HELP, huggs aggression is getting too much/New baby due soon
We are working right now to tweek pack order, hoping to establish Rico above Huggs, but its hard because Rico is the most submissive dog ever! We are having a consult with a dog behaviorist (gasp, its the wrong time of year to think about doling out more cash, espically after the 300 vet bill) We love huggs sooo much, and we love Rico too. I wouldent want to think Huggs would hurt a baby, i doubt he would. We have taken steps to show his order, we eat, then Rico then huggs, no Huggs on furniture or bed (its killing me too) no tolerence for aggressive behavior.... and so on. The past 2 days he has been quiet and pretty good.... i hope it lasts. Any Suggestions? Help? maybe more exersize? different food? more strict rules at home? Huggs Mom |
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| Sorry to hear about Rico's injury! I have been in your shoes before. I don't think Huggs will harm the baby - but you will need to be extremely careful - even if Huggs doesn't mean harm to the baby (or other children) they could get in the middle of one of his squabbles with Rico.
I read the book "The Dog's Mind" when I was having some problems with Presley fighting with the other dogs (they had returned from a week at a kennel and all he** was breaking loose when they returned). I made some adjustments - who went out first, who I pet first, who I greeted first, etc. It seemed to help. However, in my family, Brittney was always the alpha - and she regained that role. Ultimately - the dog's decide for themselves and if Rico doesn't have that Alpha personality - he may never take over as leader. The behaviorist is a good idea. Has Huggs been through positive reinforcemen training/obedience classes already? If not - I would enroll him asap! I would feed Huggs low-protein food (high protein can lead to aggression problems). I would definately go ahead with more exercise - a tired dog is a good dog! Eliminate all possible triggers (no bones, toys, etc. - if that's what they fight over). Hang in there! Good Luck with everything! Please keep us posted! Kristen |
| How long have these two been co-habitating? When Kiera was added to our household, She and Tyler had quite a few good sessions, and someone always came away bloody, not to stitches, but bloody all the same. To make a long story short, it is a year and a half later and they seem to get along just fine now. Only food will trigger something and that is even rare.
Good luck. |
| I don't have any suggestions really, but I hope everything works out... are both your dogs neutered/spayed? It could be a hormonal thing. Also, a woman's pregnancy pheromones sometimes can affect a pets' temperment. I had one cat that began attacking other pets in the house when I was pregnant with my third child. She attacked everything and we could find no reason for it, but once my son was born, she stopped. |
| "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithul and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion"
Anonymous I love that saying!! I have never heard that before. I am going to resite that to my teenager when he doesn't want to do pet choirs! Sorry, I don't have much experience with that but it seems like if he can tolerate a 4yr old he could tolerate a baby. But like I said, I don't have much experience. good luck, there are a lot of people who are very good on this site and I'm sure you will get some very good advise!! Good luck! |
| Both dogs neutered, we feed Nutro natural choice ultra.
He does very very well with our 4 year old, I guess the question is how will he take a new pack member? He came into our pack with the two kids already here, and Rico already had been with us a few months. I wonder if the baby will represent a new member and possible threat to his place in the pack. He seems to understand other ppls temperments, espically our 4 year old who has sensory processing disorder, and he moves around that. Like i said, I dont worry so much that he will do this, but it seems to concern other ppl so much that its gotten to me. We will start working with the behaviorist after the new year, and see how that goes. I really want him to stop picking on Rico and cant much afford to keep having him stitched up. 
I love all my kids, furless or not I love reading the posts though and am working on new ways to help huggs |
| Hi ,
The best of luck with everything. My ole dog Blue was not that thrilled having a new four legged brother (Panda) in the household although he had accepted Merlin whom was only 8 wks when he joined us. I used to do educational pet talks for our local Humane Society for a few years. I'd mention that dogs have a "code of law" whereas the adults would never attack a puppy..as it's against their "code". Dicipline - YES with a growl or nip to put a rowdy pup in it's place but never attack. Some dogs sadly just like people will break this code. With older dogs they do challenge one another for top spot and it's better to let them sort it out for themselves although best to eliminate possible triggers. Panda and Blue still have challenges for second spot but I know that eventually they will get along as each can now lay along side each other in the evenings. My trainer had told me that you can choose whom is going to be Alpha in the household which Blue as the old man of the group and first one in the house did retain ..but only for a short time. Blue, like your dog was very submissive and as Merlin grew up he eventually retained the Alpha position. Sometimes you have to let nature take it's place. It would be very rare for a sheepie to attack a baby although you always have to supervise if the baby "may need dicipling" in their eyes. Not so when they are newborns but at the toddler age, when they are most likely to bug the dogs. Hang in there - it's possible for everyone to live in harmony and best of luck with your new baby and the training. Marianne |
| Good luck with your new baby. We got a lot of advise about babies and OES on a post we made a while ago, "OES and Babies" where members kindly explained how to reduce aggression issues when the new baby comes, maybe you can find some advise there. |
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