Aggressive puppies at 7-9 months

I've noticed quite a few posts (one of mine included) lately about the above.

I'm starting to wonder if it's purely down to a lack of understanding about dog behaviour.

Most of you on here told me my issues where normal for puppies of that age, which I now see is true but will you ever find real aggression in a puppy at this age?

Surely all they are doing is trying to assert themselves within the home.

Should this kind of ''follow-on'' knowledge not be passed on in puppy school? It sure would have helped me with this stage had a known what could happen with a strong willed dog.

Ben is not at all aggressive, but I guess, if someone didn't know him, they would think he was...

Ben is fibbing! If I take him by the collar to let him outside, he'll pretend to try and bite my leg... Ben has got the softest bite... If I give him a biscuit and he hasn't got his head up he'll drop it....

If he meets dogs on a walk.. better watch out... He behaves like a young pony... He really wants to say 'hello'!

Dogs are dogs - NOT humans in fur!

There's no aggression in Ben, but some people might think otherwise...

It's all down to what people interpret as aggression. Some may think a short growl means a dog is overtly aggressive where as others it has to be sustained and physical to call it aggression.
It's very difficult as many people think a dog should not display any 'negative' behaviour at all when in reality that is one of the few forms of communication they have that we can vaguely understand.
Also around the 7-8 month mark is when dogs start to mature hormonally so there will be a difference in their behaviour until such time as they settle down.
Becky

as others have said it depends on your definition of aggresion, i have assesed between 50 and 100 dogs in my time with Nessr, and i have only ever met two truly aggresive dogs of this age, and both centred around guarding, but to such an extent that i don't think it could ever be resolved properly, the first was an 8 month old springer who at 6 months had damaged his owners face to the extent he needed 22 stitches, he did bite me , the difference is usually when you back off they stop, this laddo didn't just kept coming ended up badly bruised arm, and upper thigh, he just went into a rage and nothing was going to bring him out of it. These were not inexperienced owners, they had another dog, and had had the dog from a pup, took him to training the works, one minute he was sat on my lap giving kisses the next he'd got his teeth in. The other belongs to a friend of mine, the first weekend she had him he bit her to the bone, she has percevered with him and two years later she knows his triggers and can manage him, where most would have given up, again one minute he is the most loving dog and the next minute he can flip.

Both of these i believe have something in their genetics that made them like that. The others have just been usual puppy behaviour, but the owners haven't known how to deal with it, for me all the stroppiness is part of growing up.

I think you either forget about all the training etc. that you did with your last dog (memory is very selective) or don`t have experience of youngsters.
Pushing the boundaries, throwing your weight about, exploring your world, thinking you know it all, dismissing `old` people as irrelevant....yes - teenagers! And dogs unfortunately do it too.
You just have to grit your teeth and practice being calm and patient, albeit sticking to your rules, till the little dears grow up.

I agree that that's the age where dogs are going to want to challenge your leadership roles, but true aggression is probably quite rare. Lottie had a couple of snaps and snarls at my Mum at that age, but it was all hot air really.

Puppies aren't aggressive they are challenging there position in the home normally, not showing aggressive (bless em) its funny really .
Animals will and do challenge its part of everyday life until they find a common ground and understand the rules and boundaries, until there happy and reassured that there home environment is a safe place and does not require them to assert therselves
The reason you aren't taught this at puppy class is simple , like most things in life if pups are a problem, it lines the trainers pocket. What most owners don't realise is that the best trainer any dog can have is there owner.

Hi,

I didn't see much of this at all with Zane or Ellie and both have turned out to be wonderful dogs.

Yiannis on the other hand could certainly be described as aggressive by some people. Of course as his owner I know he's not but he is definitely stroppy at times and has too much attitude. fortuantely, I've ben able to rely on the behaviour of the other dogs in dealing with it and have seen how Zane and Ellie have almost acted as perfect parents. They let him get away with so much then when he gets above his station they put him in his place. I don't need to reprimand him at all really; although he is so much mor enaughty that Zane or Ellie ever were. He tells lies too!

LAura xx

You do get aggression at that age - Aggression whether it is a learnt behaviour or a side effect of confusion is still aggression....It is just that some forms are easier to treat.

Often it can be a build up from issues that have maybe not been handled properly as pups, combined with the age of the dog/strength and hormone levels. Often people don't see the lead up to the problems and feel they have an aggressive dog because of this....in truth often these are the easier solved ones as they tend to involve teaching the owners different management techniques and helping the dog not to be so confused. The trouble can often be that the dog has learnt that using its teeth stops unpleasant things from happening and (especially if it is an intelligent dog) will start to generalise to different situations.

However - there can be the genetic side of things as well, if the dog has a predisposition to be aggressive or possibly a medical reason. This coupled with the 'teenage' stage can be difficult to deal with.

Thats a bit of an over generalisation.....I explain to all my classes that puppy training does not cease after a 6 week course....I also explain about critical periods and how they continue and will affect thier dogs till they are around the 18 month mark.