# Sudden Aggressive Behaviour



## chiara (May 20, 2012)

Dear All,

i really need your help here. My baby Bes has had a pretty tough beginning of life. He was diagnosed with severe dysplasia when he was 6 months old (we got him at 5 months)...mainly due to bad breeding....by the age of 9 months he was in atrocious pain and we brought him to Italy (we live in Dubai where the surgery is not available) to get both hips replaced. My sister looked after him for 4 months an then he was sent back to us in October. 

In the meantime i was ran over by a cab driver and by the time Bes was back i was just myself working on getting myself back on my feet...so we both worked on our recovery together. Bes has NEVER shown any aggressive behavior till now, but all of a sudden he has become highly intolerant towards other people to the point of being aggressive with anyone who will come near me. This happens not only with strangers (in fact less with strangers than with familiar faces) This happens only when im in the house. 

Ive put bes into obedience training since he was very small and he is very good with me. Of course he is been out of the game for quite a while due to his slow hip recovery. He listens to me (recall, sit etc). He always eat after me, always enters a door after me, is not allowed on furniture etc.... but if the maid (who btw walks him every morning) or my nephew/his girlfriend who are temporarily living with me even try to come near me, he starts barking like crazy, put his back hair up and recently has literally starting going for them i.e jumping to bite....if during the night they come back home late or wake up very early in the morning....the same happens....im very concerned about this sudden behaviors and i am not quite sure how to correct it? any advice would be appreciated and especially any suggestions on why he is suddenly behaving this way...the alpha role seems to be pretty well established (with me being the boss) ...so?


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

You and Bes have been through so much. I am so sorry. Usually, when there is a sudden change in behavior, a vet visit is advised. I don't have any advice, but I will bump your thread back up. I'm sure someone will chime in soon.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I agree with Jan that a vet visit would be the first step. It could be something simple like thyroid out of whack (which isn't a stretch of an idea) or it could be something like an infection from the hip replacement. 

I would want a full thyroid panel done. Not sure where they would send the blood for that there. Here it is typically Michigan State or Dr. Dodds/Hemopet. 

I would also want a CBC/super chem done - to get an idea of white cell counts in particular and then to find out everything else.

UTIs can cause pain so toss in a urinalysis and not sure what the status of worms/parasites are over there so fecal too. 

I am not sure how long you've been injured (MY GOSH!) and how it coincides with his behavior, but do know that when I have been feeling unwell, I do have a dog who is a therapy dog who does a complete change and takes over. I think I am communicating I am capable, but she senses otherwise. Can't get anything past her!!! 

I would still start with the vet stuff. Best to you!


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## bryant88 (Jan 22, 2013)

I have read this before but not sure of the truth behind this. Dogs closest related to wolves carry dominate traits especially male dogs. GSD being the breed they are play roles such as dominate male or Alpha as you already know. When these dogs are in packs in the wild they follow these rolls but they also come into play with the human family's as well. When a member of a wolf pack is injured they hide their injury due to ranking in the pack. If the Alpha is injured and it is visible to the pack then rolls change and a new Alpha is crowned. Now talking about your dog he may have seen you as the Alpha roll in the past but now that he has seen you injured and hurt maybe now he has taken the roll of Alpha male inside his head and his goal is to now protect his pack. YOU. This is one of the hardest things to reestablish if this is whats going on so I wish you luck. I hope you get everything under control. I hope this helps and is in terms you understand. It sounds very crazy I know but this is what goes on with the breeds GSD that we love so much.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I'm totally with Jean on this one. I'd get him checked by your vet first. Make sure there isn't something going on medically. 

My husband recently broke his leg. He is at home, in a chair or on crutches. *All* of my dogs have had personality changes. My normally stable GSD is showing signs of resource guarding my husband (with the other dogs). My normal crack puppy Lacy is now a lump of mush when on my husband's lap. My doxie won't leave his side. And my cranky old Golden won't come near him. All things I would have NEVER believed if I didn't witness them on my own.


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## SFGSSD (Dec 28, 2012)

For the most part I agree with the others. My guess (as I am not a vet or have seen the dog) is the dog is in pain and the pain comes on suddenly and the dog is associating that pain that is way over threshold with you or anyone that may be near the dog at the time the pain suddenly comes on for the dog. Take the dog to a Vet to get checked and take it from there.


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