Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Why is my dog biting me and aggressive on walks? How to stop it?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | 40 lbs

Hey! I wanted to ask one more question about my dog that why does he bite his owner? Is biting of dog to his owner normal. Is that dangerous fir us too. He seems to be more aggressive while taking walk with me . What can I do?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Bette Isacoff

Dog Trainer

Published on May 25, 2018

It is absolutely not normal for a dog to bite his owner . . . or anyone else, for that matter, unless there is an act of aggression towards the owner or dog. And yes, it can be dangerous for you and your family. I would wonder if this behavior is new. How long have you had Goldy? Did something happen to make him become aggressive? How do you correct him when he is biting? These are all questions that would need to be answered before we can determine a plan to make it stop. I would strongly suggest a consult (just click on the prompt) so we can discuss this at length. I would also recommend that you enroll him in a basic obedience class right away, where he will learn to behave himself as he walks on a leash, and to be in the presence of strange owners and dogs without reacting aggressively. Good luck!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 24, 2018
Unfortunately, aggression toward people and biting is a very serious, complicated situation that usually requires the help of a trainer or behaviorist in person. It can be from a number of reasons including underlying illness or pain, being undersocialzied which leads to fear or confusion and biting, or even just general aggression. I would first recommend bringing Goldy to a vet to have a complete exam and to rule out any health issues that may be causing him pain or illness and thus cause biting.

If he checks out healthy, it would be in your best interest to try and find a local trainer or behaviorist in your area that can work with you in person to both find the cause of his biting, and to start working on in it in a safe environment.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 25, 2018
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear about Goldy! 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! Trazodone is one of my favorites but there are several to choose from.

Often times, training is also needed in conjunction to medication- but medication can be essential to training being effective.

Best of luck to you and Goldy!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog is suddenly biting painfully. What's causing this behavior?

Biting aggressively is a serious concern and a very complicated thing to deal with. Leash aggression can sometimes manifest and be redirected toward the person putting on the leash, however if this suddenly happened out of the blue I'd be concerned. A good first step with any behavioral issues that comes on suddenly is to schedule a vet visit to rule out any issues such as pain or illness. Something wrong such as a slipped disk causing pain in the neck or shoulders may make having Griffy's collar or neck handled painful, causing him to bite. If he checks out healthy, talking with a trainer or behaviorist in person is a good next step. They can work with you on a plan to gradually reintroduce the leash to Griffy through positive experiences (such as giving a treat when you bring out the leash, gradually getting him used to it again, etc) and can observe in person what exactly is going on to better tailor the plan. A veterinary behaviorist can also work on both medical treatment and behavioral treatment at the same time to make things less stressful for both you and Griffy. If he is attempting to break the skin while you put the leash on, refraining from doing so until you've talked to a trainer or behaviorist in person is best. You can find a list of local behaviorists in your area by checking out this link: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my 5-year-old dog suddenly aggressive, biting, and attacking?

Oh dear! That is a worry for sure! It's really important that you don't get hurt, because dog bites can be pretty serious. I would suggest making an appointment with your vet to talk about possibilities. They might be able to link you up with a behaviorist, or dog trainer that could help a lot. There also could be medications that might help. Or, like you said, there could be a medical problem that is upsetting him.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog bit me. Why is my dog suddenly aggressive and irritable?

Oh dear! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Onyx. Human-directed aggression in dogs is a complex behavior issue that can have many different causes, so I'm afraid it's difficult to say what might be causing this without a full behavior history and an in-person evaluation. This sounds like a very dangerous situation for you, so if you want to keep Onyx, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you determine what is causing this behavior. Aggression issues like this can be treatable in many cases with careful management and a good training plan to work on the problem, but this should only be attempted with assistance from a trained professional. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my golden retriever suddenly aggressive to his owner?

If this was a sudden behavior change for Luk, I would recommend having him examined by a vet before doing anything else - he may be sick or in pain, which can often cause aggressive behavior in dogs since they are less tolerant of many things when they don't feel well. Blood work to check his thyroid and other organ functions may also be recommended. If his exam and blood work are normal, then it's likely that you will need a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer to help you with this in person - aggression towards humans is a complex behavior issue that is a bit beyond the scope of what we can tackle in this forum. Generally speaking, treatment for aggression problems involves identifying things that trigger the aggressive behavior, then using positive reinforcement to change how the dog feels about these situations. It can be difficult to do this safely on your own, which is why working in-person with a professional is always recommended.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Why is my dog suddenly aggressive and biting when I touch him?

Oh dear, Zed is really quite aggressive! Aggression is very dangerous behavior to work with it, and it's best left to a professional. I would speak to your vet about a referral to a professional behavioral expert, who can work with him on his aggression. I never recommend having an owner train an aggressive dog themselves due to the danger. If Zed isn't neutered, I would have him neutered as soon as possible, as that may help decrease any aggressive behaviors that are hormonally related.

Updated on September 23, 2025

My dog bit a family member. Is he aggressive and what should I do?

That is a difficult situation for you to be in at the moment. Regardless if they made a sudden move towards you, it's not ok for your dog to bite other people unless you are truly in danger. They likely want you to put him to sleep because he is aggressive. I would say based on your description of the situation that he is an aggressive dog, and I would recommend getting him into see a professional behavior expert as soon as possible. Aggression is something that needs to be controlled, and because it is a dangerous behavior in dogs, it's best left to the professionals. I would speak to your vet first thing tomorrow about a referral to a professional behavioral expert.

Updated on September 23, 2025

Training & Behavior

My dog tries to bite other dogs on walks. How do I stop this behavior?

It sounds like Suzy is dog aggressive, and I would speak to your vet about a referral to a professional behavior expert. I never recommend owners try to train aggressive behaviors on their own because it can be dangerous and the owner can get hurt. This is something that is best left to the professionals. It is definitely something that needs to be worked on immediately with a trainer, as she could hurt another dog or get very hurt herself if she goes after a big dog. Give your vet a call today or first thing in the morning to discuss professional behavioral experts in your area. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share