Menu
Whether you have owned your dog since a puppy or adopted an older dog, you may find your 2 year old dog suddenly aggressive. This is a distressing experience that can leave you concerned and bewildered as you try to understand the causes of this. In this article I will go over possible reasons including illness or injury, increasing maturity around 2 years of age, and the lack of pack leadership and rules that the dog may be experiencing. Additionally, I’ll discuss how to manage aggression and how its most likely a genetic pre-disposition – and not a trauma like so many other positive reinforcement dog trainers would believe. Wondering why your young puppy is excessively biting? Check out my blog on puppy biting.
It’s essential to recognize what is a sign of aggression in dogs. Aggression in dogs can manifest in various ways and its important for you to be able to recognize these signs so you can address it early. Common signs of aggression include growling, snarling, baring teeth, lunging, snapping, and biting. These aggression symptoms can occur because a dog feels threatened, fearful, possessive or territorial. More physical signs of aggression include tense and stiff posture, ears up with forehead wrinkles and loading (staring at another dog or human as a precursor to an aggressive outburst). Behavior modification strategies are key for implementing an appropriate plan.
If you are struggling with any dog aggression issues, you’ll really want to find a professional balanced dog trainer with experience in rehabbing aggressive dogs in your local area. Doing a search for “aggression training for dogs near me,” or “dog training near me aggression,” is a good way to find a local dog trainer.
One of the first factors to consider when you find your 2 year old dog suddenly aggressive is their health. You may want to consider taking your dog to the vet for a complete work-up to see if they can help you. Sometimes dogs can be in pain due to illness or injury.
It’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian if you suspect that an underlying medical issue if you find your 2 year old dog suddenly aggressive. Treating the root cause can often resolve the behavioral problem. Wondering, “How long does it take to train a dog“ when dealing with medical issues? It depends on the specific condition and treatment. Training may have to wait until your dog’s health or injury improves. If there is not a health issue involved, the timing will depend on factors such as how deep the aggressive tendencies are in the dog, and how much your plan to address it is working. It should be something you always keep an eye on because dog’s are a liability.
Just like humans, dogs go through developmental stages, and the transition from puppyhood to adulthood can be a challenging time for both the dog and the owner. At around 2 years old, dogs are considered adults, and this stage comes with several behavioral changes, including sudden aggression:
Dogs are social and pack animals by nature. This means that they thrive in an environment with clear leadership and rules. When dogs perceive a lack of leadership or consistent boundaries, they may feel the need to assume that role themselves, potentially leading to sudden aggression. However, in reality it’s not sudden. Usually the aggression is a symptom of a root issue in the household which is too much “soft energy,” and not enough “firm energy.” Often giving too much affection, cuddling, petting and furniture privileges are manifestations of the root cause. This is the owner’s need to over-utilize the dog for emotional support. Click here if you’re wondering if it is ever too late to train a dog.
So many positive reinforcement dog trainers will tell people that their new rescue dog was probably abused in some way. They make these claims more often than not to justify the dog’s aggressive behavior. However, some of you reading probably got your dog from a breeder and know for a fact it was not abused. But it’s common in litters of dogs for some to turn out mentally balanced and for some to not. There is also a lot of interbreeding in dogs which has caused mental instability leading to aggression. If you find your 2 year old dog suddenly aggressive, it is most likely due to a genetic issue mixed with no pack leadership. This is given that you have ruled out illness or injury.
You may start to gradually notice your dog behaving worse and worse. At the age of 2, your dog may be causing fights at the dog park. Perhaps, they are resource guarding more or becoming more territorial over your house. Maybe, they start to snap or growl at you or your family. In addition, they may even be getting themselves into more serious trouble landing bites on other dogs or people. If it has escalated to any of these levels, seek professional help. Dog aggression only continues to get worse over time without the proper intervention from a balanced training approach.
No matter what the cause, a training program that focuses on changing your dog’s routine to include more structure and correcting the aggression are vital. The common narrative is that you need to use positive reinforcement to redirect a dog or organize your life around the dog’s issues. However, this is really crazy, and it does not teach the dog to stop the behaviors. It fosters an unhealthy state of mind and leave you open for a huge liability. Remember that dog bites are a number one reason for dog euthanasia. I used to work in a hospital and saw children coming into the trauma room for dog bites and maulings. It was very difficult to know that a child would have to endure the repercussions of a dog bite trauma due to the parents most likely, not picking up on the signs early enough. Take it seriously and do not seek positive reinforcement only training.
Unwanted behaviors have to be corrected or another word for this is “punished.” There are proper ways to do it that work effectively. Jeff Gellman of Solid K9 Academy talks about punishing dogs often in his Youtube videos and live podcasts. Educate yourself but don’t feel you need to tackle it alone. Seek help.
If you do a search for “aggressive dog training Portland,” or “reactive dog training Portland,” you may find my company Balanced Pack K9 Training. I help my clients navigate dog behavior issues.
Going back to our original question, it can be happening for a variety of reasons. The most important thing is that you get helped from a balanced dog trainer. A force-free positive reinforcement trainer will lead you down the wrong path when it comes to dog aggression. You need someone that deals with this often and gets good results. Does the potential trainer you’re looking at have “before and after” videos showing their work, or is it all talk? Videos are important to showcase how they can help you.
First you need to understand why it is happening. Is it a health issue or a pack leadership issue? Then you can find a local dog trainer to work with to help you come up with a plan and strategy. Most likely, any dog that has exhibited aggressive behaviors will have to be managed and watched closely. With severe cases you will have less leeway to let your guard down. In addition, more severe cases will require more behavior modification protocols to assist you. That being said, if you can be a strong pack leader, there is a good chance you can get results. However, it will take hard work. But some of my families favorite dog’s over the years have been dogs that exhibited aggressive behaviors that were rehabbed properly. Often times these dogs are really worth the effort.
This will ensure that you are working towards having the best relationship with your dog.
If you have any questions, you can schedule a consultation with me! Check out my FAQ page for more information!
Schedule Your Virtual Consultation!
© 2019 Copyright balancedpackk9training
