Dog Is Too Protective... Is It A Case Of Dog Aggression?
What should you do when an overly protective older dog goes too far in his role as Alpha dog?
Sometimes the leader of the pack needs to learn a few things himself!
Sometimes a dog will go too far trying to teach a younger dog how to be submissive and respect its place in the dog pack hierarchy.
And... sometimes a dog will go too far trying to look out for a younger dog and protect it (from getting into trouble, from dangerous activities, etc.)
After it was clear to us that our older dog Destin had established his place in the pack's dominance hierarchy (and he could clearly be trusted to be alone with the little puppy without hurting him), we faced a new issue: over-protectiveness.
Tenor (pup) clearly respected Destin's position in the pack (middle dog acting as alpha dog), and he did everything that Destin "taught" him to do. (It's uncanny the degree to which behaviors are passed on from one dog to another!)
BUT, you could also tell by Tenor's demeanor anytime Destin gave him "that look" that the little guy still held onto the memories of days gone by when Destin had bullied him into submission.
Unfortunately, whenever Destin would run toward him and forcefully nudge hime to play, Tenor would sometimes take that as a sign that he was about to get reprimanded by Destin. Out of fear, he would whimper quietly.
What we learned: The whimper of a little dog can send a bigger dog into a frenzy!
Over-Protectiveness Can Look Like Aggression
Tenor's whimpers would immediately put Destin on high alert, and he would nudge the little guy to make sure he was alright. This would start an unpleasant chain of events with Tenor whimpering louder, Destin poking harder, us trying to run to the rescue of the little dog, the big dog getting jealous that he's not the one who can solve the problem, the little dog now crying frantically (loud enough to alert the neighbors -- if you didn't know better, you'd think the big dog had ripped off the little dog's leg or something, the puppy cries were so horrific!), and Destin getting more and more anxious that something's going on with this puppy but he doesn't know what or why.Quite frequently, the puppy will be vigorously yelping or crying and on close inspection not so much as a scratch will be found. The puppy must figure out its rank with its new dog family.
Source
How To Stop Aggressive Behavior
To put an abrupt end to the raucus each time, we simply had to shout "Destin, Easy!... Come get a TREAT." at which point he would stop whatever he was doing and come over to us and immediately get rewarded with a treat. (It's amazing the power that Alpo Liv-a-Snaps have on a dog!)We knew that Destin and Tenor would actually have to learn to work it out for themselves, so from that point on, we just stood back and closely monitored any rough behavior Destin might project onto tiny little defenseless Tenor.
Usually, a simple, "Destin, be EASY..." would remind the big dog to lighten up his grasp a bit or quit nudging the little puppy so hard.
In fact, Destin has known the "Easy" command (which simply means to soften your grip) since day one when he started nipping at treats being offered to him from our hand. Today, whenever Destin takes a treat that's being offered to him, he ever-so-gently nibbles at the treat until it's completely within his lips. Only then will he bite it and start eating it.
All in all, he's always been a very gentle dog. Such is why this aggressive-looking behavior he displayed to the new puppy was such a shock.
More Great Tips For Dealing With Dog Dominance Issues
Dog Dominance With Humans vs Dog Dominance With Other Dogs
Sibling Rivalry: Dealing With Dogs Who Fight
Older Dog Is Aggressive To Puppy
Understanding Aggressive Dog Behavior
I have a 5-lb yorkie and a 18-lb shitzu, the yorkie is 7 yrs old and we had her about 3 yrs before we rescued the 5 yr old shitzu, he is now 9 yrs old. The yorkie excepted the shitzu to a point. She will not stop attacking him, when they are going outside she has to be the first out the door, then she attacks him when he tries to go out. If she is chewing on a chew stick she attacks him if even walks in the
direction of it. I have tried to break her of this with no success. She snipped my granddaughter, who she loves, last week because she thought it was the shitzu and went to snap at my shitzu while they were in my lap and got my hand 3 days ago. Up until last week she had never bit any of us. Now I am conerned and need her broke of these bad habits and don't know how. She will also attach anyone she don't know when they turn their back on her.She is getting meaner by the day, I don't like this aggression she has and don't know how to stop her.
Pam -
I'm certainly no expert on this. Nor do I know enough about your dogs to adequately predict a remedy for your situation. I've been through some aggressive behavior issues with my own dogs, but like most scenarios, our issues were very unique, and they required very specific attention to very specific behaviors. Yours will be the same, and your situation should be evaluated by a professional in your area.
That said, if I were in your position, and the dog was a danger to other dogs or people, I would definitely consider finding a new home for her. Especially if that dog has ever drawn blood. I know from experience that after a dog bites once, it is MUCH more likely to do it again, and usually the outcome is worse.
If, on the other hand, you just have a big clutzy dog with an obnoxious personality, then most likely a serious course of PROFESSIONAL dog training would be in order. (Not your "basic" dog training.) Ideally, you would find someone to come to your home and work with you and your dogs in their own environment.
At the very least, if it were me, I'd be OVERLY protective of myself, my family members, my neighbors, and my other dogs for quite some time. To the point that you cannot ever take your eyes off of the "problem" dog -- except for those times when she is securely inside a kennel or crate or separated from everyone else by some other means. It's not fun. It's definitely time-consuming. It prevents you from going about your normal routines that you are used to -- but it's the only way to be 100% aware of what the "triggers" are and how to prevent them. (I did this for nearly 5 months straight with our "problem" dog.)
But I tell people all the time -- from one dog lover to another -- you should never feel guilty for giving a dog away, or (if necessary) putting a dog down. Sometimes, that's the best course of action for you AND your dog's ultimate happiness and well-being. It's not wrong, or something that only "bad" people do. While you will certainly feel sad for a little while, it is important to think about the bigger picture.
One thing's for sure... if you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting the same results that you've always gotten. So it's definitely time for a change of some sort.
Perhaps these articles will help some... One of my favorite authors, Jon Katz has written some good pieces about "when good dogs go bad":
http://www.slate.com/id/2148138/
http://www.slate.com/id/2107279/
Good luck. Go with your gut -- that's how you'll know what the "right" thing to do is.
ihvw 2 dobermans, one is the mother and the second is her daughter but she is 1 1/2 years old.
I can not ealk them together due to I want to keep my arm socket. The younger dog fights with her mother and will try to attack others dogs when trying to walk. I have taken her to classes but that hasn't worked. I also have children that vivit and she will scratch and knock them over. Is there hany hlep, I will hate to give her away since I havr had her from the day she was born.
Is there any help?