My friendly dog is suddenly aggressive to other dogs and people. Why?

Question

What could be a possible reason that my friendly loving dog has now become really aggressive towards my other dog and people. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 3 years and 8 months old

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

There are many possible reasons for this, I'm afraid - aggression is a complex behavior issue, so it can be hard to provide a succinct answer in this format. Many dogs develop aggression issues related to fear or anxiety around the age of 2-3 when they reach social maturity, so it's possible that this may be the issue. Or, since I see that Chucky is a bit older than that, he may have a medical problem causing him to be painful or uncomfortable - this is a common reason for "new" aggression in a previously friendly dog. I would recommend having Chucky examined by a vet as a good first step - he/she can check for anything that may be causing him pain or making him not feel well, and get him started on treatment if needed. If everything is normal medically, then it would be best to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to help you determine what is causing the aggression - he/she can observe your dogs in person and also give you a step-by-step treatment plan to work on the issue.

My friendly dog is suddenly aggressive to other dogs and people. Why?

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