About a year and a half ago I posted and asked for advice regarding a one year old field raised Anatolian not getting along with my two older male dogs.

The situtation was intense in many ways, working dog with little socialization (raised in a field guarding sheep since puppyhood) plus 2 older males that created a major dog aggression issue, and a rescue female that had delivered 6 pups when some scumbag dumped their pregnant dog in front of my house. To be blunt my house was in chaos. I got lots of advice on this forum, most of it was send the Anatolian back to the breeder and some more helpful members suggested "boot camp" else the dog would turn on me and possibly rip my throat out.

One and a half years later...having worked through the issues and stress, and after having taken the time to learn about this breed; things are fine and the Anatolian and I are completely smitten with each other.

He has settled in and has become the most fun and loyal companion, fierce protector, and one of the great canine loves of my life. Yes, the male dogs have been permanently separated but it was so worth it. Was it stressful? Heck yeah. Did I nearly go nuts some days and think "I can't deal with this"? Yes. But I knew the best dogs are a handful and are worth it, and this dog is more than worth it. Awesome dog.

His power and aggressive nature did concern me at first, but with patience and bonding and a mutual understanding things worked out great.

Wasn't there a TON of advice to you that if you kept this dog then you had to separate your dogs, who, I think, you had in ex-pens, with the rest of the pack living in terror? I'm pretty sure I remember the thread.

And so you ended up permanently separating them?

I'm happy it turned out well. (I am quite serious. I'm very happy for you and the dog. I know I did not harbor much hope, and I'm glad to be wrong.)

I just refreshed my memory of that thread.


http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/267762/page/0/fpart/3


Yes, you were living in chaos, as were your dogs. You have done incredibly well to extricate yourself and the dogs from that.

I read that thread when we realized we might have an Anatolian cross on our hands. Aggressive,protective, loyal and fun. Yup, that about sums up Jethro. I would add super intelligent, affectionate, and loves his independence.

I'm glad to hear things are working out.

Yes it was very stressful, several unexpected factors coming together to cause immense chaos. And no one suggested separating the males, I drew on my previous experience with Dobermans when I came to that solution.

If one wants to live with great canines, one has to "man up" on some occasions; that means deal with stress and realize it is so worth while for those that love strong dogs.

 Quote: sonya anderson

Yes it was very stressful, several unexpected factors coming together to cause immense chaos. And no one suggested separating the males, I drew on my previous experience with Dobermans when I came to that solution.

A search in that thread for the words separate and separated returns over a hundred instances, including this:

 Quote: connie sutherland

 Quote: sonya anderson

If the Anatolian has to be separated from my other males for life I will deal with that. In my heart I realize they probably won't ever mix, the Anatolian is incredibly powerful and I don't think I will ever trust these dogs together. ... I bought the remote collar to at least try to curb the x-pen aggression. I want them to be able to be in the same room so we can all share family time without the fence fighting (which honestly scares the heck out of me, if those dogs get into it the Aussie will be dead and I won't be able to stop it)..

"Family time" is as unlikely as any other peaceful interaction between the males, don't you think?

"Separated" for me doesn't mean x-pens in the same room. .... You don't have crates? Kennels?

Let's not re-invent the thread.

 Quote: jenny arntzen

I would add super intelligent, affectionate, and loves his independence.

Yeah I realized that thread would be picked up on search engines.

They are super intelligent, affectionate and FUN! Not obedient at all "Oh, you want me to get in the car? Well yes I love to go on car rides but you will have to wait while I sniff around for a bit".

And a sense of humor too. Yes very intelligent, first dog I have ever had that allows me trust their judgement more than my own in a crisis.

I am not re-inventing anything Connie. I recall the advice was "send the dog back to the breeder" and "bootcamp".

Separating males was something I learned from my many years in Doberman rescue.

If anyone offered the advice of "permanently separate the males" in different rooms I must have missed that. If i recall I was the "new clueless person" that didn't know how to handle aggressive dogs.

 Quote: sonya anderson

If anyone offered the advice of "permanently separate the males" in different rooms I must have missed that. If i recall I was the "new clueless person" that didn't know how to handle aggressive dogs.

???

You: I want them to be able to be in the same room so we can all share family time without the fence fighting (which honestly scares the heck out of me, if those dogs get into it the Aussie will be dead and I won't be able to stop it).

Me: "Separated" for me doesn't mean x-pens in the same room. .... You don't have crates? Kennels?

And this is one of more than a hundred uses of the words separate and separated in replies to you in that thread. I was only one of a chorus! Read the thread. I linked it. Please don't re-invent it here, OK?


You did well.

PMed to me, quotes from the original thread (thank you, Jenny):

 Quote: Willie Tilton

... You do not have them separated. Separation means that they have no contact. NONE. Not even eye contact. ... Different rooms in crates (not in your bedroom). ... Not x pens. ...

 Quote: Jennifer Lee

... you are containing a giant Anatolian Shephard in an X-pen, when there is a danger he might attack your other dogs? ... I have two males that will fight, and I have to keep them separated at all times and rotate them. I am more than happy to explain our routine and the measures we have taken to ensure their safety if you are interested.

I congratulate you, Sonya, for following through. You did well.