Your cuddly pet dog has been a member of your family for years. Suddenly, your dog has become uncontrollable. Things that normally would not bother him are now starting to cause major issues around your home. For example, you might be having major issues with your dog when it’s time to go outside or they are overly aggressive than usual.

So, what’s going on with your dog as he grows older? There could be many reasons why your dog is not obeying your rules. The reasons could be separation anxiety ---your dog will suddenly become extremely anxious you prepare to leave home. When you’re not home your dog may start making loud noises, make a mess and even destroying things around your house. When you finally come home your dog may react overly excited.

When you own a dog that suffers from separation anxiety it usually starts off with you reacting casual about it. One way to rectify this behavior is to teaching your puppy obedience techniques. For example, teach him the extended 'stay' command and remain calm while he's doing it. This is how your dog links you with his pack. Remember, it’s natural for dogs to feel more relaxed in a pack. When humans try to change this kind of behavior, take short separation periods. Then come back before he even becomes anxious. Then award him with a nice a treat. For long stays, give your dog a treat that will make him work to earn it.

The next time that you spend quality time with your dog, do activities that both of you will enjoy participating in. This can include running around outside. If you’re at work during the day, consider hiring a dog sitter to take them outside for a healthy exercise and play with some ball & fetch dog toys.

Older pets suffer from aggression.  This usually happens when a new dog comes to live with the family; the older dog will not want to give up his position of the non-human chain of command.  This can even happen when a new family member moves in or a new baby is brought home from the hospital.  Basically, anything that tampers with an older dog's day-to-day routine.  One way to help control this behavior is to dress your dog up in dog clothes.  Sometimes dog clothes can help tame a dog who feels left out.

Many older dogs have an increased alarm at loud noises. This can cause an older pet dog to struggle with managing stress. Don’t forget, your dog is able to hear sounds that human’s can't. This could be the sound of a thunderstorm or even a sound that they can only hear. Make sure that you search for environmental sounds to see why your dog becomes so startled. This could be the sound of a train or even the sound of a truck that passes by your home on a regular basis.

Many older pet dogs will actually bark or make other sounds when they're in an extremely stressful environment. These sounds might be whining or even howling. Another sign that your dog may have stress includes a change in his sleep patterns. So, instead of sleeping, your dog paces around your home or begins to bark and whine. Even physical changes in your dog can cause aggression such as inflamed bowel, colic, arthritis ---these conditions can make it more difficult for a dog to sleep for a long period of time.