A household member moving out or passing away; a baby arriving; building work or changed layouts in the home, and house moves could all be triggers. Lack of attention or a fall-off in exercise can also plunge a dog into anxiety, depression – and sometimes, irritable behaviour.
There are several factors that can contribute to a dog feeling irritable or cantankerous (fancier words for cranky) – these would consist of: Boredom. Pain or illness. Disturbed sleep.
1 Your suddenly aggressive dog may have an injury or an illness that's causing major discomfort and stress. Some possible causes of pain include arthritis, bone fractures, internal injuries, various tumors, and lacerations. Other illnesses may affect your dog's brain, leading to seemingly unreasonable aggression.
Episodes of aggression tend to be related to predictable triggers over resources, invasion of the dog's personal space, and grooming or handling. Dogs with this diagnosis often learn that aggression is an effective tool for ceasing uncomfortable interactions.
If your dog is showing any changes in their behaviour, especially if they have started showing aggression suddenly, you should contact your vet as soon as possible. Aggression tends to get worse over time and can lead to serious injuries to you, your dog or other people and pets so getting help is essential.
It is more common in certain breeds including Cocker Spaniels (where it's known as 'Cocker Rage'), English Springer Spaniels, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, and Lhasa Apsos. This points to a possible genetic disorder or at least a genetic component as part of the cause.
Good Days and Bad Days
If your dog acts like their normal self some days but is grumpy, aggressive, or otherwise different on other days, pain may be the cause.
Sleep deprivation in dogs can cause as many problems as it does in humans. Dogs get cranky and that can lead to miscommunication and mishaps with those around them.
An unfriendly dog may behave aggressively towards other dogs, animals and/or people. A dog that is shy may also be seen as unfriendly, possibly showing a lack of interest or fear of other animals and/or people. In addition, illness can also lead to a dog being unfriendly as he may be feeling too poorly to socialize.
As with their human owners, dogs' personalities change as they age. But some traits stay the same. All dog lovers know that their pets in older age aren't the same as they were as puppies, but owners often can't pinpoint the exact personality changes brought on by the passage of time.
If his growl doesn't mean a bite is imminent, stop what you're doing but stay where you are. Wait until he relaxes, then move away, so you're rewarding the relaxed behavior rather than the growl.
SIX TO FOURTEEN MONTHS: PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
Like teenagers of any species, the puppy will have mood swings and will at times be distracted, confused and difficult to communicate with.
A dog who suddenly becomes disinterested in his pack may be experiencing a wide range of emotions, such as jealousy, anxiety or depression. Has anything changed in your home environment recently? Maybe someone moved into your home (or out of it). Maybe you've been taking him for walks less often than usual.
A new study has found that dogs, much like humans, can experience the emotional difficulties and mood swings of puberty during their teenage years.
While this type of puppy love spans across all dog breeds, there is one species that is more spoiled than the rest according to new data: American Staffordshire Terriers.
10 Times the Japanese Akita Inu Proved They're the Most Selfish Dog Breed. Few dogs have amassed such a dedicated crowd of fans as the Japanese Akita Inu. But, frankly, the Akita Inu doesn't care about their devotees—all they care about is themselves, as these 9 images will prove.
Dogs will give a warning growl in situations involving things like resource guarding, stranger danger, feeling cornered, or feeling stressed. Dogs use these warning growls to communicate to you or another animal to “back off” because they are uncomfortable.
Aggression is the most common and most serious behavior problem in dogs. Different forms of aggression require different treatments.
Infectious agents such as rabies, hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism, psychomotor epilepsy, hyperkinesis, neoplasia, and a variety of genetic and metabolic disorders can cause or predispose a dog to aggression.
Like territorial behavior, protective aggression usually appears as puppies mature into an adolescence or adulthood, at one to three years of age. Many dogs show the tendency to guard their possessions from others, whether they need to or not.