My adopted puppy is aggressive towards me and my partner. What to do?

Question

I adopted my puppy at the humane society when she was two months old. I'm not too sure what breed she is because they said she is a Dachshund short haired mix, but she doesn't look like a Dachshund. Since she was smaller, we noticed she would randomly have aggression towards me, as she's gotten older it's gotten worse and even acts angry/aggressive towards her other owner. I can't say it's only when she's eating food or treats because it varies. Any suggestions/comments? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 5 months and 9 days old | 20 lbs

Lauren Barry, BVSc, MRCVS, DVM · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry you are having these problems with Pepper. Firstly addressing her breed, sometimes the humane society gets a litter of pups with no information about the parents breed types - they use their best judgement to guess what breed the pups are, so they can get it wrong. From the picture, Pepper has the smooth coat of a miniature pincher or Italian greyhound, but she is larger than those breeds. There is a genetic DNA test that can be run which is developed by Mars Scientific. It is available at Banfield Pet Hospitals (and costs around $90 plus office visit fee). With regards to her behavior, this is more of a concern. I suspect you will be best to have a consultation with an experienced pet behaviorist, or vet that specializes in behavior, as I would hate for someone to get bitten badly by her. Try to determine the situations that seem to trigger her aggression, and attempt to prevent similar events occurring (eg. shouting or arguing, meal times, disciplining her). You could also try using a product called "Adaptil" which is a patented pheromone formula and can help lessen the severity of some behavioral problems. It comes in a collar or a plug in diffuser and is made by CEVA. I hope these suggestions can help.

My adopted puppy is aggressive towards me and my partner. What to do?

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