30 Signs That A Dog Is Ready To Attack

1. They'll be baring their teeth

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There isn't usually any reason for your dog to be baring their teeth when they're happy or content, and a dog will usually raise its hackles when it's warning you to back off. The dogs teeth will usually be clamped closed together when it's doing this, and might be coupled with eye contact.

2. That's usually paired with a whole lot of growling

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When we think of dogs baring their teeth, we also think of growling, as often they will both happen at the same time - and either together or separately, they're both signs of a dog warning you that it's not happy. The dog might be growling while baring its teeth, either consistently or on and off.

3. They might also be snarling

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A snarl can usually be the next step after growling or baring teeth, and it can be a sign they're getting more and more agitated. Differentiating a snarl from a growl means watching for signs that their whole face is changing, as snarls can be a bigger movement, usually with wide eyes and nostrils flaring, and maybe drool or spit.

4. They might have started snapping their jaw

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Dogs might also start snapping at you when their aggression is reaching peak, right before they decide to actually bite you. Snapping can be when they start to open and close their mouth in a biting motion they make in your direction, without actually making any contact with their teeth (yet!).

5. They'll usually be making lunging movements

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A dog that's going to attack might decide to run straight at you, but a lot of the time they can give 'warning lunges' which usually accompany growling or snarling. This lunging can be where they're stood a distance away from you but they're diving forward a little toward you with each aggressive growl, whilst maintaining their distance.

6. They might still be wagging their tail

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One thing that not a lot of people realize is that dogs can still wag their tails when they're angry or upset. Wagging tails are most often associated with a happy pup, but a wagging tail can also be a sign of aggression depending on the situation. You can usually tell the difference when a happy dog wags their whole body, whereas an aggressive dog will likely only move its tail rapidly back and forth.

7. Their body will likely be rigid and tense

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With that also comes the rigid and tense body an aggressive dog might have, which is also why their tail wagging quickly won't move the rest of their stiff body. A dog whose body is rigid is likely very focused on something, and it can also be a precursor to them prepared to leap or charge at something.

8. Their hair might be standing up more

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This can be difficult to see from a distance, but if you're wondering about your own dog's aggression if they're in front of you or on the couch with you, you can look at their hair. Their hair being raised is most likely to happen between their neck and shoulders, and you might see it stand on end. It's a sign they're on edge.

9. Their ears may be pointed up

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This is a key part of that stiff and rigid body language, as alongside a rigid body they may also have their ears pinned straight up. This can be a sign of them being alert and paying attention to something, but also because they're very focused on what's making them agitated.

10. And their tail might be held high

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You can usually combine a high tail with high ears in a dog being aggressive and possibly about to bite. They will usually raise anything up they can, so head, ears, tail and hair might all 'stand to attention'. Their high tail might also be wagging quickly back and forth, as mentioned before.

11. They'll be constantly licking their lips

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A dog continuously licking their lips is actually a sign they're uncomfortable and on edge. Obviously this doesn't count if your dog is just relaxing with a snack, but if they're doing it without any food or drink stimuli - coupled with rigid body language - it can be a sign they're feeling aggressive.

12. They could even be yawning

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You might not have associated yawning with a dog that might attack, but surprisingly it's also a sign. This is another one of those movement indicators a dog might give to show it's uncomfortable, and you can usually tell based on repetitive movements. So if they're non-stop licking their lips and yawning continuously, it's their way of telling you.

13. It's likely they'll be giving you the side eye

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A dog will usually avoid eye contact with you when they're feeling uncomfortable about something (and we all know a naughty pup will refuse to look at you when you're lecturing them). But with aggression, you might have a dog that's turned only its head away from you, looking at you from the corner of its eye and making small growling noises in its throat.

14. You might see the white of their eyes

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'Whale eye' is when a dog shows the white of its eyes, often because they're widening their eyes so much, and this is a tell-tale sign of a dog suffering from anxiety. A lot of dogs that are feeling anxious or threatened can be a risk of aggression or attack, and it's important to give any dog that's showing whale eye some space.

15. Their body language is off

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You can usually tell by a dog's body language what's going on, but it can be harder when it's a stranger's dog and not your own - especially when we said things like wagging tails don't always mean what you think they mean! But generally, looking at the complete picture of how a dog is looking and acting is enough to see whether they're laid-back or on edge. If the latter, it's a risk.

16. Your gut is telling you so!

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And sometimes you just know when a dog is gearing up to attack. All you need is that gut feeling to tell you that something isn't right with this dog's eye contact, body language or the way it's moving. If your gut is telling you something is dangerous about a dog, keep your distance.

17. Other signs of aggression: they nip

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This is very common in puppies, and it's also an aggressive behavior that should be curbed as soon as possible. A dog may also nip - no matter the age - if they're telling you they're very unhappy and it's a warning/precursor to "I'm nipping you now but next time it'll be a bite!".

18. They'll stand still when focused on something

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Another sign of aggression can be if your dog is 'standing to attention', and this is because of the rigid body language we spoke about before. When a dog is a risk of suddenly becoming aggressive, it might be standing completely frozen and rigid, with high ears and high tail.

19. They block the path

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An aggressive dog is likely going to 'square up to you', so much so it might stop in the center of the path if you're facing it and wait. This can be one of those moments where you don't have any hope of getting past because if you begin trying to walk around it, that can be when it lunges.

20. They barge through things

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Aggressive behavior can also be shown through how your dog chooses to move forward - and although it might be funny to see your dog charge headlong at a fence to barge through, it's a sign of aggression. Your dog might act very impatient, and it needs training if your dog is aggressively barging past you or in front of you on walks.

21. They demand attention

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We know most dogs are attention-seeking cuddle monsters, but there can be a thin line between playfulness and aggression. An aggressive dog might want all your attention, all the time, to the point where they show aggressive behavior if you're not giving them that attention, like growling or yapping if you're ignoring them.

22. They mount things a lot

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Mounting can also be a key sign of an aggressive dog, because it shows they're literally trying to 'get one up' on someone, something or another dog. They might mount human legs or other dogs on walks, and it can all be a sign of them trying to be dominant - which is why it needs to be checked when it happens!

23. They approach things from the side

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If a dog is moving to circle you, or moving in from the side, it's very much a 'predator' move, like when a wolf might circle its prey. Coming in from the side if they're already being aggressive in other ways can reveal this behavior even more. It can also be because they're on their guard, so not approaching from the front or behind.

24. The types of dog aggression you need to know about: predatory aggression

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Predatory aggression is most likely what you see when a dog is chasing a cat, something it believes to be its prey, or even another dog. It's usually when they're very excited or worked up and take to chasing - which can be dangerous, as that aggression could result in their 'prey' getting injured or even killed.

25. Territorial aggression

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Territorial aggression is very much what you can expect from a guard dog, and with the proper training, it's not necessarily a bad thing if your dog is only protecting your property - or you - from dangers. But you don't want them to display this behavior if you're reaching for their toy or something they consider 'theirs', for example.

26. Leash aggression

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This one can surprise a lot of dog owners, because dogs with leash aggression usually aren't aggressive whatsoever any other time. But the sensation of being held on a leash or feeling like they're not free can cause a dog to act up and become aggressive, such as barking at other dogs on a walk when you're trying to pull them back.

27. Containment aggression

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None of us like being cooped up for a long period of time, and for dogs, containment aggression can come from them being tied up for longer than they'd like, being locked in a space that's too small, or spending too much time indoors. This can manifest as them being aggressive or on edge from the experience.

28. Pain/discomfort aggression

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Dogs are very likely to be aggressive if they're in pain or injured, and this is because they're feeling vulnerable as well as uncomfortable, so any threat suddenly becomes worse to them because they're not in a good state to defend themselves. So you might see your dog being more 'grumpy' after a vet visit.

29. Conflict aggression with dogs

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Conflict aggression can often come from a dog who hasn't been taught not to act in a certain way in the past, so they think that snapping, barking or growling can get them what they want. In the case of other dogs, they might start fights or show aggressive traits towards them.

30. Conflict aggression with humans

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A dog may have conflict aggression with other dogs and not humans, or the other way around - or maybe even both! With conflict aggression with humans, you might have a dog trying to be dominant towards a human and generally acting out, including biting or barking.