i do see it as more of a leadership issue. i don't really see it so much as teagan saying 'oh, you're not doing that properly' with respect to luc as much as teagan seeing it as an opportunity b/c of how i handled it. i figured it was a leadership issue, but wanted to make sure i was thinking along the right lines.

edit: i asked on a GSD board, and then consensus was that it was just something dogs do and not to worry about it. the contrast is interesting. but i just can't be quite comfortable with that, teagan being how she is.

i'm pretty strong where it comes to teagan - but i do treat luc differently. i'm more relaxed about him.

 Quote: Amber Morgan

It's that the conflict/excitement level in general has been allowed to escalate and that will cause a dominant dog to try to get in the mix. A submissive dog would likely not even get involved.

and that's really where i see my problem. inconsistent leadership b/tw the two of them, absolutely, but also that in terms of having a more dominant dog getting into the mix - i didn't even consider teagan's presence when i was reacting to luc.

Teagan, what a sweetheart.
You're a lucky girl.
Bonding sounds about complete, you've done a great job with the both dogs Jennifer!

Patience, consistentcy.

You've come a long way girl.

Don't discount what you've done in really a short time frame. We all continue to learn from our dogs, theres always something that has to be worked and puzzled out.

Give Teagan a scratch behind her ears, and a good manly pat to Luc for me.

Randy

thanks randy

the dogs say thank you too.

(also, luc wants you to know that his new collar is even manlier (in an understated way) than his manly collar. tee hee hee )

Well this is what sucks about internet dog training. The sad fact is... that none of us know where anybody stands. A real dog trainer could come to your house and find that Luc is actually bidding for control of the whole shebang. Teagan is could just be the intermediary for the fact that you haven't lost control of everything and she is holding the fort until you come to your senses.

Or you could be in control but just very limited. And on the cusp of losing it.

Now getting back to some of the things Amber said, well I will just poing out one flaw in everything that Amber said and the rest was spot on. The flaw is... Than not all humans deal with dogs the same way. So... for Amber or Jennifer or even for Mr. Leerburg.... the dogs are going to react to the person as a leader. And by leadership I don't mean ability to beat into submission. I mean ability to make your subjects do what you want within a realm of reality.

There is more to it than just saying, here is what you need to do. Some people don't have that capability. SO it would be impossible for them to do it. And could possibly lead to them being harmed by even the most timid of dogs.

Jennifer, you have a leadership problem with your current pack situation. If you don't change the way you view the pack and the way you want to control the pack then you will always struggle with how things are in the pack. I am really sorry to be so blunt, but the way this thread is going I just don't see any other way of breaking the news to you. Without a professional seeing your dogs and how you interact with them, it would be hard to say what is going by how you are describing it. And any pro would know that all dog owners tend to exaggerate on all sides, how their dogs are. I really apologize if this is too blunt for you. But I have been working with dogs and their owners for years. The dogs are always the only ones I trust.

 Quote:

So whether it's prey drive or anything else, control and leadership are more important when you have a more dominant dog in your household. Jennifer has to be the one to deal with issues with either dog in order to be a clear pack leader. Teagan shouldn't be the one to do it...regardless of the reasoning behind why she got involved in the first place. Isn't that what we're all saying?

Yep I think so.

 Quote: Chris McMahon

Now getting back to some of the things Amber said, well I will just poing out one flaw in everything that Amber said and the rest was spot on. The flaw is... Than not all humans deal with dogs the same way.

When did I ever (in any post, ever) say that all humans deal with dogs the same way? That's just crazy-talk.

 Quote: Chris McMahon

Without a professional seeing your dogs and how you interact with them, it would be hard to say what is going by how you are describing it. And any pro would know that all dog owners tend to exaggerate on all sides, how their dogs are.

Not to speak for Jennifer, but I believe she has had a trainer come in and evaluate her dogs...

 Quote: Chris McMahon

Jennifer, you have a leadership problem with your current pack situation. If you don't change the way you view the pack and the way you want to control the pack then you will always struggle with how things are in the pack. I am really sorry to be so blunt, but the way this thread is going I just don't see any other way of breaking the news to you.

Jennifer clearly knows that she has a leadership issue and she has made great strides in working on it and obviously posted this thread so she can continue to work on it. I don't think you need to break it to her!