My 2 year old mixed breed dog has begun to develop aggression. Is there anything else that I can do to ensure that this never happens again. Will crating him downstairs help?

Mr. Frawley,

I have a question regarding my 2 year old mixed breed dog. I adopted him 4 months ago from a shelter in another state. He seemed well socialized, loved playing with other dogs and children. However, he has begun to develop aggression. He is sometimes dog aggressive with other dogs, not usually, but the problem is getting worse. And he has also started growling at my boyfriend when he comes home late at night, if I'm in bed. Tonight was the worst episode the dog has ever had, and I'm left wondering how to solve it. My boyfriend took the dog for a short walk to go to the bathroom, then they came upstairs to go to bed. The dog usually sleeps in a chair in my bedroom. When my boyfriend tried to get into bed, the dog growled several times, and when my boyfriend tried to pass him, he was bitten by my dog.

He is in obedience classes right now with a trainer who has given me methods of controlling his dominance, such as walking through him, eating before he does, etc. Clearly though, they are having little effect, he does not listen unless he is receiving a treat. When I tell him to lay down, 60% of the time he just sits there and stares at me. He is enrolled in more classes with a different trainer who uses different that start in 2 weeks. Is there anything else that I can do to ensure that this never happens again. Will crating him downstairs help the problem, or just eliminate the opportunity?

Thank you,
Alicia