Can I ever get a break? Dog problems.

[SimbaAndBo]

Hey Y'all,

It seems that I can't ever get a nice, normal, dog. Because my sweet tempered 1yr old mastive? started attacking not just any dog but his non-related brother who he's been with since I got him in the spring. They play and rough house all the time. Eat together. Sleep together. I mean..like him, Sim, and my roomie dog who's in the pack of 3 just are best buddys.

But bo's had a bit of a problem. He's gone after 3 dogs. One was this intense sheperad who I saw bo tense up and I quickly gave up on seeing if they would get along. Dog roulette while he was here! The second was a visiting dog that's been here before when bo was scared by a bigger dog as a puppy. Roudy growled and went to bite him so bo ran and hid. This time roudy wasn't here but sasha was and she is a angel of a dog. Bo was sniffing her and than just went after her. He was bitting her on the butt. The third was while camping with a group of dogs. Spunky my freind dog was barking none stop and bo went after him. I pulled him off and he just when around for another attack.

Now the simba thing happened starting Sat morning. I went over my parents place to drop the boys off while i attended a ferret show. Well Bo and simba got into it. Blood everywhere. Both had punctures on their heads. Simba's 25-30lbs, bo's 76lbs. Simba got him good. So they were seperated. but noo...next? Bo goes after simba just as random as ever and they get into it. Mom used a broom to get them apart. Simba was at the end of the hall way sulking. Bo was in the living room. It happens four times saturday. the fourth being that sim was on dads lap and bo walks over and just Bites him on the butt.

I have them home now seperated. Everyone is sore and a little scraped up. Had them seperated between and gate and bo was just stareing at simba untill corrected. Simba's as bouncy and happy as ever. Doesn't seem to give a crap.

My questions are. Why now? How can i work back the harmony? Bo's been fine with the little dogs, and the hound mix that's in the pack i have created. I did read that mastives sometimes have dog aggression but against Simba? It's like twin sisters who love each other trying to murder each other. They are litteraly going for the throats.

Please tell me this isn't a forever thing. I need to fix this.

 

[Cody]

Could we get a little more info?
What kind of dogs and how old?
Are the dogs intact? If they are both males was there a female nearby? Maybe not at your mom's, but even in the area around that is intact?
The going after a dog who is sitting on furniture or barking excessively can be dominance issues and corrections for unwanted behavior.
It is rarely ever all one dog, it could be you didn't notice the signs.
At 1 year old he is coming into himself, he is starting to mature.

 

[SimbaAndBo]

Bo is a mastive lab mix who is 1yrs and has been fixed since he dropped. He's been a pretty good dog for the past 7-8 months. A little chewing. Some potty training issues. Loves people. but the fence aggression towards the horses, and now this isn't good.

Simba is a pittie mix...i think about 5-6yrs old. He does have people aggression and will bite strangers. He also is hyper active and gets over excited with things.

These two have been best buddys since i got them. The only signs of aggression have been when they played a little rough and i had make bo back down. Simba's smaller by a good 50lbs so I try to make sure bo doesn't squash him. but they remind you of those two stupid teenage boys who like have their own language, play, etc.

None have been a late fix ether.

We don't know what started the first incident but the last 3 have been all Bo. He also growled and went forward after simba this morning when I was letting the boys out to pee. Simba was loose and listens to me. Bo won't so i have him on a leash. I made simba sit and wait while i juggled dogs and bo went by with me. Simba couldn't care less he was more waiting for me to tell him, "good boy" which is his favorit praise ever. Hes the kind of dog that loves praise and too please. So after each fight mom said he was by her door with his head down. Wouldn't eat the entire weekend. etc.

 

[Cody]

You have a dog with ppl aggression who will bite strangers?
wow, there is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Was Simba excited this morning? jumping up and down and overly hyper?
Many dogs won't tolerate that behavior, it is unstable. It could be that Bo is coming into himself and establishing his version of the pack order. What do you do when he goes after Simba?

I would suggest talking to some trainers who work with dominant breeds, hopefully with behavioral issues.
Sounds like both of your dogs need some serious training.
Human aggression should not be tolerated AT ALL, nor should fence aggression.
If you want to keep both dogs, I would get to work asap.

 

[SimbaAndBo]

Ouch. Thats a little harsh don't you think? Simba's gone a long way from his "Worst". He doesn't downright try to kill anyone and just will bark and bite hands. Which is good enough for me to send him to training school. He went from run after anyone on sight to knowing different commands to make him back off. I havn't had any scary moments with him also since I started taking him to the dog hikes and his trainer.

Unforently. I had to stop the trainer this winter due to money problems. So I have been keeping up with what I have learned and will further with the lessons towards spring time.

Simba also does wonderfull outside of the home. I make him wear his mussle at all times but he had approved to trusting the pack atmophere in the group, relaxed and calm. I tested him out big time when I went to a dog kennel type party where they had little events like knock the pins over, Dog training, Agility, etc. He wore his mask as always but the best part was when I told him to sit and lay down. He listened and was laying the entire time. Even when people were all around him. Dogs some more hyper than he's ever been.


About the morning bo growled at him with me. He doesn't jump around like a idiot. He more or less talks a lot and will pounce a bit to get his point across. When we go for walks he's on a choker to keep him from pulling and eventualy he won't even pull. When bo growled at him, Simba was wagging his tail but was doing a sit and wait command so Bo can go back to his kennel.

So it isn't like I baby the boys like they are humans or do no training at all. I try to keep proactive with these kids and know that if I hdn't of worked with sim. He very likely could of got me in trouble.

dog on dog aggression is just something I am new at. I don't know if I should treat it like simbas territorial type people aggression or totaly different?

Question though: Could I use a shock collar? I bought one for simba back when I start training him but he's not the kind of dog that benifits from that training.

 

[Smart_Family]

I really agree with Cody that a trainer is needed here. Any time of people aggression isn't okay. If he got out by accident it could be a big problem if someone didn't know he had aggression issues tried to touch him or was even near him.

 

[Cody]

I WOULD not use a shock collar in your situation, in some dogs it can escalate aggression.
Do not use a shock collar with out a professional teaching you the proper method.
No I don't think I was harsh at all.
I wouldn't tolerate either fence fighting/aggression or any form of human aggression. Especially with a pitbull who has a bad rap to begin with. Seeing a muzzled pitbull does not help the breed.
As smart family said accidents happen.

 

[northernmastiff]

Sorry, I can't offer much more than what has been suggested. A trainer is really important with aggression problems. You may also need to assert yourself as the leader of the pack and let the dogs know that fighting isn't tolerated. Yes, you will have a few spats but if they know the rule that fighting is a no-no, usually it will be an warning growl instead of a full esculation. Exercise the dogs and for right now, take them outside separately while you are figuring this out. You want to have control of them. Also, crate them if you don't so that they are safe while you are away.

One thing that I want to mention though is your title "Can I ever get a break?" You really need to toss that thought aside. Owners create many of the behavioral problems that they see in their dogs, many times without even realizing it. The dogs aren't doing anything and it isn't a lottery when you purchase a dog. You aren't going to have a wonderful dog just because you pulled the right tail out of the litter. (figure of speech there) The perfect dog is perfect because of the blood, sweat and tears that the owner puts into raising, socializing and training the dog. It is as plain and simple as that.

One of our best dogs was a Staffie mix and trust me, we had plenty of sweat and tears raising him up...and a bit of blood during the puppy nipping stage...but in the end, he was exceptional and this is a puppy that came from a puppy mill via a friend who bought him. He came to us so infested with fleas that the first bath I gave him, his coat turned red from the eggs breaking and I actually thought I had hurt him some how. So even with a crappy beginning, a dog can be perfect with the proper ownership and training.

Sorry if that is a bit harsh, it was just your topic heading that made me make the point.