Puppy Dominance Issues

[natejj]

So we have 2 dogs. First, is Sierra, 5 year old female Chocolate Lab. She is fairly obedient, and very friendly.

Got a new puppy 3 months ago, Miley... now starting to see some issues with the new dog, hoping beyond can help me 'dog whisper' them out of her. New dog is a female Lab Pointer Cross, 7 months old now.

Miley is showing a lot of traits, that I've read are linked with dominance. Such as sitting on furniture before we get there, putting her paw's on us, not listening to simple commands when she's excited, not sharing toys/locations in the house with new dogs, etc. I'm OK with most of these, as she is just a puppy and we are still training her. What I'm not OK with, is how she acts towards other dogs. Her and Sierra get along great, but new dogs, are an issue.

We agreed to house sit a friend's Lab Cross, Bella, for a week, and immediately as soon as she arrived, Miley was not too impressed with this new, friendly dog. Miley will stalk her around the house, and almost "herd" her, sort of cutting her off whenever she tries to go somewhere, or near anything. She has a very low growl in her throat, and growls at Bella fairly often. Bella is not agressive at all, but will only put up with so much of Miley. Her and Miley have gotten into it twice pretty good now, and have had to be torn apart. I'm trying to teach her it's NOT ok to be this agressive towards a new dog, and everytime she starts to stalk Bella, or growl at her, I giver her a stern NO, and get in between them. Then I sort of back Miley into a corner with my body, so she knows she's not in charge. If she continues to do it, she get's the kennel.

I understand Bella is just sort of fighting back against being dominated, but I'm worried about this behavior in Miley. We socialize her with other dogs, but not usually at our house. I have never seen her this way towards another dog... just want any other tips on helping me get this dominance/aggressiveness out of her before we bring kids into our family.

I live in a really small town, so puppy obedience classes are not an option, at least not right now. I have to rely on anything I can learn on the internet/books.

[cancer man]

Buddy i raised alot of dogs when you see this behavior tackle the dog and hold it down and bite its ear.(not that hard but apply pressure)when the dog stops struggling let it up.Don't ever beat the dog to make it listen.

[

[95teetee]

you named her Miley and are now surprised you're having trouble with her???:

kidding, kidding- sounds to me like you're on the right track as far as the way you're handling her treatment of Bella. Funny thing is that Miley seems to be showing traits that neither of her breeds are known for, as far as the aggressiveness and territoriality.
afaic, it's just because she's young and new to you. I would think she'll grow out of it, although I kind of wonder whether you'd have the same issues with other dogs every time a new/different one is brought in- she might remember that she isn't Bella's 'master', but that doesn't mean she isn't supposed to be in charge of the next one that is brought in. Again, I would think that if you keep reminding her that she isn't the dominant being in the house, she should catch on to that.

btw, we had a dog that would bite occasionally- one time after he bit my brother, my brother took him down and bit his ear. Dog looked absolutely shocked, and I don't think he ever bit anyone again lol.

[Kloubek]

We have a 1 year old staffie which exhibited some of the traits you mentioned.

You can give her a stern no, but until that command holds weight it may not do much good. When our dog would display dominance we'd give him a loud "shhhhhhh!!!!" and put him on his side. Two times of this and he never growled at us for taking his toy again.

You say that yoh are ok with some dominant traits but not others. It is easier for the dog to understand to give up dominant nature with you as opposed to individual scenarios- so try to ensure you are the leader at all times... Even if the individual behavior isn't a big deal to you.

At such an early age, this is certainly the time to fix these issues. Try a method several times. If it doesn't work at all, try something different. If it helps, keep at it and the dog will eventually get it as you intended.

Also, puppies are so full of energy that it can be hard for them to focus. Puppy ADD. If this happens, tiring them out some before a training session can really help.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by cancer man
Buddy i raised alot of dogs when you see this behavior tackle the dog and hold it down and bite its ear.(not that hard but apply pressure)when the dog stops struggling let it up.Don't ever beat the dog to make it listen.

[

This minus the biting the ear, that is just weird :rofl:

With her pinned hold her there until she starts licking her lips (a sign of submission) they can sometimes take a while if they are stubborn (I sat with my gfs dog pinned for 10 minutes on the side of the pathway after she tried to nip another dog). Embarrassing but no more embarrassing then a screaming toddler in a supermarket

Also get her off the couch!!!! That is your area not the dogs, you should restrict certain areas in the house to humans only, so they know they stand lower on the totem pole. Later on in their life you can introduce the couch by inviting them on. Our last dog wouldn't jump onto the couch unless you gave her the go ahead which was really nice if you were eating watching a movie as you didn't have a slobbering mut breathing in your face.

A few more things to try, the dog should not be allowed to roam free through the kitchen during meal time, set up a bed for them and do not let them come near the kitchen table, make them 'stay' in their place. Your food should never seem accessible to them as you are the alpha.

Also practice taking away their food and bones while they are eating them. If a dog growls at you orwon't give up their bone then you've got serious dominance problems, you are the alpha, you control their food.

Another thing I see owners failing on is who goes inside first. A dog should never crowd you at the door or try to go in ahead of you. Alpha leads so make them sit, you walk in and then call them in. Never let them lead.

The biggest thing to remember is they are still just animals, your verbal 'no' doesn't have the same impact as you hope. Pin them when they are bad and eventually they will associate 'no' with discipline and it will be more effective but as a puppy it's going to have no effect.

Also I know you are just training her but you have to nip ALL dominant behavior in the bud, not just hope it goes a way with training, it's like allowing your child to do whatever they want and have whatever they want and then expecting them to play/share well with others, it's not going to end well. The dominance with other dogs is just the symptom not the cause, so treating that symptom will not be effective in the long run

[micheltrainer]

The only thing which can help you in this situation is a proper dog training, because professional god trainer knows why that dog is having that problem and how it can be corrected, but the thing by which you can help your dog is by taking care of his nutrition and his proper exercise.

[jsn]

Originally posted by micheltrainer
The only thing which can help you in this situation is a proper dog training, because professional god trainer knows why that dog is having that problem and how it can be corrected, but the thing by which you can help your dog is by taking care of his nutrition and his proper exercise.

And I bet you just happen to be a trainer right? What a coincidence. Trainers can help for new owners but if an owner knows what he's doing, professional trainers are definitely not required. But then again, if you're a god trainer, I'm sure you can handle a dog.

Like others have mentioned, I'd try to control all of the dominance issues instead of selecting specific ones. That way, the dog knows who's in control. I also agree on the couch rule. I used to have a dog that was not allowed on the couch/bed unless I gave her the Ok. She'd never jump up by herself unless I said so. Especially with a dog the size of a lab, I wouldn't want her to have free run of the place.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by micheltrainer
...because professional god trainer...

[chibwack]

thirded to biting it's ear. thats what other dogs do to "smarten up" the puppy, so it sends a clear message.

[brucebanner]

Originally posted by J-hop


This minus the biting the ear, that is just weird :rofl:

With her pinned hold her there until she starts licking her lips (a sign of submission) they can sometimes take a while if they are stubborn (I sat with my gfs dog pinned for 10 minutes on the side of the pathway after she tried to nip another dog). Embarrassing but no more embarrassing then a screaming toddler in a supermarket

Also get her off the couch!!!! That is your area not the dogs, you should restrict certain areas in the house to humans only, so they know they stand lower on the totem pole. Later on in their life you can introduce the couch by inviting them on. Our last dog wouldn't jump onto the couch unless you gave her the go ahead which was really nice if you were eating watching a movie as you didn't have a slobbering mut breathing in your face.

A few more things to try, the dog should not be allowed to roam free through the kitchen during meal time, set up a bed for them and do not let them come near the kitchen table, make them 'stay' in their place. Your food should never seem accessible to them as you are the alpha.

Also practice taking away their food and bones while they are eating them. If a dog growls at you orwon't give up their bone then you've got serious dominance problems, you are the alpha, you control their food.

Another thing I see owners failing on is who goes inside first. A dog should never crowd you at the door or try to go in ahead of you. Alpha leads so make them sit, you walk in and then call them in. Never let them lead.

The biggest thing to remember is they are still just animals, your verbal 'no' doesn't have the same impact as you hope. Pin them when they are bad and eventually they will associate 'no' with discipline and it will be more effective but as a puppy it's going to have no effect.

Also I know you are just training her but you have to nip ALL dominant behavior in the bud, not just hope it goes a way with training, it's like allowing your child to do whatever they want and have whatever they want and then expecting them to play/share well with others, it's not going to end well. The dominance with other dogs is just the symptom not the cause, so treating that symptom will not be effective in the long run

I agree with a lot of this.

The method the ex and I used for our boxer (along with the stuff mentioned above) was that he always wore his leash in the house, so that if he needed to be corrected, he could be, quickly. Worked real well for us.

[desi112]

I think an over the new spanking is what is required.
Obviously not to cause pain, but to enough to let her know what she's doing is wrong. This can only be done in the exact moment hte offense is committed.

[A|pine]

Originally posted by J-hop


A few more things to try, the dog should not be allowed to roam free through the kitchen during meal time, set up a bed for them and do not let them come near the kitchen table, make them 'stay' in their place. Your food should never seem accessible to them as you are the alpha.

Also practice taking away their food and bones while they are eating them. If a dog growls at you or won't give up their bone then you've got serious dominance problems, you are the alpha, you control their food.

Another thing I see owners failing on is who goes inside first. A dog should never crowd you at the door or try to go in ahead of you. Alpha leads so make them sit, you walk in and then call them in. Never let them lead.

The biggest thing to remember is they are still just animals, your verbal 'no' doesn't have the same impact as you hope. Pin them when they are bad and eventually they will associate 'no' with discipline and it will be more effective but as a puppy it's going to have no effect.



Those are all good points, what Cesar Milan preaches the most is calm assertiveness. This can be done in a silent means with no words (dog's can sense this). When you are feeding your puppy (or dog) don't just place the bowl down for them to eat. Be patient, and feed them by making them strain their neck upwards (like you're handing it down). This shows that you have dominance and control over them for the food. Every now and then you can take it away whilst they're eating to re-assert the point.

I personally think that being cognizant of the situation and right before she begins to show the dominant attributes is quite important. For example, right before she begins growling, or even earlier like right before you let Bella into the house (some sort of touch, jab to her hind leg, or as someone had mentioned a loud shhhhh). Once she has calmed down and appears submissive (100% sure) then you can show her affection in that you're rewarding that state of mind or let Bella into the house (welcome the dog into your territory)

By the way Cesar Milan is coming to Calgary for some sort of dog show / forum, and I think his work is pretty amazing.

[A|pine]

pc

[lilmira]

Sounds like a snobby dog. Your older lab is too nice to teach her manners. How do you feed your dogs? Do you leave food for them all day or do you feed them only at a certain time of the day. Make her earn her food is a very useful tool. You control the food then she'll respect you. Starve her for a day won't hurt anything then she'll pay attention to you for sure.

My boy gets excited too. When that happens, loud noises seem to get his attention. I put coins in an empty bottle and that does the trick. Whatever works for you, don't over do it though. It's kinda last resort.

[Buffalo Soldier]

You need to be calm and assertive. tsssst

[Offroad]

I have the worlds most stubborn dachshund, but one thing that works well is that every time you take the dog in or out of the house, you go in first going in and dog last when you leave the house with the dog....this asserts that that is your house and your in charge. Also play fighting...lotsa pinning dog down till submission (i've never had to bite ..yech hair ).

Oh and lots of walks ..don't let the dog walk ahead of you,builds respect for you from the dog and wears them out of pent up stress and energy.

[bignerd]

I have never had dog to dog dominance issues but you can start by being consistent. Don't let her on the furniture or jump up on you at all, make her wait for her food (put it down and make her sit and wait, then tell her okay and let her eat it), don't let her go out the door first, she should go behind you or wait until told.

Now my dogs are allowed on the furniture and the bed, however they always get off the first time I tell them and if that changes then they are no longer allowed up.

It is too bad the visiting dog is not more dominant herself... my female will sometimes get too rough with my older male when playing and most of the time he puts up with her but every now and then he will just nail her and it puts her in place for a while.

Might be worth it to pay a trainer to do an in home training session to give you the tools to work on the problem yourself, even if you do live somewhere remote.

[simonseys]

I find the pinning down method really works, my puppy used to be really aggressive towards smaller children and I used to always pin him on his back till he stopped.

After about a weeks worth of doing this he got the point. Now if he ever barks or gets too rough with smaller children, all I do is point at him and he stops because he knows I'll flip him over.

I find just saying "NO!" to your puppy really does nothing unless theres some weight behind it, also repitition works wonders

[Kellyk75]

Originally posted by cancer man
Buddy i raised alot of dogs when you see this behavior tackle the dog and hold it down and bite its ear.(not that hard but apply pressure)when the dog stops struggling let it up.Don't ever beat the dog to make it listen.

[

I did something similar...... but not quite as far.

I have a dominant Portuguese Water Dog, not aggressive or an alpha, but very dominant and stubborn.

Through a suggestion from a family member, I put gardening gloves on (sharp teeth, mouthy dog at first), put him on the ground lying on it's side, and held him there until about a minute after he gave up the struggle. The second time I didn't need the gardening gloves..... he didn't fight past wiggling.

My rule of thumb is if he just doesn't listen, I gently pin him for a minute. If he does something really bad and KNOWS he shouldn't, I hold him down longer. If he is aggressive and/or plays keep away, I throw him down and hold him for about 5 min.

He is now just over three, and for the past two years, I had to do it twice.

BTW, people comment on how awesome a dog he is and what a good listener he is.

[Kavy]

I also agree with the pin method.

I have a 3 month old Golden (and a 7 year old Husky) and the first thing I did after she got used to the house a month in was grabbed a soda, some spitz and put on days of thunder. (it doesn't have to be days of thunder but I don't guarantee success of you decide on twilight)

From the start of the movie till the credits I held her down. I did this about 6 more times over the next week and now I have a 3 month old golden who will bring me her toys when she wants to play with them to see if I want them first.

The pin method is by far the most effective method for me as I did not use it with my husky and he was not at the same level my Golden is till about 1 year in.

[Phl0xed]

Agree with most of these previous comments. Great advice in this thread so far.

Loud noises and shouting (telling the dog "NO!") doesn't do much but further excite the dog (especially if they're already in the 'red-zone'). When dogs are young and need to be straightened out, the mother will pin them on their back until they submit. This is exactly what everyone has been suggesting.

Obviously your state of mind plays into this a bit as well, which is why you must be confident and assertive. As soon as the dog wears itself out from struggling the first few times and realizes who's boss, it will submit. The nature of the animal is to follow the "alpha (fe)male". Labs are a very bright breed. I don't foresee it taking very long before she gets the hint.

Don't forget: Timing is KEY! She will exert signs of dominance before anything even happens (i.e.: tail position, posture, etc). It is best to intervene at this time, before it escalates.

Give it a go! Got a stubborn english bulldog that turned around into quite the obedient dog after a while of practice! :)

Good luck!