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My friendly dog suddenly growls at family. What's causing this?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 9 months old | 154 lbs

My dog is a moscow watchdog who's a bit known for its aggression. The thing is that we have him since he was 2 months old and he grew with us (a family with 6 children, 5 boys and me, a girl) he was friendly and not growling to anyone but in these last weeks he started to growl to one of my brothers, then to mom and now to dad, whenever they are petting him or scolding. Idk why is happening. I rly love the dog and he never did that to me. Dad said he's gonna get rid of him if he ever bites us :(

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on December 31st, 2019

I hate to hear this is happening and unfortunately, it's impossible to know the real cause of the behavior without being able to observe it. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. I also recommend to have Cezar neutered. Intact males tend to be more aggressive but again, aggression is complex and it may not solve the problem. Best of luck.

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 7th, 2019

    Unfortunately aggression is a very complex topic and one not likely to be fixed without a trainer. Because it is multifactoral- Lulu’s temperament, your temperament, Lulu’s experiences, your experiences, the environment- your surest, fastest and safest bet is to work with a trainer or behaviorist. Basically, the trainer will watch Lulu and you paying attention to how you react to each other and the environmental stimulus. The trainer will then work with both of you to modify both of your behaviors to meet a common goal. The humane society can often recommend a trainer/behaviorist. Otherwise go online and read ratings and reviews. There are several different training methods so you will need to find the one that works best for you and your pup. If you want to try it on your own, pick up a book (I like the trainer Victoria Stilwell) and try some of the training guidelines highlighted. Make sure you have high value treats and that everyone is consistent in the training. It is not a lost cause! Lulu just needs to understand what you want! I hope this at least points you in the right direction. Please post again with any further questions.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Published on February 13th, 2017

    Unfortunately training is the only tool you have to correct this kind of behaviour. That would require a long discussion/chat (literally impossible on the forum); I would recommend to have a look at this link to start understanding how to approach this problem http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/aggression-dogs.

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    Answered By Jenny, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 23rd, 2018

    Food aggression is hard to break. You can give him small amounts out of your hand to teach him to take it easy and gently. You can place small amounts in the bowl and every time he acts like that, take the bowl away completely. Once he settles down and calms down, give it back and repeat the process until he learns to stop being protective over it. You can then progress towards larger amounts. Make sure if he has treats or bone, you practice the same behavior.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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