I have three adult dogs (all bitches) in my house. The youngest bitch has always had posessive agression around me. She has also attacked both the others, and wounded them. She has been very calm for a long time since the last incident. I brought a male pup into my home (7 weeks) and at about 7.8 weeks, he apparently upset her enough to cause her to light into him- hard-I had to pull her off him. It left him with an ear hematoma, small, but there.

Then, today my much more benevolent bitch got on him- much more normal- loud scary, but over with fast, and no grudges. But, this makes a total of 3 events (there was a second that same day with the posessive aggressive bitch, but it wasn't as forceful, and I didn't have to separate them.

I am of two minds- one, I want the pup to be integrated, but I don't want him traumatized anymore. On the other hand, perhaps I should just keep them separated until he is older?

I am truly at a loss here. Help is greatly appreciated.

You have a dog-aggro adult and you allowed her access to an 8-week-old puppy. Even after one attack, you allowed access and there was a second, more serious attack.

Then another adult attacked him.

And you are wondering if this puppy should maybe be separated?

YES, he should be separated. This was almost certainly not the right home for a 7-week-old puppy, and now he has been attacked three times.

I really hope that he can move past being attacked and not being protected by his pack leader from a life of anxiety and physical aggression without permanent damage (such as fear aggression). But unless he is separated from the other dogs (and I mean really separated, because always fearing attack and being subjected to aggressive displays is not acceptable, either, even if they are held back from physically injuring him), you have no chance of raising a balanced dog.

He probably needs to go to another home, and you probably need to start some serious work with the other dogs, one of whom attacks the others and who should also be separated.

This is a great example of how not to have a multi-dog home.

I want to add that it's pretty darned rare that I am taken aback enough to post in this blunt fashion.

You are doing none of these dogs any favors, including the adults.

http://leerburg.com/dominantdogs.htm

http://leerburg.com/pdf/introducingdogs.pdf

http://leerburg.com/dogtrainingpodcasts.htm
Scroll to the pack leadership podcasts.

http://leerburg.com/308.htm

http://leerburg.com/301.htm

You have a dog pack, and you're well on your way to having a dead puppy, to boot.

Keep the dog's seperated.

You puppy will probably become very dog aggressive as an older dog.

100% seperate, probably for life.

IMO, your adult female has a problem. I am very intolerant of an adult who will attack a 7 week old puppy. IMO, that is improper temperament- a weak dog w/a screw loose...to be blunt. A dog like that wouldn't fly in my house. I have 6 dogs, and not one would attack a 7 week old puppy...though they'd kill each other if they got the chance.

The second incident may have simply been a correction, though IMO, he's still young for an adult to correct him that aggressively. Mine will usually just move an obnoxious puppy at that age.

What kind of dogs are your adults? How old? Spayed?


This is wrong on so many levels.

I won't say that your puppy is guaranteed to be a basketcase by adulthood, although it's a good possibility judging by his role models. He needs to be separated, for his physical and mental safety. IMMEDIATELY.

Points taken

Good to hear;-)

I hope action is also taken.
I would rehome the pup and work on the girls.