In general, Golden Retrievers are calm and quiet dog breeds. As a result of this nature, they are the third most popular in the USA, the best family dog, and the perfect companion for your kid. But, if your pet is showing some strange aggressive behavior, you may be wondering. Why Is My Golden Retriever Aggressive?
There are many factors are leading to the aggressiveness of your pet. And, I will try to disclose all of them slowly below.
Although many reasons make your Golden Retriever aggressive, pain or injury, mistreating them, lacking training, and anxiety are the most common reasons among them. Apart from these, other possible reasons are abuse, previous attack by animals, strange and unfriendly environments, poor breeding practices, and insecurity.
While I tell you how you should manage your Golden Retriever aggressive behavior, you will also know the causes and signs of aggressiveness further in this article.
How Can You Know Your Golden Retriever Is Aggressive?
Sometimes your Golden Retriever does not show the prominent signs of aggressive behavior until it becomes worse. And your pet becomes dangerous.
I know it is hard to believe that your lovely pal can become aggressive. But if it starts showing the dominant signs, you better not neglect this issue.
The signs include:
- Your pet becomes jealous when you are around other pets. Thus, it inserts itself in the middle.
- They start to mount other pets and your legs.
- The Retriever becomes less friendly and welcoming. Hence, it blocks the door and path of entering the house.
- They start showing odd behaviors like sudden barking, stops eating, becomes moody around people, etc.
- Your pet demands more attention and becomes destructive when you lack to give them time.
All these are preliminary signs that your pet is growing aggressive. If you fail to manage this dominant behavior, your furry friend is cruel and aggressive. And it may not be safe for your kid.
The signs that show your Golden Retriever is aggressive are:
- Excessive barking and low range
- Frequent growling, snaps, snarls, and barks
- Stiff movement of the tail
- Erect ears
Have you noticed these signs in your Golden Retriever?
If yes, then your pet is growing aggressive. And you have to manage this behavior.
What Makes Your Golden Retriever Aggressive?
After you get familiar with the dominant and aggressive signs, you may want to know more about why Golden Retriever is aggressive behavior. And the causes that lead to aggressiveness in your pet.
There are various reasons for the aggressive nature of your furry friend. Among them, the most common causes are:
Poor Breeding Practices
The poor breeding practices of the dog breeders. Such as scolding the dog, locking them for too long, beating and threatening them make the dogs aggressive.
As a result, they lose trust in others. Thus, they build aggression in them due to fear and insecurity.
Lack Of Proper Training Sessions
If your pet lacks proper training sessions, it is more likely to develop aggressiveness. Training distracts your friend from an unnecessary emotional breakdown and helps you to discipline your pal.
Besides this, you can encourage your pet and improve your bonding with them by giving them treats and praising them during training.
Abusing The Golden Retriever
The abusive behavior of the parent makes the Golden Retrievers defensive. They lack trust and loyalty towards people and sees everyone as a threat.
Therefore, they start being aggressive to protect themselves and survive.
Ignoring The Dominant Behavior of The Golden Retriever
Dominant behavior is the primary responsibility of your Retriever when it starts being aggressive. Though, most of the dominant behavior is not prominent. However, you should never ignore the behavioral change of your pal.
If you notice and manage such behaviors in time, your pet will not be aggressive. But, ignoring such signs makes the Golden Retriever aggressive and dangerous.
Illness And Disease
The Golden Retriever is prone to diseases easily. And aggression will be the most common response of your pet when he is in pain or ill. The pet suffering from an illness (such as constipation, ear infection, skin disorders, hip dysplasia, cancer, and thyroid disorders) is vulnerable and weak.
As a result, to protect themselves, the Golden Retriever is aggressive. It defenses itself by showing aggressive behavior.
Exposure To A New Environment
When the Golden Retriever enters the house, it steps into a completely new environment from the previous one. It needs time, love, and affection to get familiar with the strange surrounding.
But if you expose the pet to a new surrounding without giving it time, the Golden Retriever shows aggressive behavior. It feels odd in the strange setting and tries to escape so that it is safe.
Harsh Behavior Of Previous Pet Owner
The Golden Retrievers are more likely to show aggressive behaviors if their prior owners were harsh on them. The abused and threatened pets will not feel safe around people. They lose their respect, trust, and loyalty to humans.
Thus, as a result, those Golden Retrievers are aggressive. They bark, bit, and growls to ensure their safety.
Previously Attacked Golden Retriever
The Golden Retrievers lose their kindness after surviving through animal attacks, hitting vehicles, kidnap, and torture. They grow aggressive behavior in themselves to hide their fear, anxiety, and insecurity.
Therefore, you must give them more love, care, and affection to overcome such incidents.
Lack Of Food
The Golden Retriever loves food. And food brings happiness and excitement in its life. But if you fail to give your pet food at the proper time, it will suffer from health issues and emotional issues.
Hunger makes your Golden Retriever aggressive. And it will show the dominant signs which lead to aggressiveness if you keep your furry pal starving for too long.
Therefore, be careful in Golden Retriever care and avoid all these causes.
What Are The Types Of Aggression?
The aggression of your Golden Retriever is of various types based on the causes. Thus, the ways to manage these aggressions also vary accordingly.
However, the common types of aggression you observe in your pet are:
Dominate Aggression
The typical type of aggressiveness in the Golden Retriever due to lack of food or proper socializing is dominant aggression. The Golden Retriever grows aggressive when it sees other pets and people.
In this aggression, the pet demands more love and affection. And your furry friend shows some dominant signs. But if you ignore these signs, the behavior of your pet may become more dangerous and troublesome.
Fear Aggression
As the name suggests, the Golden Retriever is aggressive due to fear and insecurity. The harsh behavior of their previous owner, accidents, and animal attacks makes the pet anxious and fearful.
Thus, your pet stops trusting and loving people and shows aggressive behavior when exposed around your family and friends.
Territorial Aggression
Territorial aggression arises when you have more than one pet in your house. To territories their food, toys, and crate, the Golden Retrievers become aggressive towards other pets. Being competitive, they do not want to share their stuff with others.
Apart from this, they may feel jealous of other pets stay beside their owner. Thus, the Golden Retriever growls and barks when other pets approach their owner.
Maternal Aggression
Like all other animals, the mother Golden Retrievers do every possible thing to protect their puppies. They will not like it if you touch or play with their puppies soon after the birth. Thus, as a result of the motherly instinct, the Golden Retrievers become aggressive.
They will bark, kick and even bit you if you try to get closer to their puppies. Therefore, you should leave the mama dog alone with its puppies in the first few days after delivery. Then you can slowly try to be familiar and earn the trust of mama dog.
Food Aggression
Food aggression is one of the most common types of aggressive behavior. And according to Tufts Veterinary School, Golden Retrievers show aggressive behavior when people approach them while eating. However, you can manage this problem by training the Golden Retriever.
Apart from this, giving them enough food and eating your meal with them will help to reduce this aggression.
When Can Your Golden Retriever Become Aggressive?
Several triggering factors make your Golden Retriever aggressive. However, we discuss some of the common causes previously. But there are some triggering scenarios when your Golden Retriever is aggressive.
Thus, the ASPCA lists these potential scenarios triggering aggression. They are:
- While the Golden Retriever protects its territory.
- To show possession of its food.
- For protecting its family
- When your pet is in pain
- In overly stimulated and tortured condition
- While your pet competes with other pets
- In fear and anxiety
How To Manage An Aggressive Golden Retriever?
If you fail to manage the aggressive behavior of Golden Retriever, it may result in fatal consequences. And, sometimes this can also be life-threatening. Therefore, it is vital to manage the aggressive behavior of your Golden Retriever.
The ways to manage the aggression are:
Select A Dog From Good Breeder
Genetics influences the aggressive behavior of your Golden Retriever. The puppy born from two aggressive parents is likely to be aggressive in the future. Therefore, choose a good breeder when you get the Golden Retriever.
Besides this, a good breeder also ensures a purebred puppy. Thus, your pet will be less susceptible to health issues and aggression due to illness.
Also, a good breeder will care and nurture the puppy carefully. It eliminates the anxiety and insecurity of the puppy. Hence, a good breeder can help to manage the aggressive behavior in your pet.
Proper Training
Along with enhancing the intelligence training, the Golden Retriever can stimulate its behavior. Appropriate training sessions stabilize the emotional imbalance. Thus, it makes the Retriever physically and mentally strong.
Apart from this, the training sessions include many other pets. As a result, it helps your pet to bond with others and socialize.
Besides this, potty training and diabetic assistance training your pet will help you in disciplining your pet. And save you in life-threatening conditions.
Therefore, along with managing the aggressive behavior, proper training will also enhance the intelligence of your Golden Retriever.
Encouraging the Golden Retriever To Socialize
Fear of people and insecurity in the main reason why your Golden Retriever is aggressive. Thus, if you make your pet familiar with people, it will feel comfortable around others.
As a result, the aggressiveness of your Retriever slowly fades. And your pet becomes friendly. To improve the socializing skill, take your pet to gatherings, society meetings, parties and invite friends to your house.
And taking the Retriever for walks and introducing it to kids reduce the fear and anxiety of your pet. Thus, it will help to manage the aggressive behavior of the Golden Retriever.
Never Punish The Golden Retriever
Punishing your Golden Retriever breaks your beautiful bond with it. The dog feels threatened and scared when you scold and punish it. And if you punish and scold them regularly, your pet may develop aggressive behavior in defense.
Besides this, your pet understands the words more clearly if you show love. The Golden Retrievers feel distracted when you punish them and will never understand your commands. Therefore, you should avoid using punishment.
What Are The Things To Consider When Your Golden Retriever Is Aggressive?
Although you can manage the aggressive behavior of Golden Retriever within few months if you are careful, the process of management is very hectic. You may need some tips and tricks to manage the aggressive behavior of your Golden Retriever.
Some of the points to consider are:
- Encourage the Golden Retriever to socialize at an early age. And taking your pet to walks and gathering events can help.
- There is a language barrier between the pet and you. Therefore, you must not be sad if the pet fails to understand your commands.
- Don’t lose your consistency. You should consistently make efforts to teach and train your pet.
- Never hit your pet. When you are harsh on the pet, it may feel threatened. Thus, your behavior will promote aggressive behavior rather than managing it.
- Use water spray bottles. Spray water to your pet through the bottle to indicate that the Retriever is wrong. It helps to discipline your pet.
- You must give treats to praise and encourage the Golden Retriever when he follows your order. It helps to reinforce the good deeds of your pet and energize the pet to do more.
Does Your Golden Retrieve Show Aggressive Behavior?
Will The Above Points Be Helpful?
Do You Have Any Thing To Add On The List?
