I have three dogs, a 10 month old Catahoula Cur, a 4 year old pointer mix, and a 12 year old border collie mix. My problem is with Catahoula and pointer.

We have had problems with the Catahoula since we got him at 4 months, we immediately got him neutered and started training. He was trained on the prong collar, but also trained on the E-collar when he started showing dog aggression.

The issue or problem is that he is intent on being dominant. He submits to me and my husband we do all the thing suggested on this website, i.e. he sleeps in crate, eats in crate, we go through doors first, I put him in down stay for at least 30 mins every day.

So he has always bullied my pointer who is admittedly somewhat high strung. I never really worried about it because it seemed like they were just rough housing. Last week I came home and the pointer was scared and would not stay in the same room with the Catahoula, he took a very submissive stance. The next day I came home the pointer went under the table and started shaking and would not come out. For the rest of the week, I kept them separated. I am still keeping the Catahoula in the crate a lot but when he is out I make sure he does not bully the pointer and if he tries he is corrected with the e-collar. However the pointer is still so scared he shakes if the Catahoula is not in a down stay or crated. I am considering taking them on walks together to get the pointer back to not being scared of him. I am careful not to reinforce this scared shaking behavior (no matter how much I want to.).

Next week I plan to put the Catahoula on a tie out in the yard so that the pointer does not have to get too close if he is uncomfortable. I cannot keep them crated while at work because I am gone too long.

I actually feel like I can handle the Catahoula and his issues but I don't know how to make the pointer not be terrified of him. I got the Catahoula hoping he would be a playmate of the pointer, stupid mistake. I also don't want to have to keep the Catahoula on a tie out forever. I have the option of returning the Catahoula to the rescue group and I am wondering if I have to keep him crated and tethered his whole life if returning him would be the better thing to do because of his quality of life.

Your thoughts appreciated.

Tethering your dog in the yard is a bad idea.

While it may solve the problem of the Catahoula bullying the pointer in the yard, it will cause other issues.

Tethering/chaining/staking out a dog and leaving it unattended is essentially animal abuse. First, it limit's the dogs ability to move, creating ongoing anxiety and frustration. Especially in a dog this young, it could cause significant behavioral problems. The dog is already aggressive, you say; staking it out will make that worse.

Second, a staked out dog is easily attacked by OTHER dogs.
He cannot escape if another dog decides to start a fight.
Fences MAY keep your dog in, but they don't necessarily keep other dogs out.
Nothing prevents a marauding dog from leaping the fence and killing your Catahoula while he is helpless.

This will probably come across the wrong way, but I'm pretty unconvinced that your dog was exhibiting dominance and aggression at 4 months old.

What behavior have you personally witnessed, that you feel indicates dominance or aggression in the Catahoula?

How long are you gone during the day?

Exactly.

Do you have an enclosed run? That would be 100X better than a chain.

If you cannot, can anyone come let the pup out during the day? I would rather see him crated for long hours (and then given a tone of exercise and training) than tied out.

Can the pointer also be crated or put up in a run? They need to be separated at all times, and it seems even while supervised.

If possible, when the pointer is showing signs of nervousness, can you do some fun, upbeat training with him. You will not be reinforcing the nervous behavior, but distracting him, and showing him how safe he is (the other dog is crated, right???) and how to behave instead.

You need to protect this pointer. Many live with multiple dogs and rotate them, and this is what you need to do now. If you are not up to this lifestyle, then it may be better to re-home the dog.

 Quote: Gale Harr

I am considering taking them on walks together to get the pointer back to not being scared of him.

So they ARE getting walks and exercise separately right now, just not together?

IMHO, I think that your Catahoula should be in a crate when your gone. Apparently being left out together while your gone is not an option, since the pointer is now showing fear to the other dog. I would crate all the dogs, IMO. I crate all 3 of my dogs when I leave my house, not just so I don't come home to one or more dogs that have gotten into something, but so they don't have the chance to pick/start any fights.

If your dogs are trained to go to the bathroom outside and don't go in their crates, there shouldn't be any problem leaving them in the crate for the day. We have left our dogs in their crates, at most, probably 8 hours. This may seem like a long time, but as Alyssa and Jessica both said (I agree) that leaving your dog tied out in the yard is not an option. Too many things could happen. I, personally, would rather have them safe in a crate (inside) than tied up outside where anything could happen.

A wise man once said, "A tired dog is a good dog".
Regular walks and exercise are key elements to owning high energy dogs (any type of energy dog, really), I'm sure you already know this. Add more walks/play time/whatever you choose to do to give your dog mental and physical stimulation, if you can.

Thanks for all the replys, I have not tethered him, I just thought that would be better than crating him for such a long period. He is crate trained. Right now I have been taking the pointer to "doggy daycare" (I know laugh right) and the Catahoula and my female stay outside in the yard. The do both get walks and I either take the pointer on a car ride or walk to get him out of the anxious state of mind. I think we have decided to give him back to the rescue who is taking him for a temperment test Friday. They both get exercise either through walks or playing ball (which has to be done seperatly or the pointer will not get the ball).

To the person who did not believe he was showing aggression at 4 months, within a week of getting him, he started attacking the female border collie mix. They seemed to have worked out their issues and don't fight anymore. I am sure their were contributing factors, he was abused before we got him, his owners then came in to put him to sleep and a vet tech rescued him, this is the only reason I can think of that would have made him like that. My trainer says that the Wolf is still very predominent in this breed and the dominent behavior stems from that.

I wasn't going to post in this thread but I have to address this.

 Quote:

My trainer says that the Wolf is still very predominent in this breed and the dominent behavior stems from that.

Yes, Catahoulas are known to be dominant with other dogs. But your trainer is wrong. Catahoulas have bred pure for 400 years. Also, most wolves are not dominant (just the pack alpha, which is not most wolves). So saying that the dog is dominant and aggressive and have wolf blood is nothing more than wrong information used as a scare tactic.

And as Ed has stated on this website and I tend to agree with, just because your dog may be aggressive or dominant does NOT mean he was "abused before you got him". I hate to say it but it is *possible* the owners were going to put him down because they didn't know how to deal with the dog they got, not because they abused him. Not saying that is for sure what happened, because yes, he could have been abused, but making excuses for a dog's behaviour because he might have been abused (which one has no proof of) does the dog no favours.

Also, it's impossible to say without seeing your dogs, but Catahoulas are notorious for extremely rough play, while Pointers are very sensitive. These two breeds together would require an experienced owner and management from the start.

Not saying your Catahoula isn't aggressive, because maybe he is, but he could also just be playing very roughly. It can be hard to tell sometimes. Just throwing another option out there. Again, I haven't seen the dogs so I don't know.

Returning the dog to the rescue would be one option. Another would be better management of the situation. You sound like you aren't afraid of working with the dog but you just don't want your other dog to be unhappy. Which is fair, and can be done if you are willing to work at it.

I totally agree that your pointer and border collie should not be terrorized in their own home. YOu are right to be concerned about this. My suggestion to you is to build a kennel outside where you Catahoula can live during the day while you are at work. It doesn't have to be very big. The other dogs can have the yard. (One suggestion: build a top on the kennel). You can work with the Catahoula separately from the other dogs when you get home from work.

What is needed is PACK STRUCTURE. Get Leerburg's DVD on Pack Structure for the Family Pet. Your end goal will be to have your Catahoula respect your other dogs in your presence. (You will never be able to control what happens when you are not present). I think this is an achievable goal within reason (i.e. they aren't all fed together for example).

If you can't or don't want to do this, then maybe you are not the right home for this dog. Good luck and let us know what you decide or if you need any help.