Are you SURE it’s aggression? So often, people interpret something as dog aggression when in reality, it’s a dog’s warning. When does Sasha begin to react to another dog (when she does, I realize it’s not every dog)…is it as soon as she sees one, when they get 20 feet away? 10? 5? Is the dog rushing right TO Sasha, with no stopping, no concern for dog world manners? Are they jumping on her? Does it seem to be older dogs? Young, exuberant pups? Is there a trigger that you can find here? If it’s something like, “Well, Bobby the terrier just wanted to say hi to Sasha and she growled and air snapped at him!”, it’s probably more like Bobby the terrier got in Sasha’s face and she was warning him that he needs to back off. That’s not an aggressive dog, that’s a dog letting another dog know not to burst into her bubble. Unfortunately, a lot of people view that as aggression, especially in breeds like the Goldens or the Labs, breeds that are generally pretty calm and unaffected by most things that other, shorter tempered dogs would not put up with.

The first thing that needs to be done is a vet workup. More times than not, a dog that suddenly exhibits aggressive behavior has something wrong. It could be as simple as a bad tooth (as another poster mentioned) or something as serious as a brain tumor (HOPEFULLY not the case). You know how we get cranky and irritable and mean when we don’t feel well? Same thing with dogs. So, there could be something going on for her that you don’t even see.

The second thing (if the vet check turns out well) you need to do is try and find a trigger. If it’s not ALL dogs, is there a pattern in the type of dog? Female, male, big, small, older, younger, calm, hyper…if it’s not all people then is there a common denominator (men, children younger than “X” age, women, people in hats…) there? And then figure out when she starts expressing her displeasure. I don’t mean figure out when she starts growling, I mean figure out when her body language starts to change from a relaxed pose to tense/anxious. Dogs are a bit more complex than what we give them credit for. There’s a great book called “On Talking Terms with Your Dog: Calming Signals” by Turid Rugaas. You can find it for cheap on Amazon and I tell you what, this woman is amazing. It explains to you all the different signals dogs give off before the verbal warnings (growling, etc.) begin. Start paying attention to her posture when these things start happening and try to pinpoint WHEN it starts and WHAT she does to try and tell you that she’s not happy. Sometimes, the answer she needs from you is nothing more than a “Yes, I see it and I’m taking care of it.” kind of idea and moving between her and the object of her displeasure. If this is happening when people or dogs get too close to her, it’s probably because you’re not paying attention (like most dog owners – I am NOT chastising you at all) to her signals and she feels like she has to react since you’re not.
– This was an article I read that made SO. MUCH. SENSE. to me in figuring out my dogs. Now we avoid problems because I have trained myself to recognize it before it escalates.
– the link to the book I was mentioning.

Believe me, as the “mom” of a shy/fearful rescue hound mix and a Shiba Inu who never tolerates a dog rushing into her “space”, I know how frustrating and stressful this can be. But I would check these other things out and see if it’s really aggression or a mere annoyance that can be avoided. Feel free to email me with any questions. I’m not expert, but I’ve been there done that, and this is the stuff I’ve learned and implemented and it has made a huge difference. Good luck.

She might be sick. Or she might be jealous. If anybody does show her attention, she might think you’re patronizing her. I know it sounds complicated, but dogs ARE capable of human-like feelings. Oh well. Take her to the vet to rule sickness out. Then, spend a whole day with her showering her with attention separate from Bella.

Hi, there are various reasons as to why dogs become suddeny aggressive towards other dogs. One reason is a dog coming into adolescence. Adolescent dogs are little fur-covered containers of raging hormones. Even if the dog is spayed or neutered, the body–and temperament–is changing. The dog who formerly ran in fright from other dogs might now take the offense. And many dogs who are genetically predisposed to aggression begin showing the signs at this time. Whatever the cause, aggression often manifests between the ages of six months and eighteen months.

To better understand this sudden behavioral change in your dog, this link may prove helpful. Goodluck.

This probably isn’t the case for you, but my mom has a dog who was fine when we first got her, then became increasingly aggressive toward other dogs and some people. It became noticable to us when I got my dog.

Turned out, she had a bad tooth which was pulled and she is now like a her old self – fun loving.