Why Is My Dog Being Aggressive All Of A Sudden?

Your dog might be aggressive all of a sudden because he is in pain or experiencing a medical condition. Your dog can't communicate with you to tell you something is wrong, and many dogs react to the pain or discomfort of an illness or injury with aggression. The good news is that once the issue has been addressed, the aggression will usually be eliminated. Until the problem is addressed though, you should keep your dog away from any aggression triggers and physically separated from other dogs, children, and other people while you figure out the cause and work to find a solution.

Don't Ignore Sudden Aggression 

If you've had your dog for years without incident and he suddenly shows signs of aggression, don't write it off as a one-time thing. Make an appointment with your vet to rule out injuries or a medical condition. Your dog could be dealing with a painful dental issue, ear infection, or other illness that requires treatment.

Fear is another reason a normally docile dog may show signs of aggression. If it's obvious this is the cause, then the solution is simply to try to avoid a repeat. For example, a dog park isn't the right setting for every pet. If your pet is fearful of groups of dogs or larger dogs, avoid the dog park.

Whatever the reason, it is important to keep your dog away from any aggression triggers until you can find and address the problem. It's also best to keep your dog away from other pets, children, and people to avoid any physical harm until the behavior is managed.

Moving Beyond Aggression

If a medical condition is found and addressed, it's likely the aggressive behavior will stop. If not, or if a medical exam didn't find any issues, schedule an appointment with an animal behaviorist who can help to figure out the reason for the sudden aggression and develop a plan to stop it.

Some pet owners immediately rehome their pet at the first sign of aggression. Instead of doing this right away, figure out why your dog is being aggressive all of a sudden and give him every chance to overcome the behavior. With the right intervention, most dogs can be helped.