Hello all. This will be my first question of many, I am sure. Somewhere along the line I read if 2 dogs are posturing the reaction of the person is to yell no, no, no or make some type of movement towards the dogs and that this is the incorrect response. Not that I disagree, I just wonder what is the correct response of the person.

I redirect my two, both have solid obed and are ball nuts, pull a couple of balls out of my vest and they lose interest in each other.

Thanks for the reply. Mine aren't toy driven, but I did realize while reading your reply that I have let them slack in thier obedience commands and they weren't that awful strong to begin with. I appreciate your insight into the situation!

Aimee, there are lots of ways to distract your dog(s)...toys are great if they're into them, but as you suggest, obedience oommands and such can work, too.

I also like teaching an interruptive behavior...just pair incredible treats with some sound you make consistently to get attentnion. I use the "Psssst" sound for this (totally different use than CM's use of this sound<g>, but you can use a whistle, smooching sound, anything that you do the same every time and IMO, which is sharp enough to get their attention.

leih

I think it matters what the dogs are like. If they are solid with the idea that YOU are leader then a stern "Uhhuh" Or "knock it off" works. I have found that you DO NOT use a name. Here it tends to make any 'police matron' dogs in the pack think they should help you with the named problem dog.

We have two border collie bitches that for the past 7 years must be separated or watched. Less so now that they are getting senile and helped that the kids are now mid teens and up. But if one gets a "look" the response to break it is to stand up and say something like "Hey" or "UhHuh" just to distract and remind. NOT 'no' or a name or anything too emotional.

Thankfully our current pack is a peace loving group led by two velvet glove dogs. I watch for any shifts though since some of the dogs are young and not mature yet at only 12-18 months.

Sonya, a lot clicked into place in my brain after reading your post, thx! More questions to come as I sort out this issue in my pack.

The problem is, when two dogs are squaring off for a fight, many people instantly panic, come running over with the posture and tone of voice that relays tension to the dogs- ratcheting up the pressure, and often spurring the fight.

The "running over yelling no" reaction, is different from what we would consider distraction.

We want to remove tension from the situation, not add to it.

 Quote: Alyssa Myracle

The problem is, when two dogs are squaring off for a fight, many people instantly panic, come running over with the posture and tone of voice that relays tension to the dogs- ratcheting up the pressure, and often spurring the fight.

I've seen people stomping their feet and otherwise making a loud noise really ratchet up a fight too.

I've had good luck with taking a few steps away and calling the dogs to follow me.

Welcome back Alyssa!

This is kind of an old thread, but I don't get to spend a bunch of time here and I enjoy catching up and learning during the times I come here with my own situation.

For my dogs, any yelling will excite my dogs, as somebody mentioned, they feel the energy humans have when they yell. If I am yelling "Hello" to a friend a few houses down the street, or yelling to somebody to get their unleashed dog, my dogs seem to sense that energy as weak. I have been working with my female on leash and introducing yells, having friends yell to me, me to them.

That pack structure is so important.

we recently got 2 male maltese brothers they just turned 2 and one of them Otis gets aggressive toward his brother Ollie all the time, the reason is if I brush, pat, pick him up, if I do anything with him he will go after his brother Ollie even if he's in a different room and I have gotten bitten 3 times because of this. The person that we rescued them from was a single guy living alone and he told us that his girl is allergic to the dogs which I thought these dogs have hair not fur but I don't know much about them yet I'm still learning. Could the same thing of happened with him and his girl. Now they have a mom and a dad. they don't get jealous of my husband at all it's just the one Otis I can cuddle with Otis right in front of Ollie and he does nothing but the minute I put Otis down or he sees Ollie he starts growling and goes right after him. I do introduce a toy or some other distraction but will this go on for another 15 years I have had 2 dogs in the house before and had no problem one was female 13 years old and the other was a male pup when we got him and the female lived to be 16 and the male passed this passed January at the age of 15. I love these dogs and I don't want to give up on them but I think I need alot of support and I'm so happy I found this website. this jealousy stuff makes it real hard to brush them every day or bathe them help