Hello Everyone.

We adopted Layla a 3 yr. old three months ago. Things were going along pretty good, but this last week she has become increasingly aggressive, especially to my husband. He is her main caregiver. I feed her in the morning and let her out to go potty. Then my husband takes her for a morning walk. Its a good work out because we live in a hilly area. The walk takes about 30 minutes. She is usually very good until around 2 PM then the aggression begins. My husband walks her 3-4 times per day, I play ball with her in the backyard when she gets "zoomies" and then my son comes home and walks her again. Its ridiculous, she is relentless about her walks and now dinner time has become a nightmare. She is now jumping up and nipping all of us and her nails dig into our skin. I am becoming frightened of her, its exhausting so we retreat to our bedroom for a break. HELP! We cannot figure out what has happened.

Terry, can you be more specific? How exactly and what is going on when she becomes this way?

To be honest, and please do not think I am downplaying this, I think she is just an exited husky, happy to be with her pack. Huskies get a bad reputation, and most shouldn't, for being "aggressive" when it's new husky owners, who misunderstand excited-ness for aggression. Now if she is being mouthy and acts food aggressive during meal time, then that is a legitimate, possible, issue. That's why I asked if you could be more specific. Nowhere in your description did you say she is doing this at meal time, instead you have described Layla being exuberant about dinner time, as in "I am hungry, feed me, come give up the bowl human, I am jumping on you, because I want this". Aggressive dogs will be more like, grrr, if you touch my bowl while I am eating I might nip you. Completely different situations.

Either case Terry, I would suggest hand feeding, or if she is not being the second scenario, she needs to learn the NILF training method. She must sit and wait until you release her to eat. Nothing In Life Is Free training method will calm her down, she must sit and wait while you prepare her food and sit it in her place, once she is sitting patiently tell her to "get it" or whatever release command you train her and then let her go to eat. If she is not completely calm the whole time a little uh uh should be enough to sit and stay until release, if she runs for her food prior to release, pick it back up and wait until she is calm. If it is the second scenario, then she is being growl-ly then I would try hand feeding, sit with her bowl and have her sit in front of you and hand feed, place kibble in hand and speak firmly but gently, I used "Miya be gentle" as she progressed, I only had to say be gentle, place kibble in your hand and speak softly open hand palm up kibble in the middle be gentle and let her take off your hand, and repeat.

I really understand that you may be a little frightened of her, please don't unless she is indeed growling. Most huskies are talkers, and moan and groan and sound like they are growling when in fact it is them communicating, I will not down play this, because some dogs are in fact growling and are in fact aggressive, I just don't think you are really hearing a growl. did you get Layla from a rescue? If so they have tested her to make sure she is not aggressive. Have you had a husky before? Most sound ferocious when they are talking and playing. They really are not being aggressive. I am sorry if I am repeating myself, if I could give you a video of me and Miya, you would be shocked at how we play and how she talks to me. It truly does appear that she is about to eat my hand off or sounds like she is indeed growling at me, but I assure you she is not. Jumping up on you is all about being to excited, for whatever reason, she is telling you she is excited and wants to play, or she is happy where she is with y'all. I would suggest a couple of other things, you need to probably set stricter boundaries with her, and not allow a lot of zoomie time in house, if you do. Have you done any extensive training with her?

Terry, if you don't mind answering some of my questions, it may help in giving you more options on working with her. Also it will help others here to help as well. She is absolutely beautiful.

I forgot to mention, although she seems, from your description, getting a decent amount of exercise, how about mental exercise. Does she know alot of commands, how is she on leash? Mental exercise for huskies is as important as physical exercise.