Why is my dog aggressive with only one dog? Is he protecting me?

Question

My dog (Jack Russell) only acts aggressively with one other dog - American bulldog/staffy mix. He has never interacted with her and first time he saw her he lunged and was snarling and baring teeth and pulling to get to her. I know the female dog and she is friendly and sweet with me, however she started lunging at people and trying to bite. Could it be my dog sensed this in her and was "protecting" me? He loves people and dogs and has never been aggressive to dogs before. Only this one dog. Pet's info: Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Male | neutered | 4 years and 9 months old | 8 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

It's possible that he reacted aggressively because you were around and he felt more threatened or protective - especially if he was on a leash. Some dogs do have certain dogs or breeds that they find more threatening so it's also possible that he was reacting to this one dog. I would watch him closely since this could also be the first sign of dog aggression. If possible I would recommend avoiding this particular dog in the future.

Why is my dog aggressive with only one dog? Is he protecting me?

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