A few observations.

1) Your male dog is tending towards dominance. A dog that respected your pack leadership, would respect your decisions regarding pack structure. He would go off deciding to instigate pecking order fights with the females.

2) Your male dog is tending towards dominance. Resource guarding, or what you are calling "posessiveness" is a dominant behavior. A submissive dog doesn't *get* to guard a higher pack member. It isn't a submissive pack member's job to do so.

3) While it may seem sweet that he protects you- in reality he is disrespecting you when he takes it upon himself to establish pecking order and prevent the other dogs from having access to HIS person.

4) These three dogs are capable of causing tremendous injury to one another. Clearly, pack structure is lacking.
I would keep these dogs seperated 100% of the time (even the two females who *seem* to get along). When you have the ability to closely watch the dogs, I would bring them out in pairs, and keep the male on a leash.

5) Either a) the prong collar doesn't fit correctly, b) it's being put on incorrectly or c) it is being used incorrectly.
When sized right, placed on the dog right and used right, dogs don't ignore prong collars.

6) If you are waiting to correct a dog until he is actually playing too roughly with the others, you've waited too long and rendered the correction pointless.



Edited by (04/03/2009 01:01 PM)
Edit reason: Cindy replied while I was typing.

Thank you for the information, Cindy. I am going to print out that article for reference and do some reading this weekend. I think you're right, I have some work to do!

Alyssa, thank you so much! Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I appreciate all of your help!

 Quote: Lauren Janning

Alyssa, thank you so much! Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I appreciate all of your help!

Yes, you do, but if you work with each dog separately, you will see progress with groundwork. And this from Alyssa: When you have the ability to closely watch the dogs, I would bring them out in pairs, and keep the male on a leash. can be a goal for the future.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (04/03/2009 03:46 PM)
Edit reason: typo