My dog growls and shows teeth. Should I be concerned about aggression?

Question

Our 2 yr old Australian/Border Collie growls at us and sometimes shows his teeth. Usually it’s when he has a bone or is just very tired. Sometimes for no good reason he growls at us. He has never bitten us we adopted him 1 year ago. Sometimes when he does it I slap at his nose and tell him to stop. He’s really a very sweet dog loves attention loves people and other dogs. Should we be concerned? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 10 months old | 40 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

Hitting your dog will likely cause the opposite effect and cause the behavior to escalate from growling to biting or snapping. If he is growling at you over objects or just in general, I highly recommend seeking out a professional trainer or veterinary behaviorist in person ASAP as aggression toward people is a very complex issue that should be addressed immediately. I would NOT continue to hit or punish your dog for growling as this will only worsen the behavior. You can find out more about veterinary behaviorists and find one in your area here: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

My dog growls and shows teeth. Should I be concerned about aggression?

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