Dog is Aggressive Upon Waking Up

Some dogs will snarl, snap, growl or bite when they are awakened from sleep. Let’s start by discussing what this behavior is NOT:

It is NOT a dominance issue (i.e. “Hey! Don’t bother me when I’m sleeping!”).

It is NOT idiopathic aggression (also known as “rage syndrome”). A variety of studies and testing over the past 30 years have failed to produce a clear cause for idiopathic aggression. But fortunately, it is extremely rare today.  Idiopathic aggression has basically been bred out of the most susceptible breeds (Springers, Cockers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dobermans). It is so rare that it is practically unheard of today. And most importantly - idiopathic aggression typically does NOT present as aggression upon waking. 

So now that we’ve established that your dog is not trying to take over your house, and your dog is not crazy, here’s what this specific behavior usually is:  It is an involuntary fear or startle response, completely outside of the dog’s control.  

For clients who have dogs with this particular problem, we suggest the following:

• Crate train the dog and don’t allow him to sleep in places where humans are likely to disturb him (especially not in bed next to you, as the chance of rolling over onto him can trigger a bite).
• Don’t waste time trying to systematically counter-condition or desensitize the behavior. This is not something you can fix with training. The key is management and prevention.
• When you need to wake your dog, do it from across the room, NOT by touching him. Call him in a happy voice, clap your hands, give him time to stand up, walk over to you and be fully awake  before you touch him.
• Instruct all family members (especially children!) to stay away from the dog when she’s sleeping. Again, this is easier to do if you crate train the dog.
• Don't punish the dog for this behavior - it is completely outside of his control.  
• Be aware that certain medications (Benadryl for example) may put the dog into a deeper sleep and may, therefore, intensify the startle response upon waking.

(Note: The above discussion is about dogs who aggress when they are awakened from sleep. This is NOT the same problem as dogs who growl, snap, snarl or bite when approached while they are resting (but wide awake).   That is a different problem - sometimes rooted in dominance, sometimes in fear, and sometimes it’s a form of resource guarding. In those cases you will benefit from the help of an experienced dog trainer to identify the specific cause of the behavior and help you work to correct it.)