I have a 3 y/o working line import female who is quite possessive of her toys toward other dogs (not ppl) In the last six months we added a 3-5 y/o male GSD mix rescue to our home. For the first month or so there were no toys about, I only played with her alone and then put everything away. Slowly I let them have lower-level toys in the yard (things she didn't care about so much) They had a few mild scraps, mostly yelling at each other, one little ear injury on the male when he first tried to take her Jolly Ball. He's never touched it since.

I usually don't let them have toys together. But when I take them out seperately, the other one cries at the door like it's the end of their world. Sometimes we play together, usually they're fine except that she is much more athletic than he is and she will always steal whatever I throw for him unless I hold her back so he can get it. Occassionally they still yell at each other (fighting w/minimal or no contact)

Is it foolish to think they can work this out? Neither one of them is clearly dominant over the other, so there is no specific hierarchy for me to enforce or abide by. She just has this thing about her stuff, in general she's bordering on neurotic about her toys.

How do other ppl handle toys between two dogs? Should I just never ever let them have toys at the same time? I could do it but it would be a pain to get them each their time to play etc.

BTW about my female- she is a Medical Service Dog. She and I are perhaps excessively bonded as a result of this. She accompanies me everywhere I go, and she very much developed a sense of being "my special girl" and I know she resents having to share me with Ruger. She and I are more important to each other than maybe the average dog/human pair. I need and depend on her, and since she was young she has been encouraged to think for herself (in her job she has to often make decisions on my behalf and act on them) She is smart as a whip and considers her own opinions to be as valid as any human's-and in working capacity she is often right. Whereas Ruger knows he's a dog and is content to be totally obedient and not question me.

She often thinks she's "above" menial commands or drills like (sigh!) sitting at the door etc. Don't be fooled though she is as sweet and sesitive as the day is long and discipline is a fine line with her..

You are courting a serious dog fight between these two which is unusual between the sexes but not unheard of.

Because your female dog is required to act independently I would be hesitant to do many corrections for this kind of behavior. I would separate the two and their toys. I would also contact whatever group trained your service dog and make sure that her refusal for certain commands is "normal" for what they trained her for. I am guessing that she needs some maintenance training.

Also please don't think of your dog in terms of human emotions. Dogs don't resent anything, they don't get jealous. You're simply letting them push you around because they know what works (crying at the door) and possessive over "their" perceived things. If this was any two dog household I'd tell them to pick up the toys and play seperately because there are no dog toys only your toys. I'm sure the pressure on your service dog defending herself from your new dog is part of what's making her more mental about "her" toys.

Juliana,
You can try getting the rescue dog his own toys. She doesn't touch his toys, and he likewise doesn't touch her toys.
Much like the food dish, you don't allow either one to stick their nose in the others food. Same with the toys.

Your female will probably TRY to decide the matter by claiming them all.......don't let her have that authority.
It's not fair to the male he needs to fight over anything, step up to the plate and keep the female in line.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

ETA,
All his toys should be new, no dividing the existing toy box up.

I take the cowards way out and when I have a possessive dog, they are not out with toys and another dog. I think somewhere on Ed's site he says the majority of dogs fight start over food or toys and that is true in my experience.

I use to try and just monitor it and that worked the majority of the time. When it didn't work though I was normally the one that ended up with puncture wounds breaking up a dog fight.

Edited to add: I do have multiple dogs and some with marked possessiveness, so what works for me probably doesn't apply for everyone!

You're right Betty,
I overlooked saying that. My bad.
The dogs should always be monitored when toys are about. Otherwise they once again decide for themselves how to sort it out. If they are left alone, there should be no toys, food, bones, etc left around to get worked up over.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

You didn't overlook anything Randy, you gave good advice! I just look at things from a different perspective, multiple dogs, dogs sometimes here for a few months when I whelp a litter or something.

And I often have hormone overload here between girls being in heat or pregnant which complicates things.

 Quote: Betty Waldron

I take the cowards way out and when I have a possessive dog, they are not out with toys and another dog. I think somewhere on Ed's site he says the majority of dogs fight start over food or toys and that is true in my experience.

I wouldn't call that cowardly at all - overly cautious, perhaps, but it's how I'd treat this situation personally as well. I don't have an insanely possessive dog (and he is just a pet), but it's definitely been my experience (aligned with Ed) that toys and food are the #1 fight catalysts that can push even well behaved dogs over the edge. If these were my dogs, I'd do as has been suggested and A. never leave toys laying around (they're your toys, to be taken out and played with at your discretion) and B. only play with toys and a single dog at a time (ignore the whining, create a situation where the inside dog can't see what you're doing outside, crate, etc).

If you really want to incorporate some form of obedience into this issue, perhaps you could work on one dog remaining in a down stay at one end of the yard while you play ball with the other (might need another person to help with this training), rotating back and forth so each dog has chances to fetch or tug, or down and wait... but the simplest answer is really to avoid all possibility for conflict or tension by separating the dog play. Just my 2 very unprofessional cents...

~Natalya

I sure am with the majority here. I never leave food or toys with any two or more dogs unless I am right there.


"Slowly I let them have lower-level toys in the yard (things she didn't care about so much) They had a few mild scraps, mostly yelling at each other, one little ear injury on the male when he first tried to take her Jolly Ball. "

I wouldn't recommend this. Make life simpler on everyone.

Luckily they are quite peaceable with the Nyla bones I keep everywhere. They like to grab the one the other just abandoned, but both are super respectful of not stealing from each other or bullying.

She used to play great with other dogs, and slowly got bitchier about her toys, and she did act like that towards many other dogs before this new guy came along, so it's not exclusive to him. Except at the dog park (where we hardly go if ever) she is far too intimidated to try and play with a toy in a herd like that.

Generally the toys are not out in the house or the yard unless I am directly supervising the dogs- every scrap they've ever had was under my supervision, the worst one, I inadvertently caused. (I said "Ruger, get it", she assumed "get it" was for her ears only, and they both charged the same toy and then fought)

I wonder- is it a liekly thing that I could work on her for self control at allowing him to play without her building up frustration over it and going after him to vent. For now they are simply seperated with toys.

Feeding times we tether ot the wall and everyone's bowls are picked up before anyone comes off the tether.