Why does my Labrador attack me?

If your Labrador attacks you, this post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about it.

So, why does my Labrador attack me? Possible reasons are that you mistreated it, injury, it has been trained to be aggressive, resource guarding or that it felt threatened. If it is aggressive, the best option is to get help from a dog behaviorist or trainer.

There are actually multiple reasons why it might be acting that way and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when trying to figure out the exact reason. Once you have a good idea of the cause it will become a lot easier to get it to stop.

Why your Labrador attacks you

Below are a number of common reasons why Labradors do it and what would make them more likely to be the reason why yours does it.

Mistreatment

The reason why it does it might be that it feels like it has been mistreated. It could be that you mistreated it yourself but it could also be the case that someone mistreated it in the past and it has caused behavioral issues.

Instead of being aggressive towards your Labrador, it would help to be calm around it and to use positive reinforcement training to get it to behave the way that you want it to.

Injury

The reason why it has been doing it might be that it has gotten an injury. This would be more likely if it has started acting aggressively suddenly and if it has been showing signs of being injured such as by limping. If it does seem like injury could be the cause it would help to take it to the vet for a checkup.

You have inadvertently trained it to be aggressive

It might be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged it to behave that way by giving things it wants when it does it. If you give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it behaves that way, it will likely do it more.

Instead, it would help to reward it when it is being well behaved and to give it lots of positive reinforcement training so that it learns how to behave. As long as it is not aggressive, It would also help to give it attention throughout the day in the form of training, exercise and by playing with it so that it does not feel the need to get attention from you by its own means.

Resource guarding

It could be the case that it became aggressive because it was protecting something that it believed belonged to it. Examples would be if it was protecting a spot on the sofa or if it did it when it was eating.

In this case, it would help to avoid putting yourself in situations where it might become aggressive and to get the help of a certified dog trainer to deal with the aggression in those situations.

It felt threatened

It might also be the case that it has been behaving that way due to feeling threatened. This would be more likely if it did it when you approached it in an aggressive way or if it did it when it was stuck in a corner. It would help to interact with it in a calm manner and to get it to behave the way you want it to with the use of positive reinforcement training.

A lack of training

Labradors were bred to work alongside their owners for hours daily. As a result, they will often look to their owners for direction.

If your Labrador has not received much training it will behave the way it wants to and it will be much harder to manage. This is why it is important to give it lots of positive reinforcement training so that it learns how to behave and to respect you as the leader.

Things to consider

Below are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason why your Labrador has been doing nit.

When it started doing it

If your Labrador did not always act that way, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started.

If it started becoming aggressive suddenly it would be more likely to be due to things such as being injured, mistreated or feeling threatened. But, it would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that it started doing it.

If it has always been that way it would make it more likely to be due to things such as a lack of training or reinforcing the behavior. But, it could still be due to one of the other reasons mentioned above.

What is different when it becomes more aggressive

It would also help to consider the timing of when it does it since it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.

For example, if it is only aggressive when it is eating then it would be more likely that it is resource guarding.

Whereas, if it is aggressive in multiple situations it would be due to things such as being inadvertently trained to be that way, injury, mistreatment or a lack of training.

What to do about your Labrador attacking you

Below are a number of options you have when getting your Labrador to stop doing it.

Get help from a dog behaviorist

Instead of training your Labrador not to attack you yourself, it would be best to get the help of a professional dog behaviorist or trainer. By doing so, you should be able to see why it has been behaving that way and how to get it to stop safely.

Take it to a vet

If you can’t figure out why it has been doing it or it has started doing it suddenly it would also help to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out the possibility of it being injured.

Avoid putting yourself in situations where it might become aggressive

If your Labrador becomes aggressive in certain situations it would be helpful to avoid those situations and to seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer so that you can stop the behavior safely.