When dogs suddenly become aggressive without warning, it is frightening for dog owners, and it can be challenging to know why. Many factors can influence dog behavior and lead to aggression. Some are more obvious than others, so it is essential to understand what might be causing the aggression.
When dogs suddenly become aggressive, it usually involves changing environmental factors. Most often, sudden aggression occurs when the dog is possessive about certain things, its aggression is redirected by a distraction, or its tolerance levels are exceeded. However, pain, health problems, changes in the environment, and age can also cause dogs to become suddenly aggressive.
Aggression in dogs should not be taken lightly. It is not only a problematic behavior in dogs in general.
But also a particularly problematic one in a dog that is usually friendly.
To address this problem and change your dog’s behavior, you must first understand why it happens.
In this article, we’ll discuss the most common reasons for sudden aggressive behavior in dogs so you can figure out why your dog is exhibiting this sudden change in temperament.
Essential Facts About Sudden Aggression in Dogs
Aggression can be triggered in dogs by many different factors. However, it is not usually triggered by a desire to hurt but can be a reaction to an environmental trigger.
These include a dog being afraid, possessive, testing its limits, in pain, aging, or suffering from an illness.
Sudden changes in a dog’s home environment or routine can also trigger aggressive behavior. In addition, some breeds are more prone to aggression than others.
It is essential to watch for even minor signs of aggression. Contact your veterinarian and a dog trainer if things get out of control or you can’t determine the cause of the aggression.
Always be cautious when introducing your dog to new pets or people, especially if your dog is acting up and showing signs of aggression.
So be cautious if your dog behaves aggressively, even if the signs are minor. You certainly don’t want to be bitten – nor do you want your dog or anyone else to get hurt.
Signs of Aggression in Dogs
Before we get into the details of this sudden behavior in dogs, it’s essential to understand what aggression in dogs can look like.
Aggressive behavior is quite different from biting behavior. Some dogs may also be slightly grumpy occasionally, which is not always a cause for concern.
Aggressive dogs usually show one or more specific symptoms. The most common symptoms of aggression in dogs include:
- Tense or rigid posture
- Intense staring
- Raised hackles
- Growling
- Showing of teeth
- Snapping, in which the dog hits you or others with its nose
- Deep barking that sounds more threatening than usual
- Snapping
- Growling or guarding objects
- Bites of varying intensity
- Biting and retreating
- Biting and continuing to attack
Most dogs give warning signs before they bite. But this is not always the case.
These warning signs are often part of the many different ways a dog tries to communicate.
Some dogs show destructive behavior by digging up the yard, or they signal that they are unhappy by yawning due to stress. However, the warning signs of aggressive behavior look different.
Many dog owners think their dog’s aggressive behavior is sudden or unexpected, while they have just missed many clues that have led to the behavior.
The best way to notice aggressive behavior in dogs is to become informed about the many possible signs.
If you are informed, you can protect yourself, other people, and your dog and avoid negative encounters with other dogs.
What Are the Types of Aggression in Dogs?
Before we look at the most common causes of sudden aggression, let’s first discuss the different types of aggression in dogs.
Numerous examples of aggressive behavior can be attributed to the following categories, so it is vital to understand the basics.
- Protective/Maternal Aggression: Aggressive behavior that occurs due to protecting offspring or puppies and often originates from a female dog.
- Territorial aggression: Aggressive behavior directed at an animal or person entering the dog’s territory. The territory may be the house, yard, or any other area the dog considers its property.
- Predatory Aggression: Aggressive behavior directed toward other animals the dog wishes to chase. This aggression can be related to the dog’s prey drive and often ends in a fatal attack.
- Fearful aggression: aggressive behavior based on fear or anxiety. This behavior may be related to fear of new situations, environments, or meeting unfamiliar people or animals. This behavior is often due to a dog feeling confined or trapped in its current environment.
- Compulsive aggression: aggression related to mating behavior. This behavior is directed toward the animal with which it is mating or toward other dogs that may be competitors.
What Are the Most Common Reasons for Sudden Aggression in Dogs?
Now that we have clarified where dog aggression can come from let’s turn to the most common reasons for sudden aggression.
From protecting their favorite toy to being unwell, your dog’s aggression often indicates an underlying problem.
Possessive Aggression
Possession-grabbing aggression is one of the most common forms of aggression in dogs.
Possessiveness causes a dog to guard a particular object it claims as its own and become aggressive when someone approaches it.
This aggression often occurs when the dog’s owner or another person tries to take the object away. However, it can even occur when a person or animal approaches the area where the object is located.
This can happen not only when a dog is guarding its food or favorite toy but also when strangers enter its home.
Dogs can become highly possessive regarding their territory and exhibit aggressive behavior if they feel their territory is being invaded.
If aggressive behavior occurs while the dog is trying to guard a resource important to him, it is probably possessive aggression.
Redirected Aggression
Redirected aggression is another common form of aggression in dogs. In redirected aggression, the dog is stimulated by a specific trigger but is interrupted by something or someone.
This trigger causes the dog to redirect its aggression away from the original trigger and toward the person or animal that interrupted it.
This is why it is so important never to interrupt a fight between dogs with bare hands.
For example, many dog owners are seriously injured when de-escalating a dog fight. Owners grab their dogs to separate them, and one of the fighting dogs suddenly turns around and bites.
This type of aggression can also occur in otherwise friendly dogs of any age or gender.
Aggression by Crossing Boundaries
Pushing a dog to the point of frustration or exasperation can lead to aggression in some dogs.
Many dogs have limits to certain behaviors they can tolerate and can become aggressive when those limits are crossed.
Just as you and I cannot tolerate repeated actions in the long run, our dogs are the same way.
Many dogs give warning signs to show their frustration with the current situation. A dog may growl when a child pulls on his ear and then become overwhelmed when his warning signs are not understood.
When a dog reaches its limits, it can become aggressive, often resulting in bites and injuries.
If your dog is not left alone when frustration levels rise, his boundaries may be crossed, leading to this aggressive response.
Pain-Related Aggression
Pain can cause many behaviors in dogs that are not common.
Discomfort can lower a dog’s tolerance for various situations and sometimes cause him to become aggressive.
Pain not only hurts, but it can be highly distressing for a dog. This is especially true if it is due to an acute injury or illness.
A dog may become aggressive if you touch the painful area or develop aggression because stress has built up.
Determining why a dog is in pain can often be challenging.
Pain in dogs can be due to wounds, joint conditions, injured limbs, gastrointestinal disorders, back injuries, and more.
If you believe your dog is in pain that has triggered this aggression, it is best to contact your veterinarian for further treatment.
Health-Related Aggression
A new onset health problem can be highly stressful to a dog. Illnesses can trigger sudden aggression in dogs, mainly if they cause changes in their daily routine.
When new medical symptoms appear, it can increase a dog’s anxiety. However, a change in daily routine can also add stress to a dog burdened and stressed by the disease.
A change in routine can bring new daily medications, more vet visits, and a worsening of overall health.
The onset of an illness can not only cause aggression in previously happy dogs but can even cause hostility in an already grumpy dog.
If you believe your dog’s sudden aggression is related to a medical diagnosis, we recommend discussing how to comfort your dog with your veterinarian.
Changes in the Environment
Many dogs are comfortable in a structured environment. They are generally comfortable with established routines but can experience stress when sudden changes occur.
A stressed dog is more likely to snap in certain situations, which can then lead to behavioral changes overall.
Significant changes in their home can cause a dog to react in ways they didn’t before and, as a result, even exhibit aggressive behavior.
Dogs can become stressed by a change of home, the sudden absence of the owner, new people or pets in the household, and more.
If your dog’s aggressive behavior started after a change in his routine, this could be the cause of his aggression.
Age
While age is not a disease in itself, it can bring many changes to a dog’s life.
Older dogs more often suffer from chronic pain, illness, and increased stress due to changes.
Any one of these complications, in and of itself, can lead to sudden aggression. And any one of them can lead to noticeable changes in behavior.
If you notice increased aggression in your dog as he enters his senior years, you should discuss this with your veterinarian.
Your veterinarian may be able to diagnose the problem that is causing your pet distress and suggest ways to make aging easier for your dog.
What to Do if Your Dog Suddenly Becomes Aggressive
It is crucial that you take immediate action to address your dog’s unexpected aggressive behavior. A dog’s sudden appearance of hostile behavior should always be taken seriously.
Even more important than recognizing this sudden behavior change is how to handle it properly because a negative reaction can make the situation worse.
Below we explain the steps you should take to treat your dog’s aggression.
Find the cause of the problem
The first step in treating your dog’s aggression is to find the cause of his behavior. What is causing your dog to behave in a hostile manner?
By reviewing your dog’s daily life and health for possible triggers, you can solve the problem and even prevent future aggression.
It is very rare for a dog to go through a severe behavior change without a trigger.
Talk to Your Veterinarian
You should always talk to your veterinarian if your dog suddenly becomes aggressive.
The only way to rule out an underlying medical cause is to discuss the problem with a veterinarian who already knows him.
If your dog’s change in behavior is due to an undiagnosed medical condition, you probably won’t be able to solve the problem on your own.
Seek Professional Help
Aggression in dogs should always be taken seriously. Even the most loving dog can accidentally hurt us.
Therefore, you should bring in a professional dog trainer in situations where aggressive behavior occurs.
Professional dog trainers can identify possible triggers for aggression and change the dog’s behavior.
This makes it easier to find the cause of the behavior and eliminate the problem right away.
Avoid Possible Triggers
If you can find a specific trigger for your dog’s aggressive behavior, it’s essential to avoid it if possible.
While not all causes can be easily avoided, some triggers for negative dog behavior can.
For example, if your dog appears to react aggressively to other animals in his territory, you should avoid bringing other animals into the house.
Summary: Why Do Dogs Suddenly Become Aggressive?
Many possible factors can trigger sudden aggression in dogs.
If your dog suddenly behaves aggressively in certain situations, you should first visit your veterinarian. You should make sure that there are no health reasons.
Afterward, going through the above steps with a dog trainer would be best. Addressing the problem and working with your dog to correct it is vital so it does not continue.