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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Aggressive puppy

11 replies

HouseStuff123 · 08/08/2021 10:21

Hi, we have a 15 week old toy breed puppy who is gradually becoming more and more aggressive. She frequently attacks our older dog (he's 1 1/2) and this morning she snapped at my face. She snarls if we try to shift her position on the sofa, and when I tried to clip her nails she struggles and snarls.

She seems to hate other dogs, she's fine until the dog comes near her. She's obviously wary, but not necessarily afraid. She's fine with people and us most of the time, happy, and will actively seek out, follow, and sleep with our older dog. She has major food aggression too.

Have we got a duff dog? Can we do anything? She's here to stay unless she becomes super aggressive, obviously. What are the causes of aggression? We love her, and really want to sort this.

OP posts:
Motorina · 08/08/2021 10:42

Speak with your vet, both to get her health checked, and also to get a recommendation for a behaviourist. You need someone to see this and diagnose what’s going on, and, if there is an issue, start turning it around early.

somethinginthewater · 08/08/2021 11:46

Impossible to say what the cause is without seeing it which is why you need a decent trainer to work with you.
You haven't bought a duff dog, but you may well have bought an unsocialised one. What does the breeder say about the behaviour?

Querty123456 · 08/08/2021 11:54

Oh no, defo consult a behaviourist because IMO that’s not normal puppy behaviour. In the interim you need to protect yourself from being bitten. Avoid allowing her near your face and don’t let her get on the sofa/ your bed but try to avoid overly punitive approaches that will cause unnecessary conflict and could escalate the situation.

Also spend time building a good relationship and engaging her brain. Short walks on lead and training using treats, perhaps look up clicker training on you tube as that really engages the brain.

Most dogs hate their nails being done. You could choose other methods to keep on top. Short road lead walks and also check out scratch boards training on you tube.

Querty123456 · 08/08/2021 11:58

I’m not saying you’re like this but I think some people treat toy pups like stuffed toys/ babies and don’t take their training/ socialisation as seriously as they would for bigger dogs leading to boredom and frustration for the dog. Your pup is right in the middle of an important window of social development and should be getting out and about, learning and having new experiences every day.

WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor · 08/08/2021 12:06

My puppy snarled and bit from 12 weeks. We went to a behaviourist and he is much better. He is still anxious and gets spooked easily but he hasn’t bitten for a long long time and is great with other dogs and most people now.

WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor · 08/08/2021 12:07

We stopped picking him up and letting him on the sofa immediately on the advice of the behaviourist.

k1233 · 08/08/2021 12:19

Snarling when trying to.ove from the sofa and food aggression sound like resource guarding. As said above no one can say for sure without seeing the behaviour. You need someone to work with you in your home so they can observe the home dynamic.

icedcoffees · 08/08/2021 13:29

She frequently attacks our older dog (he's 1 1/2) and this morning she snapped at my face. She snarls if we try to shift her position on the sofa, and when I tried to clip her nails she struggles and snarls.

What are the circumstances leading up to the attacks and the snapping?

You shouldn't be trying to shift her - would you be happy if you were lying on the sofa and someone 20x your size came along and forced you to move? If you want her to move, you need to ask her - lure her with a treat or use a house line if necessary. The expression "let sleeping dogs lie" exists for a reason, lol.

She seems to hate other dogs, she's fine until the dog comes near her. She's obviously wary, but not necessarily afraid. She's fine with people and us most of the time, happy, and will actively seek out, follow, and sleep with our older dog.

What makes you think she hates other dogs?

She has major food aggression too.

Do you leave her alone when she has food and treats? You shouldn't be interfering while she's eating or has a treat. Just feed her in a safe space (behind a baby gate, in a pen or in a crate) and leave her alone. Don't give her a reason to get defensive.

Have we got a duff dog? Can we do anything? She's here to stay unless she becomes super aggressive, obviously. What are the causes of aggression? We love her, and really want to sort this.

To be, it doesn't sound like she's aggressive - it sounds like she's expressing herself in the only way she knows how. Have you read up on the ladder of aggression, for example? Do you notice and pay attention to her warning signals - lip licking, showing the whites of her eyes, putting her ears back, grumbling/growling?

SirSniffsAlot · 08/08/2021 20:13

Aggression in a 15 week old dog is unusual but there isn't really anyone online who can tell you for sure if that's what you're seeing - or if it's 'just' a learned behaviour as a way to gain something.

Find a good trainer or behaviourists (e.g. look here www.apbc.org.uk/find-an-apbc-member/) and ask them to observe and help you figure out what's going on here.

Really worth doing it now before any behaviours are ingrained further.

Sitdowncupoftea · 12/08/2021 14:44

You don't need a behaviourist for a 15 week old puppy. Some pups rough play. They just need to learn it's not acceptable and need teaching with toys. What breed is your dog.

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 12/08/2021 20:27

Our youngest dog took to gently growling when I moved her on the sofa. I just said in a very jolly voice, 'Oh, no, I don't think you're going to do that!' I never had to actually pick her up and put on the floor to make my point. Now she will either move herself or let me move her without complaint.

As for the claw-clipping, can you link the clippers and the clipping to praise and rewards?And as PP have said, let her eat in peace.

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