Post by Brooke on Jul 31, 2004 0:28:58 GMT -5
The two NILIF threads should bring a little more clarity as far as how to sort out your pecking order. Hopefully some others can add more to this. You basically are going to have to be like gorrilla glue on their butts for awhile. Don't let anything remotely uncomfortable for you slide. If you don't like it... stop it immediately. Do not hesitate. Give them a command and enforce it until you release.
Dogs are dogs, behavior and all. A good way to get you through this is to think about it as if you had the experience of watching your child get picked on by a bully at school. Think about how that would make you feel. You don't have to freak out of course but it's ok to let them know it is not acceptable and to be firm. Also doesn't mean you have to be loud all the time or yell but in more intense cases it gets the point acrossed. Especially if you don't do it often
You just have to tighten up on the instigator and teach them the correct way to act around the others. Same rules for all but be very strict with the problem dog.
Some dogs just need to learn it's not acceptable, not because they are bad dogs but because they are just going by instinct. Domestication has not clearly defined all lines for many dogs so it is our job to show them the correct behavior when they don't understand. The best thing you can do is lay a good foundation that you can earn their respect and trust instead of allowing them to run the show.
Alpha dogs eats first, thats YOU. They should not sit around watching you. Send them to another room to lay down. It's ok if they are in a place you can watch them but they should not be permitted to beg.
THEN pecking order down the line. (You may have said you already do this I can't remember)
Put them all in a sit stay or down stay. Set down all their food and release Patti, then beta dog and last omega dog. Since Asim seems as though he's a pretty easy going dog I'd be inclined to think he'd be ok with omega dog position. Free seems as though she's gonna fight for what she can get though so it seems as though beta dog she is. You don't have to wait for them to finish although you can (and it may be easier) just as long as they are released to eat in order.
If they get up too soon pick the bowl up make them return to the spot or position, go to set the bowl down and continue till you get them waiting. I would separate them all at eating times anyway. I always fed my girls on opposite sides of a baby gate. They eat right next to eachother and still see eachother.
Some people spit in their dogs food just to leave alpha scent on it. Kind of like marking their territory. Kind of insinuates that you are allowing them to eat YOUR food. They all should ALWAYS earn their food. Make them sit or do downstays till you give the release to eat. The food is the reward...hence you being part of laying the foundation.
If you all are going outside or even through a doorway inside or gate make them sit till you walk and release them after you have passed.
This of course is not something you would always see in a pack, that the alpha enters first but it just re-emphasizes that command and enforcement. You need rules and you need to enforce them. You also of course need praise along with it. I would do downstays all day when I am with them. They can be short ones at speratic times but I would set aside sometime to monitor a long one at least once or twice a day. 20-45 mins depending on how much you can spare.
I would also work with them together and since there are dominance problems I would have Patti and Free both wearing pinch collars. Work with them both on "leave it". This may also be good to recruit your s/o for a little distraction training eventually. We can help you with that if you want more info on it. They both need to learn that when you say "leave it" that they drop the issue and continue on or go lay down. Something to that effect.
Because of the issues keep them off the furniture. (This is a big one for these types of problems.) Even if they may not fight over resting areas it still elevates their status and it won't help things if they think they have run of the house in this manner. NO FURNITURE PERIOD.
If you hear or see any threats I would immediately toss the instigator in their crate for a few minutes, or send them to a corner in a long downstay in another area away from the attention. They should be separated but the instigator is the one who should be punished. Do not allow any growling, lip curling or staring.
Don't keep toys out they should be rewards. They also should have one on one time with you.
Staring is a big one many people don't catch. It is a VERY dominant behavior. It can be in a sense an instigation or meant as a threat. Just like when a bully at school stares them down. It is meant to intimidate. The less willful dog will look away first. A submissive dog does not stare or look in the eyes, they will always look away first if look at all.
Dogs are dogs, behavior and all. A good way to get you through this is to think about it as if you had the experience of watching your child get picked on by a bully at school. Think about how that would make you feel. You don't have to freak out of course but it's ok to let them know it is not acceptable and to be firm. Also doesn't mean you have to be loud all the time or yell but in more intense cases it gets the point acrossed. Especially if you don't do it often
You just have to tighten up on the instigator and teach them the correct way to act around the others. Same rules for all but be very strict with the problem dog.
Some dogs just need to learn it's not acceptable, not because they are bad dogs but because they are just going by instinct. Domestication has not clearly defined all lines for many dogs so it is our job to show them the correct behavior when they don't understand. The best thing you can do is lay a good foundation that you can earn their respect and trust instead of allowing them to run the show.
Alpha dogs eats first, thats YOU. They should not sit around watching you. Send them to another room to lay down. It's ok if they are in a place you can watch them but they should not be permitted to beg.
THEN pecking order down the line. (You may have said you already do this I can't remember)
Put them all in a sit stay or down stay. Set down all their food and release Patti, then beta dog and last omega dog. Since Asim seems as though he's a pretty easy going dog I'd be inclined to think he'd be ok with omega dog position. Free seems as though she's gonna fight for what she can get though so it seems as though beta dog she is. You don't have to wait for them to finish although you can (and it may be easier) just as long as they are released to eat in order.
If they get up too soon pick the bowl up make them return to the spot or position, go to set the bowl down and continue till you get them waiting. I would separate them all at eating times anyway. I always fed my girls on opposite sides of a baby gate. They eat right next to eachother and still see eachother.
Some people spit in their dogs food just to leave alpha scent on it. Kind of like marking their territory. Kind of insinuates that you are allowing them to eat YOUR food. They all should ALWAYS earn their food. Make them sit or do downstays till you give the release to eat. The food is the reward...hence you being part of laying the foundation.
If you all are going outside or even through a doorway inside or gate make them sit till you walk and release them after you have passed.
This of course is not something you would always see in a pack, that the alpha enters first but it just re-emphasizes that command and enforcement. You need rules and you need to enforce them. You also of course need praise along with it. I would do downstays all day when I am with them. They can be short ones at speratic times but I would set aside sometime to monitor a long one at least once or twice a day. 20-45 mins depending on how much you can spare.
I would also work with them together and since there are dominance problems I would have Patti and Free both wearing pinch collars. Work with them both on "leave it". This may also be good to recruit your s/o for a little distraction training eventually. We can help you with that if you want more info on it. They both need to learn that when you say "leave it" that they drop the issue and continue on or go lay down. Something to that effect.
Because of the issues keep them off the furniture. (This is a big one for these types of problems.) Even if they may not fight over resting areas it still elevates their status and it won't help things if they think they have run of the house in this manner. NO FURNITURE PERIOD.
If you hear or see any threats I would immediately toss the instigator in their crate for a few minutes, or send them to a corner in a long downstay in another area away from the attention. They should be separated but the instigator is the one who should be punished. Do not allow any growling, lip curling or staring.
Don't keep toys out they should be rewards. They also should have one on one time with you.
Staring is a big one many people don't catch. It is a VERY dominant behavior. It can be in a sense an instigation or meant as a threat. Just like when a bully at school stares them down. It is meant to intimidate. The less willful dog will look away first. A submissive dog does not stare or look in the eyes, they will always look away first if look at all.