ears to the side, back or down • Horizontal lip retraction • Licking lips • Yawning • Crouched body posture • Moving slowly or freezing • Submissive urination Dominant postures • Sustained eye contact • Ears erect and forward • Vertical lip retraction • Forward-leaning body posture

Hi there. Aggressive behavior towards small children in the home is always very concerning, so I would definitely recommend getting a professional on-board who can help you determine what is causing this behavior and put together a detailed plan to work on things. I can't really give any specific advice without being able to evaluate Kiwi in person and get a much more detailed behavioral history, so the best thing I can tell you for now is to keep him separated from the child until you're able to get an appointment with someone who can work with you on changing his behavior. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here, which would be the best options: www.dacvb.org. If you don't have a VB nearby, you could also search for a trainer here: www.ccpdt.org

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is just likely a display of dominant behavior. 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 Tova 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. Good luck and have a great day!