The One with the Jealous Basset Hound
I need some advice from the dog guru! I'm having Muggsy/Chubbs problems with Maggie and Theo. She's getting aggressive towards him about food and lovin's. For example, this morning she started eating the food out of "his" bowl and when he came around to eat she growled, barked and bit at him. Chandler pulled her away and redirected her to "her" bowl. (How they tell the difference I don't know. The bowls look exactly the same to me! ;)
Another example: they have a big nyla bone they've been working on for months. Maggie will walk up to Theo and just stare at him until he drops it and slinks away. Then she grabs it. I've even seen Theo take the bone TO her!
And if she's getting petted and Theo walks up for some love, she barks at him. They usually get along, playing together and cleaning each other's ears (gross). She's NEVER been this way towards David, even though he commands a large portion of our attention. Help!
Another example: they have a big nyla bone they've been working on for months. Maggie will walk up to Theo and just stare at him until he drops it and slinks away. Then she grabs it. I've even seen Theo take the bone TO her!
And if she's getting petted and Theo walks up for some love, she barks at him. They usually get along, playing together and cleaning each other's ears (gross). She's NEVER been this way towards David, even though he commands a large portion of our attention. Help!
posted by Monica at
7:12 AM
1 Comments:
This one is easy. Management. It doesn't matter what hierarchy the dogs have picked for themselves in the household -- YOU are the law. You decide who gets bones and who gets to eat out of what bowl. Don't scold or hit or yell, just calmly move them to where you want them or take away what they're fighting over. Alpha dogs NEVER lose their tempers, just calmly keep control of the pack.
Put a baby gate between them when you feed them, give them 10 minutes to eat and then pick up the food if they walk away and leave it. Don't leave bones or their favorite toys around when you aren't home to monitor them. Give them when they are being supervised and you can pick up the item and return it to the dog you want to have it -- or take it away. When I give my dogs bones I have to separate them.
Work on some basic obedience: sit before I pet you, sit and stay before I feed you, down before you go outside, sit before I throw your toy, sit before I let you jump on my furniture, etc. A little bit will go a really long way in establishing that your dogs have rules and, yes, they have to follow them.
Try this for a couple weeks and let me know if it doesn't improve things.
By
Rachel, at 11:52 AM
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