Problem with dog

[wade3504]

About 5 months ago we got an Australian Shepherd cross. He's about 1 year old. Our other dog is 11 going on 12 and the middle dog is around 8. The middle dog has a problem with the Aussie. If the Aussie, whose name is Max, just enters the room that our middle dog is in then the middle dog, Doodle, starts to growl. If Max walks by him he growls. Basically if Max does anything he growls and then likes to try to chase Max or start a fight. The problem is that the middle dog is smaller and Max only takes so much and then has had enough.

I would like to know if there is anyway that I can teach Doodle to chill out and accept Max. Doodle is fine with our oldest dog.

 

[Sonya]

Good luck, it's tough sometimes introducing a younger dog into an already established 'pack'....I wish I could give you some help. We had something similiar...a 12 year old lab, an 8 yr old lab/beagle/spaniel mix and then we brought in a year old rat terrier....the middle dog was indifferent and would just ignore the rat terrier....the lab hated the rat terrier and he could barely enter the room without my lab going after him. They would at times all lay together snuggled up and then a half hour later the lab was after the ratty. The middle dog would just go into his bed and ignore everyone. At times it was peaceful but at times it was not....I could never leave all 3 together without supervision. About 8 months after getting the ratty, I had to have my beloved lab put to rest (just old and his body gave out)...for 2 weeks my middle dog moped around, very sad....mourning I suppose....and then one day he became best buddies with the rat terrier and now they are inseperable like the lab and mix used to be....after that experience I am not sure I will ever introduce another dog under those circumstancez...I know I didn't do things right, I should of waited until the lab was gone. Ultimately, I did get the rat terrier because I didn't want the mix to be alone when he was gone, I think I should of waited....I have alot of guilt about disrupting my aging lab mostly, leaving the mix so confused he would just go in his bed, and the poor rat terrier who I'm sure was wondering if anyone truley loved him. All is great now, but I think back and wonder if I should of waited....I wish you the best of luck....my situation has weighed on me for over 2 years, Brutus has been gone 3 years this November. I am sure there is help out there to help make your situation perfect, hope someone can help you out.

 

[Sonya]

Wanted to add: my situation was compounded by the fact that all 3 were boys (neutered of course), and my lab (who was my heart and soul) was a tad 'off'...vet called him 'slow'....maybe due to the seizures he had when he was younger or the senility he got as he aged.

 

[wade3504]

Thanks.

The two that don't get along are neutered males. The younger one is fine with all but my jack russel/westie cross is the one who starts everything. I have a trainer for the younger dog for obedience so I will be asking her as well.

 

[Marty]

And this is why I am not getting another dog.

I've been through this twice and its very difficult. I could never leave Amy as a puppy unattended for 5 seconds with the other older dog because he would have killed her that fast as he is super territorial and jealous and everything else. We had to hold him on a leash (in the house) while puppy would roam around or someone had to be crated but there is no way the two of them could be left loose together without our complete supervision. This took nearly a year. Can you say we have patience ?

Its very ironic now however. Devin's health is failing fast now and Amy has taken up to be his "protector" and loving babysitter. We often catch her kissing him on the head or just laying next to him. When he needs something, she always alerts us.

Good luck with your situation. Its not fun and its going to take time.

 

[Miniv]

As long as food isn't involved.....all of our dogs, even newly introduced, get along - or at least "put up with eachother". LOL.

The one word I hear is ....JEALOUSY. It could be territorial or be connected to you directly.

It's important to show each of them that they are valued individually and have a role by a combination of showing them and talking to them. We take each dog individually and love on them and then pet on them again together. Try whatever works for you.

 

[MountainWoman]

I'll give you some input but I see you're working with a trainer and there's nothing better than having a good trainer at hand to help you. I personally would install baby gates and keep your Aussie on one side and Max on the other and I'd let them interact with a barrier between them and I'd emphasize positive reinforcement for Doodle (as opposed to punishing him for growling, etc.). You also need to spend time individually with each of them every day which can be hard to do but Doodle needs to know he's still important to you. And while you're working on that you need to learn how to reinforce your role as pack leader so your dogs take their cues from you. Your body language, your tone of voice - little things that dogs notice that we might not even be aware we are doing can be learned to help this situation. This is just the tip of the iceberg for dealing with this kind of problem. Lots more to it than can be said on a bulletin board. I personally think Victoria Stillwell is a great trainer and her show "Don't Shoot the Dog" might be helpful to you. There's also a thread on here about the Manners Minder and I think that could greatly help your situation. Anyway, I'm glad you have a trainer to help you. It's not an easy fix nor a quick one and the priority is to keep the dogs safe. Pack dynamics always get out of wack when you add a new dog especially if the others are older and there are cases where the dogs will just never accept each other and for their safety they have to be separated.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Ditto on the victoria stillwell... she is cutting edge in dog training. She deals with this issue frequently on her show. Timing and how to make Dog A like dog B... It is conditioning and takes time, too difficult to type out on a forum. Correcting a dog for growling or being upset does not make the situation better, it makes it worse. Your dog is communicating to you stress, if you verbally or physically correct the dog for communicating the stress, it will often accelerate to the next level. (not suggesting that you are doing this, just tossing that in for information)....Correcting a growl for instance is equivalent to turning off the ticker on a time bomb. The bomb will still go off, but silently. If you can find a professional trainer locally to help you that is my advice. Letting them "work it out" doesn't always work either... Until they are getting along, separate, baby gates as mountain woman suggests is great. Only sketching out a senario here.. You can lead dog B into room and signal with remote a dog treat dispense for Dog A... Dog A equates dog B entering room with a treat dispense. Dog B is also rewarded... Dogs start to equate eachother with reward from handler. I also do not leave my dogs that are both competing for alpha in the room together un-attended. Out of sight dog fights can be really ugly. I have introduced several older dogs into my pack and it just took time. New dog is always on a leash in the house until we establish guidelines and respect. Just tossing new dog into the pack and letting them "work it out" can cause them some deeply rooted resentment. Even my very old crabby dog eventually accepted new dog, but that was because new dog was always on a leash and under direct control for quite a while. Old crabby dog trusted me to keep goofy basset hound from slobbering and pounding on him. goofy basset learned that it wasn't cool to jump on old dog and he respects me as pack leader... You don't do this in my house. Done nicely, with reward and consistancy is the key. No reason to ever yell at or hit a dog. Lack of praise and food reward is enough of a correction... good luck, be careful. best wishes

 

[wade3504]

Well, I know it has something more to do with me. He is usually fine when i am not home. He might growl a little but not near as much as once I come home from work. The middle dog, Doodle, has always been very attached to me-must be near me or if at all possible touching me. He still does this but when Max comes around he gets aggessive and usually just growls and that's it but sometimes will chase Max. I seem to be what is causing the problem so I will see what I can do to get Doodle to settle down and hopefully one day accept Max. Our next training session is Saturday so I will be talking to my trainer then.