Hi Everyone! I have three dogs - a 2 year old male Great Pyrenees/Labrador/Bulldog mix, a 1 year old Anatolian Shepherd/Border collie female and a 4 year old German Shepherd Female.
I have no problems with the girls... they play nicely together and do not fight. The male, however, is constantly playing too aggressively with the girls and gets very protective when I give either of them affection.
I have tried the prong collar and correcting Jack when he exhibits this behavior but once he gets into fight mode, he completely ignores the sound of my voice and won't stop pouncing on the other dogs.
Natalya Zahn Webboard User Reg: 12-22-2006
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Loc: Cambridge, MA
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Hi Lauren,
Sounds like all 3 dogs have free reign together of the house/yard at all times? Have you tried separating the male from the females? This would at least narrow the "pack size" down so you could work with him one on one. Jack is clearly running the show and if you haven't already, I'd check out the free articles here on Leerburg about establishing leadership through groundwork, and the one on dominant/aggressive dogs. Lemme see if I can post them...
Thanks for the link! I have read the articles and while Jack is dominant with other dogs, he isn't with me. For instance, he knows not to enter a room before me and he never darts in front of me on the stairs. He is generally well behaved.... unless other dogs are around. Is it normal for dogs to be possessive over their owners?
Natalya Zahn Webboard User Reg: 12-22-2006
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Loc: Cambridge, MA
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Quote: Lauren Janning
Jack is dominant with other dogs, he isn't with me.
His dominance with other dogs (his pack mates in your home) is precisely what's causing the problem though - he is demanding that all attention be directed at him by pushing/posturing the others aside.
I have tried the prong collar and correcting Jack when he exhibits this behavior but once he gets into fight mode, he completely ignores the sound of my voice and won't stop pouncing on the other dogs.
Any suggestions?
Wouldn't it just be easier (and perhaps kinder) to keep the dogs apart?
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: lauren janning
.... I have read the articles and while Jack is dominant with other dogs, he isn't with me.
He isn't? And yet it's the dog, not you, who determines aggression levels with other dogs. He "completely ignores" you.
Quote: Alyssa Myracle
Quote: lauren janning
I have tried the prong collar and correcting Jack when he exhibits this behavior but once he gets into fight mode, he completely ignores the sound of my voice and won't stop pouncing on the other dogs.
Any suggestions?
Wouldn't it just be easier (and perhaps kinder) to keep the dogs apart?
If you dog is truly accepting of your leadership and you have made it clear to him that he is not to be bothering with the others, he will listen.
If he is not listening, then you may not be as much of a leader as you believe.
A prong collar will only escalate this kind of behavior, it stimulates dogs when they are already excited. Kind of like throwing gas on a fire.
Your dog is guarding you as he would a resource (bone or food) and this is not "protecting" you as most people think. He's looking at you like a possession, which a true follower does not do. Your dog is being dominant over you as well as the other dogs. He's showing the other dogs that you are his possession and since you've been unable to make him NOT do this, he gets reinforced every time he gets away with it.
I'd recommend the groundwork that someone else already linked and Dealing w/ Dominant & Aggressive Dogs. http://leerburg.com/301.htm
While you are working this out, I'd highly recommend keeping him separate as everyone else has already suggested.
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