My Puppy Is Becoming Aggressive!

**blacklabciara** · 11-07-2006, 02:51 AM

When we received Ciara she was great, easily housetrained, smart and calm. Now we have had her for about 2 weeks, she is 12 weeks old now and she seems to be getting increasingly aggressive. Most of the day she is calm well behaved and playfull, but she now gets one hour periods where she seems to be furious with anger, biting me hard. Whenever she bites I put my hand around her mouth and say "no biting" and if she bites really aggressively I will ignore her and remove her from my room. This approach works well most of the time but during her "crazy" periods when I put my hand over her mouth she gets furious and steps back growls and tries to attack. I find it strange that she is only like this at most 1 hour a day, and it is a new behavior she has shown. I am concerned as her teeth and jaws are becoming more developed as the days go by. Has anybody dealt with similar experiences... is there anything im doing wrong, is this a serious problem? is this something I can fix myself? I have a suspicion that this occurs when her teeth and gums are sore because she seems to chew a lot during these periods of time as well.

**Djc1249** · 11-07-2006, 06:55 AM

She's a doll. Are you sure it's aggressive behavior you're seeing, and not just puppy behavior, during the crazy periods? They can play growl or make noises that sound like growlies, but aren't. Maybe she's just getting more active now that she's been 'home' for a couple of weeks?

When she goes for your hand, try re-directing her to a toy. Have a chew toy ready, and give that to her when she goes for your hand. You can also wet, wring, and throw a washcloth into the freezer...keep it there to give her to chew on; that helps gums and teeth. Also ice cubes..give her an ice cube and watch the fun as she chews on it and it slides around the floor with her chasing it...ice cubes help when gums and teeth are sore.

Try some of these things, see if they help; it may not be aggressive behavior at all.....it could be just puppyness. Good luck

**imported_gabbys mom** · 11-07-2006, 07:06 AM

if it escalates or continues, i would work with a trainer that specializes in aggressive dogs. it would be far more prudent to nip it in the bud.

**Dani** · 11-07-2006, 08:15 AM

It doesn't sound like aggression...sounds a whole lot of puppy antics.

Get to the library, and get to a puppy class.

**Dawson Creek Girl** · 11-07-2006, 08:22 AM

Welcome to Puppyhood!! ;D

**kaytris** · 11-07-2006, 08:25 AM

like kids, puppies can get over stimulated and lose what little brain-power they have. I bet you can predict when it will start - my own puppy gets a frantic look in her eye. when you see that look, crate her with a chew toy. I bet she'll crash and fall asleep within minutes.

**Chester B. Dickens** · 11-07-2006, 09:43 AM

It's a standard question, but I've got to ask: Is she getting enough exercise? If she's 'going crazy' and the becoming overstimulated to the point that her only release is biting/nipping/mouthing, some add'l exercise may break the circle of antsiness.

**Ender's Mom** · 11-07-2006, 09:48 AM

Ditto to what dweck said.

And otherwise... sounds like puppy teething antics to me. Ice cubes and frozen wet washcloths did the trick for us.

**threelabs** · 11-07-2006, 12:20 PM

That's not aggression - she's being a puppy. Make sure you stimulate her enough - retrieve time, obedience work (she'll get tired mentally), etc. I have a two year old that even after a long off leash walk/run will come home and do about ten laps around the yard in a crazy butt-tuck! Only then is she tired enough to lay down and behave

**KTB** · 11-07-2006, 01:33 PM

Yup sounds like a puppy! We went through a nipping phase for a week or two at about the same age - like others have said it usually meant he needed some exercise or was in pain from teething (or both). We gave him frozen washcloths, which he loved. After a little while his mounthing on us got much more gentle and has all but disappeared at this point.