What is Aggression Toward Familiar People?
Aggression in dogs toward familiar people is a frustrating situation that dog owners may face during the ownership of their companion. Growling, barking, biting, snarling, lunging, or any type of aggressive behavior can be caused by a variety of reasons. Many people view the term “aggression” in different ways; some feel that if a dog bites a familiar person it is considered aggression, while others may feel that a growl or snarl to a familiar person is a signal for aggression. What is important to understand is that if a dog has been a member of your family for a period of time and has had time to “bond” with everyone, it is important to be mindful of any behavioral changes. If your companion has never snarled or growled before, and all of a sudden begins to do that (without being threatened or provoked) then it may be time to visit the veterinarian.
Aggression in dogs toward familiar people occurs when a dog, well known to its family or family friends, becomes aggressive towards them, causing emotional harm or physical harm to his loved ones.
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Symptoms of Aggression Toward Familiar People in Dogs
Aggression is on such a wide spectrum of behaviors, and that is why it is so important to keep a documentation of any regular “times” or “triggers” that are leading to any negative change in behavior of the dog. Symptoms can include:
- Snarling
- Lip licking
- Biting
- Barking
- Growling
- Lunging
- Having a tense or stressed demeanor
- Inability to relax in certain situations
- Being unhappy or seemingly irritated
- Moodiness
- Averting their gaze
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
Types
There are many types of aggression in dogs and it can occur in many different situations. Types include:
- Dominance aggression
- Aggression related to an incident
- Competitive aggression
- Conflict aggression
- Maternal aggression
- Anxiety induced aggression
- Pain related aggression
Causes of Aggression Toward Familiar People in Dogs
Aggression can occur more often in certain breeds if not handled properly. There are breeds that are known or considered to be more aggressive than others, and this is still widely debated. Studies do show that this is the case at times. Causes of aggressiveness toward familiar people can include:
- Inconsistent training
- Hectic environment
- Mishandling of the dog
- Improper and inappropriate discipline of the dog
- Neglect
- Genetics
- Underlying medical conditions
Diagnosis of Aggression Toward Familiar People in Dogs
If your dog has suddenly or gradually over time become aggressive toward you, other family members, or friends, it is imperative to make an appointment with your veterinarian before the symptoms progress. The veterinarian will ask for a detailed history of the dog, including his home environment, habits, routines, discipline, training, and any other questions he feels is necessary to properly diagnose the underlying condition, if any.
The veterinarian will perform a complete examination which may include medical testing, such as blood work, a urinalysis and other tests. It is very important to tell your veterinarian of any changes in diet, or if the dog is showing any symptoms of illness. The medical professional will check for anxiety issues or dominance issues by asking you specific questions pertaining to these disorders.
Treatment of Aggression Toward Familiar People in Dogs
With a diagnosis of aggression, the veterinarian will usually recommend a tailored program so it doesn’t become worse. Treatment may include:
Behavioral Therapy
This will often be the main form of treatment, and the veterinarian will usually recommend a canine behaviourist to help your dog and your family. Behavioral therapy may include modification of the dog’s behavior, desensitization, eliminating triggers, training and much more. The behavioral therapist must get to know your dog and may come into the home to help you, and will even teach you strategies to help your dog. This may take time, and things may have to be eliminated from the dog’s life in order to decrease his aggression, but will be worth it in the end.
Medication
If your dog is suffering from anxiety, the veterinarian may choose to prescribe medication. This is questionable and debated, though, because what is crucial in dog aggression is to address the underlying issue. If the dog has an illness that has caused him to suddenly become aggressive the veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate medication if needed e.g. pain relief and anti-inflammatories for joint disease.
Lifestyle Change
Making sure that your home environment is calm and predictable may be a recommendation by the veterinarian or behavioral therapist. If you do not have a routine with your dog, and his day-to-day living is very unpredictable, a change will need to be made. Consistent and proper routine management is one step to helping dog aggression.
Diet
There are times when a low-protein and high-tryptophan diet may help in conjunction with therapies and any medication.
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Recovery of Aggression Toward Familiar People in Dogs
Recovery and management depends on the severity of the aggression. Dogs can be cured of this, but it does take much dedication and time from you, the loving and patient owner. Many dogs who display aggression towards familiar people are rehomed or surrendered to an animal shelter. If a dog has attacked a person, causing suffering and severe injury, they may be euthanized. This is why it is crucial to get the dog’s aggressiveness under control before it is too late. The dog’s chances of recovery are much higher if he is taken to the veterinarian and started on therapy early on.
Recovery takes time, perhaps years, and over this time the methods learned must be followed. Follow-up visits with the veterinarian and behavioral therapist (if the therapy has ended) are necessary to be sure the dog is on the path to recovery. There is no “cure” for dog aggression; however, there are ways to drastically minimize any recurrences. It takes dedication and persistence from the whole family in order to help the dog with this condition.
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Aggression Toward Familiar People Average Cost
From 22 quotes ranging from $200 - $3,000
Average Cost
$500
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Aggression Toward Familiar People Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Mastiff mix
1 1/2 yrs
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Aggressive
We've had him since he was 2 months old hes never growled or snarled or anything at anyone we got a new dog and we've had him for like 3 months now they play great together never been aggressive nothing here recently are 1 1/2 yr old dog has been barking and growling at people we know who come over to our house and he even snapped at someone who's known him since We got him we don't have people at our home at all like just people stopping through and hes not around other dogs except our new dog I just am wondering where the aggression is coming if someone is just walking past are home he barks
Sept. 27, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
This is too complicated a problem for an email It would be best to hire a trainer to work with y our dog, as there may be many underlying issues that you are not aware of. A good trainer will be able to work with him, see what might be going on, and let you know how to stop this behavior before it worsens. Your veterinarian can help you find a good trainer if needed.
Oct. 13, 2020
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Mastiff mix
1 1/2 yrs
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Aggressive
We've had him since he was 2 months old hes never growled or snarled or anything at anyone we got a new dog and we've had him for like 3 months now they play great together never been aggressive nothing here recently are 1 1/2 yr old dog has been barking and growling at people we know who come over to our house and he even snapped at someone who's known him since We got him we don't have people at our home at all like just people stopping through and hes not around other dogs except our new dog I just am wondering where the aggression is coming if someone is just walking past are home he barks
Sept. 27, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
It would be best to have a trainer work with him, and your family, to stop this aggression. Your veterinarian will be able to refer you to a trainer if you do not know of one.
Oct. 14, 2020
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Jack Russle
Nine Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Aggressive
My dog will randomly try to bite my sister if me and him are cuddling I want to keep my family safe
Sept. 25, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
Without being able to see your dog, I cannot solve this behavior problem over an email He is a young dog, and probably has developed some bad habits. It would be best to have him seen by a trainer, as they can watch him, see what is happening, and help you turn those behaviors around. If you do not know of a trainer, your veterinarian can help you find one.
Oct. 20, 2020
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Labrador Retriever
Six Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Aggression
My dog is 6 years old and has lived with me, my fiancee, and our friend Marc for 2 years. Before that, it was just me and my fiancee. Suddenly, since we moved in June, he has become aggressive towards Marc seemingly unprovoked. We are wondering what we can do about this and what is causing it.
Sept. 18, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question, I'm sorry that you're having this problem with your dog. Unfortunately, this can be a complicated problem that is nearly impossible to solve with one email. There are many details that I have no way of knowing about his behavior, and typically these things are not as sudden as people think, there are usually very subtle changes that occur up until the point where it's noticeable. The best thing to do would be to work with a behavioral trainer, since this seems to be a recent occurrence, it may be relatively easy to pinpoint what the problem is, and correct the situation before it escalates to somebody getting hurt. If you do not know a good behavioral trainer who works with positive reinforcement, your veterinarian will be able to direct you to that person and give you a referral if needed. I hope that everything goes well, and you are able to figure out what is going on quickly and everyone gets along again soon.
Sept. 18, 2020
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Mutt
Three Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Aggression
Hi. My boyfriend and I adopted a dog about a month ago. He is the sweetest Lab Mix. He listens to commands, he’s social with people. This dog loves cuddles, he loves to lay with us and constantly craves attention. I petted the dog downstairs when we came home and he let out a low growl. He never growls at me and I didn’t think anything of it. He then went upstairs with my boyfriend and was laying on him. I came forward to hug them and the dog snapped and bit my neck. I backed away immediately and left. The dog hid under the bed and we put him in the other room for the night. What do we do?
Aug. 18, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question, and I'm sorry that that happened. I think that something must have been going on that the dog was aware of that you were not that was setting him off. It would probably be best to consult a trainer at this point to try to work with him and see what the trigger was that made that happen so that it does not happen again. If you did not know a good trainer, your veterinarian can recommend one for you, and they could probably come to your house and help you get him out of that room. Your veterinarian may also be able to give him some sedation so that you can work with him. I hope that all goes well for him.
Aug. 18, 2020
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Harrier
Archie
3 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Snarl
Snap
Low Growl
I adopted my Harrier hound from our local shelter about 6 months ago. He is three years old and has bad anxiety (as the behaviouralist told me) but is a very very loving dog. He used to be a hunting dog but apparently was not a very good one so his last owners did not show him much love and ultimately let him run away. I love him very much but lately, he has been randomly low growling at myself, my parents and my boyfriend. He has snapped a few times (has never actually bitten) but nevertheless it is scary and I have NO idea what causes it. I want to help him however I can, I do not discipline him through aggression, I am very careful around him and do my best to make him happy. 90% of the time he is an amazing, loving dog who wants nothing more than your attention, but randomly he will almost fixate on you and stare and low growl and if you come close to him he will snap at you. I want to help him, I don't want to be afraid of my dog. I love him.
Aggression Toward Familiar People Average Cost
From 22 quotes ranging from $200 - $3,000
Average Cost
$500
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
