My dog attacked another dog after waking from sleep. What's wrong?

Question

My dog was sleeping, and out of nowhere, she woke up with the hairs in her back sticking up and she attached my other dog, who was sleeping. The dog who was sleeping cried for three minutes. The dog that attacked is a very sweet dog and has never done anything like this until now. Do you know what we should do, or what is wrong with her? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | spayed | 90 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

It's possible that Blue may have simply had a bad dream. However, there is a recognized sleep disorder in dogs that can cause them to wake up out of a sound sleep and aggressively attack other dogs or people who happen to be nearby - it's uncommon, but it does happen. If you want to be on the safe side, it may be best to have Blue sleep in a crate or in another enclosed space, such as in an exercise pen or behind a baby gate to make sure that everyone is safe if this happens again. This problem does not usually translate to any increased aggressive behavior when the dog is awake, so that's not likely to be a concern.

My dog attacked another dog after waking from sleep. What's wrong?

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