Re: I need help

In Reply to: I need help
Category:   Aggression
Posted by:  Diana
Posted on:  February 27, 2003 at 01:04:59

: Hi, I am not sure where to start but here goes. I have 4 jacks and my oldest is a 6 year old spayed female (Keasha) that has always been the alpha in the house. I have her son (Uno) which is 3 and another female that is also 3 (Sydney). And a 8 week old pup. First I have made the mistake of my dogs being my "babies" and giving them too much run. They used to sleep with me and I stopped that about a year ago. They adjusted fine. For the most part everyone gets along great. But Keasha my oldest will attact the other dogs for no apparent reason for instance (maybe bump her when sleeping). She is always the one that starts the fight. She has never drawn blood but recently Sydney has started really showing aggression towards Keasha and has drawn blood and looks like she is really out do do some damage.
: The other day Uno and Keasha got into it because Uno bumped Keasha and they were in a fight and Sydney jumped on Keasha's back and was ripping at her neck. Luckily no one was injured. I have noticed recently that they will compete who is going to get out the door first. I will not open the door when they act like that, I wait until they calm down (Am I doing the right thing)? As soon as the door is opened they rush out like something is out there.
: I love my dogs more than anything and getting rid of any them is NOT an option for me. I feel I have created this problem and want some tips on how to stop this behavior. They love people and are really good dogs other than this fighting. I would appreciate any tips or techniques you can give me. Thanks so much Diana

Response:

Hi Diana,

Well it looks like you have some same sex aggression starting which is not uncommon.

Also your other female may be starting to show some dominance aggression towards Keasha. It would help to know who is the dominant dog in your pack and make sure to treat that one as that.

That means that dog gets everything first, food, petting, treats, etc this might alleviate some of the tension. Many times in a multiple dog house, people make the mistake of trying to treat all the dogs equally. While this is nice in our human world, it doesn't work well in the animal world. Animals don't treat each other equally, there is a definite pecking order. It's up to you to figure out what that order is in your pack and then treat them accordingly.

Sometimes just understanding the pack order and acting in a way that reinforces that order is enough to keep tensions to a minimum. When people don't respect the pack order, it usually results in the dominant dog having to kick the other dogs' butts to show them who is in charge. Believe me, the dogs in your pack will appreciate you respecting the pack order even if it means they don't get the treats or the petting first.

It's not unusual also when a fight breaks out that pack mentality sets in. People get shocked when they see two dogs that have gotten along all their lives are suddenly at each other's throats or also ganging up on whoever is getting the stuffing knocked out of them. This is part of the pack mentality.

I need to also mention that sometimes these fights escalate so badly that nothing will work and then dogs will have to live separate from each other. Many multiple dogs owners end up having to do this, they set up schedules for the dogs allowing some to be together while others are kenneled or crated and vice versa.

Also make sure your adult terriers are not allowed to be with that puppy alone.

We must always remember that although our dogs are our cherished companions they are also DOGS and they do not think the way we do. If you understand this it goes a long way in having a well rounded and happy dog.

Regards,
Marie