I recently received the following question from a reader of my site:

Question:  I had two boxers that were involved in a “fight” with two raccoons recently. My two year old male survived, but the six year old was drowned. He has never been without her and is now very skittish and is beginning to get more aggressive and snapping at people. He was previously socialized around other people and dogs, but I am currently nervous about taking him out due to the increased aggression. Where do we start to get our dog back?

Answer:  Any large, life changing event is liable to create a behavioral change in a dog.  Dogs are creatures of habit and routine, so when routine is disrupted you will often see the net result being a ‘different dog’.

In order to return your dog to normal you have to return your dog to a state of mind that is comforting.  Any dog that is ‘out of sorts’ needs strong leadership.  The dog needs to feel the calming state of mind that comes only through knowing that there is a leader that is in charge.  If you can be the leader for your dog you will find that it will be soothing and help calm your dog.

The best way to be a leader to a dog is through consistent obedience training.  Work with your dog.  Train your dog.  Remind your dog that he needs to listen to your commands.  Back up any disobedience with corrections and back up all obedience with a healthy dose of praise.  As you lay out the boundaries for your dog the mental chaos that he is going through will dissipate and he will be able to deal with the change that has occurred in his life.  The opposite of confusion and chaos is structure and leadership.  Provide that structure and leadership for your dog and you will have the happy, well-adjusted dog that you are used to.  Good luck.