Why does my dog only bite one person? A Step-by-Step Guide

What Can You Do About Dog Aggression Toward Family Members?

Finding the trigger that causes your dog’s aggression is the first step for resolving the problem.

When your dog acts aggressively toward a family member, try to take inventory of the situation:

Does the dog appear to be guarding a resource like food, water, toys or bones? What about another animal or a child?

Does the family member use an assistive device like a cane, wheelchair, walker, or some other type of medical equipment? These items are foreign to dogs and could be scaring your pooch.

If the family member is a child, is she interacting with the dog appropriately? Children have a tendency to grab, pull, squeeze and touch their pet in ways that can make dogs uncomfortable.

Has your household undergone any major changes recently, such as moving, welcoming an infant, or bringing in a new pet?

Is the family member respectful of the dog’s boundaries? It’s important to remember that not all dogs are comfortable with being picked up or having their personal space invaded, especially with humans they aren’t as familiar with. If the family member is often intruding on the dog’s space, consider educating them about dog consent and encouraging them to let the dog approach them, rather than forcing themselves upon the dog.

Having a trainer evaluate the aggressive behavior is also a good idea. More often than not, dogs with aggression issues require professional assistance.

In the meantime, preventing aggressive behavior like nipping and biting is paramount. Muzzles can be helpful for doing so – they may even be mandatory for some dogs. In some cases, such as those involving small children, complete separation may be necessary.

Why Does My Dog Growl at My Husband? Does He Hate Him?

Growling is a perfectly normal behavioral response for a dog to display — it’s simply a warning that something is making your pup uncomfortable and they would like it to stop.

Dogs growl to warn other animals and humans away from resources they value (things like food, toys, or even water), to stop someone from touching them in a way that is uncomfortable or painful, or simply to tell you to knock it off and let them be.

Dogs also growl at someone when they are afraid. It warns whatever the dog is afraid of that he wants this interaction to stop, and if it doesn’t the dog will be forced to protect himself.

If your dog is aggressive toward your husband but not you, he may require more socialization time with men.

Men in particular have a tendency to be scarier to dogs for a number of reasons. Most men are taller, stockier, and have deeper voices than women; some also have beards or other types of facial hair that look odd to dogs.

If a dog isn’t well-socialized with all sorts of men — tall, short, big, thin, with and without facial hair, with deep and high voices, of different races and ethnicities, disabled men, etc.– meeting someone “different” could trigger growling.

Fear not — this is usually manageable. Desensitizing your dog to your husband by having him play the “good cop” is a great way to start.

Your Puppy Is Testing & Practising His Bite Threshold

The most likely reason your puppy is biting only you is that he sees you as his main leader or mother figure.

● If your puppy was taken away from his canine mother too early, he would have missed the chance to practice his bite threshold with her and his siblings.

● While puppies are still with their mothers and siblings, they begin to explore the power of their mouth, niping and biting on a daily basis.

● Mother dogs then proceed to severely tell off their offspring when they bite her too hard. And although this can be unsettling to watch, puppies learn A LOT about their bite. If your puppy wasn’t able to get that with his canine mother, he’ll pick out who he considers to be his human mother and do the same.

Dog BITES Its Owner! How I Fix It Quickly!