Thank you for your posts, they were each very helpful and I'm going to look into the e-collar.

In the mean time I'm going to keep them both with me at all times so I can correct her behavior right away.

Just a sidenote for clarification though, because I think I over-exaggerated her behavior. It isn't a frequent occurrence that she growls at him and she's never actually hurt him, she just really bugs him! Either way, I'd like to protect him from her since he is a senior and he is very submissive to her.

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Thank you for your posts, they were each very helpful and I'm going to look into the e-collar.

In the mean time I'm going to keep them both with me at all times so I can correct her behavior right away.

Just a sidenote for clarification though, because I think I over-exaggerated her behavior. It isn't a frequent occurrence that she growls at him and she's never actually hurt him, she just really bugs him! Either way, I'd like to protect him from her since he is a senior and he is very submissive to her.

Yes, this is a good plan, IMO. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Good for both dogs.

I thought I'd give an update. I started correcting Bella a little more consistently, and it's as thought a light bulb went on in her head, "oh, I'm not supposed to be doing this". Here's the funny part, as soon as I was enforcing the rule a little more, it was as though Digger realized, "Hey, she's 16 pounds and I'm 100 pounds, I don't have to deal with this!" ...So the other day, we were on our way to the back door, and she started doing it again, and I corrected her, but when they got to the door, Digger picked up speed to go ahead of her and in the process, he hit her against the door frame (lightly)! It almost looked intentional!

I laughed about it. It might be a "you had to be there" thing, but anyway, I'm glad to report that since that correction and doorframe bump, she's left him alone. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've been having similar issues with a rescue husky and my GSD. She has been pestering the crap out of him and I let it go on too long. He unloaded on her a couple of times but more just to get her to leave him alone than to exert dominance over her. As with the op they are fine outside but in the house the husky turns into a little she-devil. I've been keeping them seperated much more than at first and really ramping up the corrections on the husky and things are starting to work out. Fortunatly it doesn't look like my mistakes have messed things up too badly.

I have the same issue with my 4 yr old staff (she is 32 lbs) and my 11 yr APBT (he is 45 lbs). When she was about 18 months old she started tormenting him. He is sooooooo patient with her. But I realized she was dominating him...he could have cared less...he doesn't care whos in charge as long as he gets to run and has dinner by 6:30 LOL. The funny thing is he could kill her very quickly, he is a very powerful dog. He tolerated it until I stepped in ( I should have sooner ) Anyway when he finally would get fed up with her I noticed he would grab her by her neck and slam her onto the floor and knock the wind out of her....she would lay there for a minute, then put her tail between her legs and come to me. 1/2 hr later she was back at it. So when I started to correct her for harrassing him I would walk over to her, calmly and lift her up by her coller, front paws up off the floor until she wanted air and say NO. If I put her down and she tried to return to him I would just repeat. She decided after about 3 days of this she liked air better...and now if she gets ancy I just look at her and say NO, and she will go into avoidance as if to say "I wasn't even thinking about it".....

So glad this was posted. I have a similar problem with my Brittany and the Dobe pup. They are kenneled beside each other and are not allowed out at the same time without the Dobe being leashed (she initiates). Much good advice to be had in this thread. I'm glad that the question was asked. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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...and now if she gets ancy I just look at her and say NO, and she will go into avoidance as if to say "I wasn't even thinking about it".....

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Val- Your description of your Staffie's look after your correction/ warning, it cracked me up! Sometimes, I swear the dogs just have such human expressions!