My new rescue pup is bullying my dogs - fix or let them work it out? (terrier, aggressive) - - City-Data Forum

hhheights77007 · 10-04-2011, 03:13 PM

I took in a new dog. She fights my other dogs for attention, takes toys away from them, snaps at them (when I'm not looking). SHe instigates a lot of fights. All three dogs are terrier mixes... but she's the smallest at 12lbs. The biggest dog (18lbs) is actually scared of her & doesn't like being in the same room with her. This has been going on for a week. WHat's the best way to make peace? WIll she just chill out with time? Or, will they work it out? Is she trying to be the alpha?

chiroptera · 10-04-2011, 03:33 PM

If you're resident older dogs won't take charge, you have to, IMHO. Don't let her get away with being too much of a brat.

You say pup - is she actually a puppy, or adult? What gender are your other two dogs?
If they are males, I'd be a bit more inclined to let nature take its course....but if they're females, or one is, or if they seem quite distressed about it, I'd step in and correct.

My attitude with foster dogs (or any new dog in the house) is that they are lowest on the social heirarchy and don't get a whole lot of indulgent behaviour from me until they've learned it by understanding the house rules. A new dog of any age in my house wouldn't be allowed to take toys from anyone, or even to have access to toys without my permission. Sure as all get-out wouldn't be allowed to be pushy or snap. She'd be separated and/or only allowed to interact under supervision. And nicely. Otherwise, off to the crate with you missy.

That said I like terriers and dogs with attitude.

But they can be stinkers.

LuvABull.Denver · 10-04-2011, 04:28 PM

Chiroptera - you are the alpha which means you decides who gets attention, toys, when playtime begins AND ends. Yes, the new pup is trying the dominance thing but that is your responsibility. If you don't take it, the next in line will; and it sounds like it is the new pup.

Most dogs are not born natural leaders they are natural followers. There can only be one leader of the pack and that is YOU! It's liken to a CEO of a company, there are many who think they can run the company, (likely they can run it into the ground) but there is only one CEO...and many followers.

You are the leader and must put the pup in line. If allowed dominance anywhere in the pack, then there is chaos. That is not a strong pack and there is a less likely-hood of it's survival. That is why in the wild (wolves) there is only one clear alpha male and female, and the same domestic...dogs.

The dogs are trying to figure out the pecking order as it were but they may need some help from you. I would not allow any dominant behavior from any of them. They are now a pack and must get along for the sake of the pack. You may need to tether the new pup to you for the first month and keep her attitude in check. No snapping allowed!

She only gets released when she stops snapping. (Make her prove herself.) Good behavior has it's reward...no more tether.

P.S. Thanks for taking in the little terror!

hhheights77007 · 10-05-2011, 10:26 AM

All good points- thank you for the responses! To answer to question, yes, I think she is still a puppy at 10 months, right? All three dogs are female. Scout is about 5 years old (had her 3 years), Scooter is 3 (had her 2 years), and the newest, Roxy, is about 10-11 months (I was told) and I've had her for about a month.

Roxy was a returned dog to our local shelter because she was "too hyper." That she is, but nothing that can't be fixed or exercised out.

She IS sneaky though. Only snaps when I'm not looking, then, when I do intervene, she comes running up with a huge smile as if to say "lookking for me? Here I am! Here I am!!!"

Last night I gave each dog a bone. She wanted all three bones, and as long as she was in the other dog's faces trying to get theirs, they didn't want it. Same thing happens at the water bowl. She will run across the room just to knock the other dog away from the water bowl (and I have three water bowls out!)

Thank you for the tips-- I need all the help I can get with this one!

LuvABull.Denver · 10-05-2011, 02:45 PM

Sorry Chiroptera, I thought you posted that...my bad!

My apologies!

chiroptera · 10-05-2011, 04:20 PM

LuvABull, no problem.

hhheights...well they don't call female dogs the b-word for nothing.

This is very typical bossy "b" behaviour. I would NOT give her a chance to be bossy, especially with three females you need to run a tight ship if one of them is being extremely dominant, like this girl is. She's still a puppy, you need to watch that she doesn't decide to eliminate one of the other girls when she matures a bit.

I would give her NO chance to snap. None. Or any other bossy, guardy behaviour. She is with the others under supervision only. If you must give each a bone or treat, she either eats in a crate or you attach a lightweight leash to her and give a firm correction if she goes after someone else's stuff (along with lots of praise for showing restraint and manners!). Remember: everything is yours, even after you've handed it to a dog.

I have had...at least three girls like this, and one male. All three of the girls were to some degree or other, same-sex aggressive. My current JRTx is exactly like this. It's why she lives with three boys.

Who tolerate, and don't mind her being a bossy little thing. I'm very selective about other females I bring into the house though (I do foster dogs.) Because I won't put her in a position where she feles she has to defend her status, therefore no uppity or hyper female fosters.

Funny - JRTx weighs 25 lbs. Boys weigh 110, 85, 60. She rules. LOL. But she knows she must be reasonable about it.

Basically: every chance your new pup gets to snap at, bully or terrorize the resident dogs reinforces her opinion that she is fully entitled to do so. Which is absolutely reasonable from her point of view. (And could turn ugly at some point later.)
But every time she is corrected for being a little b, and praised a TON for acting nice, will reinforce the message that she has to act nicely in order to get positive attention from you, and that you won't tolerate rudeness.
So how you react will determine how mannerly she turns out. If you continue to allow her to be a bully, that's what she'll be. I'd start working on self control exercises - leave it, stay, sit until released....and make it very fun so it's rewarding. Dogs like this can be so fun to train, but trained they must be!