My 7.5 months old Beagle is turnign aggresive

[MaRomero]

Hi Adrienne! I have read many posts to see if I can find a solution to my puppy´s behaviour, hes is about to turn 8 months, and has been interesting to have him for these 6 months, he is very active and full of energy, but was also friendly to me and my husband and other dogs, but in the past weeks he turned kind of aggresive. As a beagle he likes to smell everything, and also eat whatever he finds, which sometimes is not good for him, like trash. When this happens, I ask him to drop it, and encourage him to do so by offering a treat, but recently he growls at us and if I try to take the "trash" out of his mouth hi bites me hard. He started to growl even whe i try to play with him woith one of his toys, and yesterday I saw him growling at other dogs, which is very rare, as he was alwasy friendly and playful with other dogs.

I am sad not to find the solution in Glenn´s adolecency... I hope you can guide me throgh it.

 

Thank you Adrienne!

Malú

[Adrienne]

Hello and welcome to the forums!

I have a few questions to better understand the situation. 

Is this form of growling towards you happening only when he is possession of something and you are trying to remove it? Or also in other circumstances?

Would you say his behavior change towards you and other dogs is something totally new that has happened sort of "out of the blue?" Were there any previous signs of guarding things in the past 6 months? (Like taking stuff and running away, getting tense when he has something, eating faster when you walk by him?) 

Is your dog on any medications? How is he doing health-wise? Any changes in appetite, stools, behavior (more licking/scratching) increased/decreased appetite?

What happens when you ask him to drop it? 

Why are you trying to remove things out of his mouth (not recommended as this makes resource guarding worse) if you are asking him to drop? Is he not responding to "drop it?" Does he know "leave it"? Has he received any prior training?

How are you playing with him with his toys? Are you touching/grabbing his toys when he has them? 

In what circumstances exactly did you see him growling at the other dogs? What were the other dogs doing when he growled? Were there toys or food around?

You said his growling at other dogs is very rare, which implies he has done this before, if so, please list the contexts in which this growling occurred. 

Thank you for the elucidations. 

[MaRomero]

Hello Adrienne!

Than you for helping me,

• Is this form of growling towards you happening only when he is possession of something and you are trying to remove it? Or also in other circumstances?

Glenn generally growls when he is holding something and I try to take it away, when playing fetch or when I take him for a walk outside where there is sometimes trash. Just by getting near him when he is holding something makes him growl. 

• Would you say his behavior change towards you and other dogs is something totally new that has happened sort of "out of the blue?" Were there any previous signs of guarding things in the past 6 months? (Like taking stuff and running away, getting tense when he has something, eating faster when you walk by him?) 

His behavior toward me and my husband is not new, but has increased, I think it started  maybe a month ago, but now he is turning kind of aggressive, he bites me hard when I try to take a dirty tissue or any other thing that he finds outside the house that is not safe for him to eat. I did get nervous when taking him out, because he eats almost everything that he sees. He got sick for doing that a couple of times.
On the other hand, last sunday was the first time I saw him growling at other dogs; I take him to agility classes on sundays, and he always was very playfull and happy around other dogs, but not last time, his teacher said that maybe he i behaving this way because he is getting into the adolescence stage.

• Is your dog on any medications? How is he doing health-wise? Any changes in appetite, stools, behavior (more licking/scratching) increased/decreased appetite?

Glenn is not taking medications, I think he is very healthy, and he is eating well. Two weeks ago we went to his vet and he got sterilized, and just after the procedure we was extremely aggresive, I think it was the first time I saw him like that, he did not let us touch him. He recovered very well from the procedure, and 10 days after we took him to his vet again, and everything was fine.

• What happens when you ask him to drop it? 

He drops what ever he is holding if I offer a treat. Sometimes he doesnt drop it, it depends on the treat.

• Why are you trying to remove things out of his mouth (not recommended as this makes resource guarding worse) if you are asking him to drop? Is he not responding to "drop it?" Does he know "leave it"? Has he received any prior training?

When I try to remove something is because it may harm him or make him sick, but now it has been more difficult, he gest more and more aggressive. He does not know "leave it",  and he did get basic training, 10 clasees in one month period, tow months ago.

• How are you playing with him with his toys? Are you touching/grabbing his toys when he has them? 

I only try to grab his toys when he gets near me, asking to play fletch, but even then he growls. And when I try to take the toy to throw it and play with him, he runs away. I think he´s is playing... but he growls anyway.

• In what circumstances exactly did you see him growling at the other dogs? What were the other dogs doing when he growled? Were there toys or food around?

Last time where he went to his agility classes, there was no food around. The dogs he growled at were the same dogs that he used to play with.

• You said his growling at other dogs is very rare, which implies he has done this before, if so, please list the contexts in which this growling occurred. 

I only saw him growling at dogs last sunday.

 

I hope my asnwers are clear Adrienne,

Thank you for your help!!

Malú

[Adrienne]

Thank you for the extra details, they are very helpful!

I am concerned about this behavior because it is indicative of resource guarding, and at 8 months, Glenn is older now and his bite is therefore harder since his jaws are fully developed, and on top of that, you report this behavior has increased. On the positive side though, if this behavior is rather recent (like a month ago) it doesn't have a very long history, so there is room for changing things. 

The most important rule at this point is to do as much as possible to prevent him from rehearsing the problem behavior. This means lots of management to prevent from putting him into situations that place him into the position to feel the need to guard. This is because dogs are masters in rehearsing behaviors (the more the rehearse a problematic behavior, the more it becomes ingrained). 

To prevent a dog from rehearsing resource guarding behavior it would therefore be important to avoid as much as possible all situations in which your beagle is likely to guard. So here are a few examples:

-Avoiding leaving around objects your dog is likely to get a hold of and guard.

-Tossing tissues in the trash can right after being used.

-Clearing tables, chairs, couches, tabletops etc from things he may grab.

-Closing doors to prevent access to things. 

-Investing in trash cans with dog-proof lids or keeping trash cans out of reach.

-On walks, constantly scanning the road for things on the ground that he may pick up and walking away from them (use a shorter leash if you are using a retractable leash or long line). Avoid tall grassy areas where things are may be hiding, walk only in areas in the clear,  from where you can spot things in distance and avoid them accordingly.

So what to do if Glenn happens to still grab something despite all our precautions? 

Avoid prying his mouth open. Here's the thing: Forcibly prying a dog’s mouth open to remove something is at the oppositive spectrum of instilling trust and teaching them to voluntarily drop. Prying the mouth to remove things, often causes them to clamp down harder and convinces them further that we are not trustworthy. It tells dog we are a taker and not a giver. 

So my favorite method is this one:  Find something edible that is higher in value than what your dog has and that is safe for him to have. Whatever it is, keep it always handy so that you can reach out for it as needed. Make noise with the wrapper, open the fridge, unlock the jar storing his favorite edible chews. Chances are, he'll prick his ears and watch you carefully. Let him clearly see what you are doing. Don't walk towards his possession.

At this point, your dog may drop the item he had in his mouth voluntarily to come see what you are doing or he may approach you carrying the item in his mouth to check what you are doing. Once you have your high-value items to trade for in your hand, let your dog see it, (your dog should drop the item he had), walk past an open door or baby gate, toss the desired item that way and as soon as he's past the door/baby gate to go get it, close the door/baby gate between you and your dog so that you can safely retrieve the dropped item.

This method works well because on top of getting your dog to voluntary relinquish the object, you are also teaching him the art of "fair trading." In other words, instead of dreading you coming his way when he has a possession in fear of losing it, rep after rep, he looks forward to it because he has learned that you always have something better to offer.

On walks, make it habit to always carry with you on  something valuable in your treat bag so that you can work on exchanges. I like to carry with me "moo tubes" which are beef tracheas or bully sticks in my pant's pockets and some high and super high-value treats in my treat bag. 

These are for the most part management solutions, they are important to implement to prevent rehearsal of problematic behavior and to avoid putting ourselves in risky situations where the dog may bite. The longer term solution is a mix of training and behavior modification. 

Namely, your dog needs to learn that when you approach when he has something, it's because you are exchanging it with something higher value not because you are trying to take something away.So i's therefore important to ensure that the high-value treat/food is always much more valuable than the item left behind. This comes with lots of trials of positive exchanges as well with training leave it and drop its. 

Here is a read on dogs who protect toys and how to swap toys: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/overprotective-of-toys/

Training a reliable response to leave it and drop is also important, however in a dog who resource guards, caution is needed in taking baby steps and the training should be done under the guidance of a professional. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/

If you search the forums, you will find several posts tackling resource guarding. They may have slightly different responses, but the core method is to use management and behavior modification aiming to instill trust that when we are approaching, it's not to take the object away, but to trade it/offer something far better. The goal is to create a positive conditioned emotional response, where the dog starts looking forward to us approaching rather than dreading it. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/

Consider that working on resource guarding when there are signs of aggression or impending aggression (growling, snapping, biting) requires behavior modification more than just training, so there are greater margins for error if done too fast or sloppily, and more risks,  therefore I always recommend for safety and correct implementation to consult with a behavior professional using force-free methods who can provide in-person coaching and assistance. 

In regards, to the behavior towards others dogs, it is true that during adolescence we can see changes in their behavior. You can read more about this here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/survive-dogs-adolescent-stage/

If you are working with a dog trainer, your dog trainer should be able to notice what exactly evokes the growling and provide tips/solutions on avoiding that. It would be important seeing what triggers exactly his behavior so one has a starting point on exactly what to work on. 

For example, if he growls when other dogs come near him, the goal would be to not let the other dogs approach that close so that he is under threshold https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/ and perhaps just doing some 'look at that dog' exercises, where he is fed a treat every time he looks at a dog from a comfortable distance. 

The guide for this is found here, only that he would do it from distance from other dogs at the agility class rather than from the window: 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

Again, this involves more behavior modification than actual training. It involves baby steps through systematic desensitization and counterconditioning.

Here is read about desensitization:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

Here is a read about counterconditioning:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

However, if your puppy was always friendly and playful with other dogs and now he is growling and this is very, very uncharacteristic for him, I would suggest a vet appointment just to rule out any medical conditions. When dogs are friendly and playful and out of the blue start growling or acting aggressive, this sends a red flag that something may be possibly going on at a medical level. Even if everything turn out being fine in the health department, it's important to rule this out because one can do all the behavior modification in the world but won't get anywhere if the underlying cause is something medical that needs addressed. 

Many medical conditions can lower a dog's aggression threshold making them more likely to lash out. This can be ear pain from an ear infection, or just feeling under the weather due to a digestive problem or just about anything that makes them feel "off."

I find it a bit unusual for a dog to be extremely aggressive right after the being neutered, especially since most vets now send them home with pain meds. This sounds like it may be related to pain. It could be the surgery caused him to be very unsettled due to discomfort and the after effect is still lingering at physical or emotional level. He may have learned that growling has prevented you from touching him and now he is applying the same method to keep distance when he has a valuable possession. Aggression can have a learned component like this. 

Any sudden total changes in temperament are therefore a good reason to visit the vet. He may be growling out of the blue at his former play mates because of some residual internal pain that is making him cranky and more on the defensive. If he was on leash when he growled, another thing to rule out is barrier frustration. 

 

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions. 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

 

 

[JMFS]

Quote

I find it a bit unusual for a dog to be extremely aggressive right after the being neutered, especially since most vets now send them home with pain meds. This sounds like it may be related to pain. It could be the surgery caused him to be very unsettled due to discomfort and the after effect is still lingering at physical or emotional level. He may have learned that growling has prevented you from touching him and now he is applying the same method to keep distance when he has a valuable possession. Aggression can have a learned component like this. 

That was where my mind went as well and I was going to comment if it wasn't covered.  Even with pain meds the surgery location can be sensitive and that he didn't want y'all touching him after the surgery makes me think he may have been in extreme pain, or perhaps the pain meds were not as effective as needed.  My Lucky Boy (cat) attacked me after his surgery.  I picked him up to move him and he scratched me to the point of leaving ribbons of skin dangling from my arm.  I second the recommendation for a vet visit to ensure it's not something health related, like residual pain.

Given that he's bitten you hard I want to encourage you to seek the help of a Behavorist.  Intervening this early in his life can change the entire tone of your relationship going forward and return to you your fun loving pup, or at least a better version of what he's displaying now.  I waited 8 years and every feeding time or ill-begotten item was a stressful situation.  That's my advice based on approximately 3,000 days of experience with a surly temperament when it comes to resource guarding.  If I can spare you that and guide you towards enjoying your pooch instead, well, there's my attempt.  😊  I got so much bad advice throughout those years and it wasn't until he and I had a serious interaction that finally drove me to seek professional assistance with the issue and it was like night and day afterwards.  We had to work on it nearly every day for a year, and after that I reinforced it, and we were never Quite over the hump (8 years is a Long time to let that behavior get ingrained), but Momo and I had a far better relationship afterwards and it was worth every dollar, minute, and treat!

The one other thing I didn't see mentioned, but that I've seen in previous posts about aggression, is to wear protective gloves when working with a biter.

I'm sorry you're having to figure out this behavior - it's a magnificent way to make us second guess ourselves and feel insufficient.  😔  Goodness knows I felt more than my fair share of guilt while trying to calculate how much I was to blame for the behavior.  I was given bad advice with logical sounding reasoning behind it; like standing over him and making myself as tall and big as possible to "assert my dominance," so there was Plenty of self-blaming going on, much of it justified though I intended no malice.  The good news is you're looking to resolve it at 8 months instead of 8 years.  🤗

[MaRomero]

 Hi Adrienne!

I am so grateful for your time and interest, I will definitely apply myself as you recommend and will read suggested articles,

It does make sense...  I want to do the right thing, i just needed to know what it was, THANK YOU!

Will inform about the progress,

 

And than you also JMFS!!  for the encouragement and suggestions, you are very kind!

 

Best regards,

Malú

[FrederykBlot]

Hi 

 

I can hear that, and can feel the disappointment, as mine did that also : I had the same kind of episode when during a walk, he found a fresh chicken leg, didn't want to let go, or even walk again, and when I tried to take it away, he growled at me, showed teeth... That wasn't a nice experience for both of us

 

The high value treat think works though : since then, during walk I keep normal value treats for little exercise, but also some beef live paste, which is like the highest value treat he can have, and he's always happy to trade a dirty tissue for one or two licks of the liver paste

 

For the hard biting, could it be a lack of bite inhibition ? I had similar episodes with ours, but the biting was not "hard" : it was enough to make us understand that "it's not ok, i'm not comfortable right now" but never to the point to hurt us, and I guess this is due to lots of bite inhibition exercises and warnings

Did he chew enough on human skin to understand what is the acceptable maximum strength ? I know not everyone is ok with letting dogs bite, even play-bite on humans, but I really think it's useful for controlling the strength

 

the play growling shouldn't be a concern I think : ours often growls when playing tug, it's a way to say "look at that ! I'm fierce and mighty now"

 

I'm sorry I can't share anything about growling to other dogs, as ours is always in play-mode with anyone, even the ones who growl at him

 

one thing I can say though, is that any problem will come to an end when correctly taken care of. He may not be in a day, or 2, even in a week or 2, but at some point, with work and care, you will have this moment you will say "oh my God, this is happening"

 

I wish you and your dog all the best, and to pass this difficult moment