Hi, my name is Ben and I am new to these forums. I am twenty-years-old and I live with my step father, my mother and our dog, Maggie. Maggie is a mutt (we believe she is a golden retriever and German shepherd mix) and she is about 18 months old. For the last two months, we have been dealing with what seems to be a serious aggression problem. The strange part about it is that Maggie is not an aggressive dog.
99% of the time Maggie is the most mild mannered dog one could ever meet. She loves everyone and enjoys interaction. She is so non-aggressive that we could tie her into knots and she wouldn't care. I've never had a dog before, and I have been told that if you approach a dog while he/she is eating, the dog will become defensive of its food. This came as a surprise to me because I usually pet her while she eats and she could care less. One day, my mother took her food away while she was eating to see how she'd react. She didn't even bat an eye. Although she is extremely energetic, she rarely bites or barks for no reason.
Then, about two months ago, she began acting strangely. Almost every night (it almost always happens at night) she began to bark and jump at me or another member of my family. When she does this, it either means that she wants to go outside so that she can poop or pee, or that she is just being a brat and wants attention. When she does this, we usually get her into a 'sit', then a 'down' position and then a 'stay'. This usually calms her down for a little while.
My mother is usually the only one home during Maggie's 'bewitching hour'. My mother is physically disabled and has a difficult time controlling Maggie when she gets out of hand. Maggie knows this. But now, on a regular basis, instead of just jumping and barking, she will actually attack my mother. She will viciously jump at her and start biting her. I assume Maggie only does this with my mother because she knows that my step father and I will put her in her crate in two seconds. Maggie knows that my mother can't control her and she uses it to her advantage.
At this point, we're not sure what to do. We have tried punishing her, and we have tried making sure she gets more exercise during the day, but nothing works. Maggie's vet recently put her on some anti-depressants, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
How is it that a dog who is so gentle and easy going 99% of the time can become so vicious at the drop of a hat? I am not a dog expert, but I assume she must have some kind of chemical imbalance or mental disorder. She is becoming a serious threat to my mother and we are very afraid that we may have to give her away. We love her more than anything, and getting rid of Maggie is the last thing any of us wants, but we're running out of options.
If someone has dealt with a similar situation or has any recommendations, I would appreciate any type of reply you could give.
Thank you.