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We have 3 large dogs- all acquired by rescuing them from abandonment. We are not sure on the exact mixes of 2 of them, but one we are pretty sure is full blood chocolate lab.
The issue is the two male dogs.
The one we've had the longest we found wandering around at our very first apartments- 6 years ago- was our only pet for probably 3 years. We think he is yellow lab mix- possibly mixed with boxer, or maybe even pit bull. He was a puppy when we got him, probably 3 or 4 months old.
Then we got a cat. It took some getting used to, but he is ok with the cat.
About 2 1/2 years ago, we found a husky/collie mix abandoned. He is also a male. They have been ok together, mostly, but there have been the occasional fights. My husband tells me it's normal, they are just trying to vie for the alpha male role.
A couple of weeks ago I found the chocolate lab in traffic. I brought her home, not expecting to keep her, knowing the issues we already had with the other 2. Strangely enough, she seemed to calm them down quite a bit. For more than a week there was not a single fight.
Then, out of the blue, 2 days ago, they got into it again. This time, something changed. I don't know what, but they are still not able to be in the same room together. We have bought muzzles for both of them, to try to temper the issue and work at bringing them together slowly.
The husky mix is agreeable to this, but the unknown mix that we've had the longest is ready to jump him as soon as we start the slow walk.
At this moment, I have the husky in our room, seperated from the other one downstairs. There is no issue with either of them with the female chocolate lab.
So this is our quandry. As the unknown (possibly pit bull) mix gets older, he's getting more temperamental. We have 5 kids- the oldest is 8-years-old, the youngest just turned 2-years-old. My concern is if something has gone haywire in his brain, do I now have to worry about the kids safety as well?
I do not want to put him down, but, I just do not know what to do.
How is this dog becoming more temperamental. Around the dogs or around people?
THREE dogs creates an entirely different dynamic than two dogs. I had similar challenges when I brought in my third dog but I did not let it escalate and it worked out.
Do you LET them fight to sort things out? I have had multiples and a peacable kingdom for years but I don't even allow posturing and they know it. With young kids I would be concerned with bringing in the strange dogs.
are they neutered? if not that will help,
but you have to take the time to be with them and not allow any to enter the attack mode,this means you have got to become the pack leader and set the rules you wish them to live by.
separating them isn't the answer,its a band aid.
you wouldn't allow your children to fight with each other, you would take action.
do you walk them daily?
owning one dog is a big responsibility 3 dogs is a commitment. take charge & good luck
the advice given so far has been really good. you definitely have to learn canine body language and get to the point where you can spot trouble before it happens. almost all dogs give off definite signs when they are aggressive or frightened, before things escalate into an actual fight. there is a very good summary of common dog body language (including some things you can do to calm a dog down) here: Calming Signals Community and here: http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimal...dyLanguage.pdf. i'd also recommend the book "for the love of a dog" by patricia mcconnell.
i wouldn't assume that something has gone wrong with your dog - the addition of a female into the mix has probably just changed the dynamic in the household. especially if one or all of the dogs is not fixed.
aggression towards dogs and aggression towards humans are two totally different things. some dogs have both, but many only have one or the other. for instance my dog will fight back if a dog is aggressive to her, and growls or barks at dogs who annoy her with rude behavior, but has never shown the slightest bit of aggression towards a person of any age. still, you need to be very careful with any dog, especially when you have children. has the mixed breed dog ever shown any aggression towards any person? growling, tooth baring, or snapping? can you take away his food without a reaction from him? if you haven't had a problem with him being aggressive to people before, i wouldn't worry about it now.
your best bet, if you can afford it, is to take the dog you're having problems with to one on one session with a behaviorist for an evaluation. some behaviorists will come to your house, do this if you can. then they can see how the dog acts in his normal environment and how he interacts with your other dogs. here's a good resource for finding a reputable behaviorist or trainer: Dog Trainer Search
I am impressed with the quality of the responses you have rec'd....good advice. In my own mind I love dogs but would not be prepared or emotionally well suited to take on the task that seems to be called for......so then I think about your original post and find myself taking up for the mixed breed who was your first dog and had to accept a cat and accept the next dog.....and now his rescuer and hero is considering putting him to death because he is defending his home....and perks.
I would urge you to address the presenting problem....the new dog....even if she is a sweetie....and try to restore the homeostasis that existed before she entered the home/pack. You will do what you feel is right......but to me you have 6 years of promises built up day by day over those 6 years...promises of "I will love you and care for you" , "I will keep you safe"....those promises were made everytime you said, "Good Boy" everytime you fed him....everytime you petted him. 365 days of promises for 6 years!
I urge you not to see him as the problem.....try to restore the homeostasis that existed before the fem fatale entered the equation. I dont believe he has changed....the dynamic has changed.
Good Luck and Blessings; It is a special thing to rescue a dog.
I love the advice you are getting, my opinion would be to see the newest dog sets a new one dog family, with or without kids. I don't know I just can't see putting it to sleep without giving it a chance, its not like the dog killed another dog or bit causing the need for blood thing. Make sense?
I agree with all the thoughts posted here - and I would also suggest that you have your eldest dog (the original dog) completely examined by a veterinarian - with a senior blood panel too - just to rule out anything that 'might' have changed from a health standpoint....
Your concern about the children in the home, with feuding dogs is a valid one....but only from the standpoint that they could be near when a fight ensued amongst the dogs. It sounds like your two males have had fights in the past that might not have been properly addressed, and they have escalated since the female arrived....two weeks is still the honeymoon phase of adding a new dog really....
I'd say your younger male is challenging your older male for position....pretty simple stuff in the dog world, but not always easy for us humans to grasp.
I agree most with elston's post.....please spend some serious time evaluating your dogs - each of them - and how you aquired them, why you allowed them to stay, and the commitment you made to them. For me, in a home with two males that MUST be kept separated from one another, the option of putting one down was never considered....nor was rehoming either of them.
I wish you the best - having young children in the home, who might not understand the seriousness of keeping two dogs apart from one another, sure makes this an even bigger responsibility for the adults in the home, but that shouldn't mean that one of the dogs must lose their life. Dog to dog aggression is another world away from dog to human aggression.....I hope you aren't confusing the two...
It sounds like your 2 males are vying for the female's attention...the fact that they've been fighting before her arrival isn't good, and the addition of a female will only make them want to fight more. I'm guessing they're not neutered? If you decide to keep the female, you should definitely neuter them or things could get ugly. I absolutely agree that you need to take charge and not allow them to fight...it needs to be stopped before it happens and as many have pointed out you can catch it by paying close attention to body language. As for your mystery mix, I don't think his being upset at a complete change in household dynamics is an indication of something in his brain going haywire or a red flag about him harming the kids...unless you've seen evidence of him acting aggressive toward humans, you need not worry about that...he probably feels very frustrated, usurped, and is expressing it in a way that will get your attention. If I were in your shoes, I'd seek out a good trainer who uses positive reinforcement techniques to guide you through this thing...good luck, and thank you for rescuing...it's clear your heart is in the right place, you just need a little help to get things rolling smoothly and harmoniously!
Are they neutered? I agree with getting a trainer in who is familiar with these type issue.
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