Dog Community

Toy and treat aggression

Posted : 3/22/2006 4:21:44 AM

[size=1]I#%92m posting a question in hopes someone has some ideas on how to help my brother and sister in law with their Yorky/Pom mix Louie. He gets very aggressive with their 2 Chihuahua#%92s Bogus and Angel. Louie out weighs both the Chihuahua#%92s and he#%92s so quick that by the time they break the fight up he has the other one pinned down. They sound like they#%92re killing each other. So far no blood. Although he did hurt Bogus pretty bad that he was limping. Nothing was broken, he was bruised pretty bad and didn‘t want to leave his crate or sleep in bed with my brother and sister in-law for 3 days..
I had her separate Louie from the others when they are home alone.
But I have no idea what they should do when he starts in on the others or how to make them all get along. She has tried taking the toys and chew strips away which caused Louie to poop on the floor right in front of them because he#%92s mad. He also will chew the molding up on the walls.
Bogus and Angel were litter mates, they are both 5 years old and they#%92ve had them since they were puppies. Louie is only a year old. All are spayed/neutered. Louie however didn#%92t get neutered until he was about 7 months old. I think that has a lot to do with his dominance from a younger age. The Chihuahua#%92s use to pick on Louie when he was a puppy and I#%92m thinking he#%92s getting them back now for it.
Louie is really my niece#%92s dog. She brought him home when he was a puppy. Thinking when she was ready to move out she would take him with her. He is more attached to my brother than anyone.
All 3 of them sleep on the bed with my brother and sister in-law.
They have crated Louie as a time out after he started in with one of the Chihuahua#%92s but he screams like someone#%92s killing him. He use to enjoy going into his crate until she started doing that. And I even told her that she should never use the crate as punishment. The others will go in their crates just to get away from Louie sometimes. One day she said Louie got possessive about Bogus#%92s crate and wouldn#%92t let him near it. Poor Bogey I feel so bad for him being bossed around by Louie so much. I also feel bad for Louie since he thinks its ok to act that way. Angel has changed a lot since Louie has started beating her up. She use to be very active and playful.
I want to help all 3 of them get along since Louie will most likely stay even when my niece does move out.
Any advise will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance,
Susie[/size]

spiritdogs

Posted : 3/22/2006 8:00:57 AM

You can't force dogs to get along with one another. The only thing you really can do is to have the humans in the household learn how to appear as powerful leaders from the dogs' point of view. Even with that, dogs of vastly different sizes aren't the best combo - too easy for the larger ones, if they don't get along, to injure the smaller ones.
I would advise reading the following:
"Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy Your Multi Dog Household" and "How to Be the Leader of the Pack and Have Your Dog Love You For It" both by Patricia McConnell ([linkhttp://www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com]www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com[/link]).
Teach the larger dog a good "leave it" and "come".
There are some good training articles here:
[linkhttp://www.clickersolutions.com]www.clickersolutions.com[/link]
Even with no blood, an adolescent dog is vying for status, and is too rambunctious to be "mixing it up" with Chihuahuas. Someone's going to get hurt, and it isn't fair to keep a young active dog crated all the time...better to pen the Chi's in a larger ex pen so he can't get at them perhaps.

mudpuppy

Posted : 3/22/2006 11:00:27 AM

which caused Louie to poop on the floor right in front of them because he#%92s mad.

dogs do not use poop to "get back" at their owners-- dogs who poop in the house need remedial housebreaking work and need to be closely supervised at all times. Dogs who chew on the molding also require strict supervision. He should be either crated or on a leash at all times for several months until his housebreaking, housechewing, and chi-attacks have been completely cured. I'd put the obnoxious little beast on a very strict NILIF program-- he has to earn all toys, all food, all petting by exhibiting good behavior. Lots of obedience training. Lots of exercise. I'd reward him with praise and treats whenever he wasn't attacking the chi's, chewing the molding, or throwing little temper tantrums. And make sure the chi's aren't taunting him either.

Susie

Posted : 3/22/2006 5:05:50 PM

Thank you for your help. I'll pass this info on to my brother and sister inlaw.
My sister inlaw works out of the house only 4 hours a day. They have a doggie door so they can go in and out to potty. I have told her how dangerous this could be and since she's only gone 4 hours a day they should be fine holding pee/poo for that short of a time as long as she takes them out to do their business before she leaves.
She started baby gating the Chihuahuas in the kitchen and letting Louie have full run of the house.
I'm thinking it's time for all of them to attend some doggy classes.
Thanks again for your help.

Susie

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

You can't force dogs to get along with one another. The only thing you really can do is to have the humans in the household learn how to appear as powerful leaders from the dogs' point of view. Even with that, dogs of vastly different sizes aren't the best combo - too easy for the larger ones, if they don't get along, to injure the smaller ones.
I would advise reading the following:
"Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy Your Multi Dog Household" and "How to Be the Leader of the Pack and Have Your Dog Love You For It" both by Patricia McConnell ([linkhttp://www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com]www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com[/link]).
Teach the larger dog a good "leave it" and "come".
There are some good training articles here:
[linkhttp://www.clickersolutions.com]www.clickersolutions.com[/link]
Even with no blood, an adolescent dog is vying for status, and is too rambunctious to be "mixing it up" with Chihuahuas. Someone's going to get hurt, and it isn't fair to keep a young active dog crated all the time...better to pen the Chi's in a larger ex pen so he can't get at them perhaps.