For the past year, our lab has been living peacefully with a Wheaton Terrier, in fact they have been wonderful playmates. They are fed in the morning and evening at the same time, but in separate rooms because the lab of course eats as fast as he possibly can and the Wheaton eats at a much more leisurely pace. Once both dogs are done and allowed back into the same room, they typically race to the other's bowl to lick the non existent remnants of the other's food.
Now that has changed. When they are both done eating and are allowed in the same room, they go at each other, with the lab being twice the size, he dominates. One eats inside the house and one eats on the porch. We have tried taking one out the back for a while and one out the front for a while, but once they meet again, they fight. Five minutes later, after the fight is broken up, they are pals. And this is only a problem with breakfast and dinner. If they get a treat, they can both sit and wait for the treats without a problem, in the same room, no problem. This fighting is serious, they are known for play fighting quite a bit, but this is fighting, leaving puncture wounds. To my knowledge there was no event that triggered this change. I don't know what to do. Its a problem with food, but why only breakfast and dinner and not treats? I'm so confused, I hope someone can help.
We are taking them to the vet to rule out any health issues that could be causing this. What else should we do?
Maybe a power struggle is happening. I have a 7 year old bichon frise and a 3 month old black lab and the bichon is definetly letting the lab know her place. They dont bite eachother however, the bichon will bark (small dog syndrome) and growl at the pup. The puppy just simply wants to play and the bichon just wants to relax. The dogs are fed in the same room and the bichon gets fed first, goes outside first and gets treats first. The dogs need to know that you are incharge and not them. They need to set their own ranking system and you are the TOP DOG of the pack. If the older one is getting bugged to death and growls or whatever don't punish him or her. If the younger one is the culprit, let him or her know that they are in the wrong. If the Older dog is going out of his way to start something that dog needs to be adressed. I am going through that right now and seems to be working fine for me. However, with aggression it is recommended to seek a behaviourist, dont go at it alone.
After your vet visit I would call in a behaviourist (make sure to get references and accreditations, find someone experienced in aggression). This is not something that can be addressed over an internet forum.
The lab is 9 and the Wheaton is 4. They have been fine together for a year...now this. I don't know which one starts it.
Just talked to Barkbusters in the area, $850 to come to the house, evaluate and supposedly come for as long as it takes to fix the problem. Going to call around and see if there are other options. He is actually in the Tampa/St Petersburg FL area. If anyone has a recommendation, I'm all ears. This is really scary for them to behave this way.
I just remembered that I saw a show on the "SLICE" channel called " At the end of my leash" or something like that. And this couple had two pug-crossed dogs that were not compatible and really aggressive with eachother, ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear, at the end of the show it wasn't the same dogs. It was crazy!!!! The dogs were well trained. The dogs listened to the owners and even the owners were amazed at how well behaved the dogs were. During One test they left the front door open and the two dogs were in the doorway (the host was there to make sure that the dogs were safe) and the goal was to leave through the doorway and go around the house and come in the back. The dogs actually stayed in the doorway with the door open and watched as the owners went out of sight. I could not believe that the dogs were so well behaved!!!!!!!! The trainer had a dog to demonstrate how a well behaved dog should act and the stuff this trainer did was amazing,for instance, he would leave the dog on one side of the street and tell the dog to STAY. Next he would cross the road and make sure it was safe. Once on the other side he used hand signals to get the dog to COME. To avoid a dog that just ran across he also trained the stop on a dime while crossing. Anyway, try and find the show or just look online. I live in Toronto so I don't know if you have access to that channel?
I guess it does not matter what you pay for training, VET bills are not cheap :-\ And you wont have to make the difficult decision of giving one up
The lab is 9 and the Wheaton is 4. They have been fine together for a year...now this. I don't know which one starts it.
Just talked to Barkbusters in the area, $850 to come to the house, evaluate and supposedly come for as long as it takes to fix the problem. Going to call around and see if there are other options. He is actually in the Tampa/St Petersburg FL area. If anyone has a recommendation, I'm all ears. This is really scary for them to behave this way.
Im also not telling her to call BRAD to fix her problems. Give your head a shake : What's good for you might not work on other situations or dogs. Don't be so full of yourself. Are you the PERFECT dog owner???
Im also not telling her to call BRAD to fix her problems. Give your head a shake : What's good for you might not work on other situations or dogs. Don't be so full of yourself. Are you the PERFECT dog owner???
When did I claim to be perfect? Where did I offer my uber-wise, "perfect" advice..?? I didn't even go there, because problems like this cannot be addressed over the internet. There are too many factors, too many idiosyncracies. Trying to give this person advice could very possibly worsen the situation.
Is it my opinion (that I share with many many others) that Brad Pattison is scum and not worth the time of day. PLEASE find a good trainer/behaviourist in your area. This is not a problem that can be addressed and fixed via the internet or TV shows.
After your vet visit I would call in a behaviourist (make sure to get references and accreditations, find someone experienced in aggression). This is not something that can be addressed over an internet forum.
I definitely second this! (or is it third or fourth by now?) Any way, a behaviorist will need to see the interactions between the dogs.
I also agree with kaytris--pick up the food bowls immediately.
Definitely pick up the bowls immediately and definitely talk to a behaviorist. In the meantime, something else to think about... Are you always in the room with them when the fighting occurs? What are you doing at the time? What would happen if you weren't in the immediate area?
I talked to a couple of people in the area. One suggested we put them both on leashes after they eat and walk toward each other, if there is any sign of aggression, immediately walk in the other direction. Basically she said treat them like two little kids fighting. If they are nice, they can be together, otherwise they need to be separate. At a minimum we should do this to avoid any injury. They also immediately said the household is the problem - which I agree with. They are being treated like two spoiled grandchildren. Subsequently the lab is taking the top dog position.
I'm happy to report that last night and this morning went very well. A change in routine, bowls picked up, dogs on leashes and everyone was happy. Obviously we have some issues to work on, but at least there is improvement.
Is it my opinion (that I share with many many others) that Brad Pattison is scum and not worth the time of day. PLEASE find a good trainer/behaviourist in your area. This is not a problem that can be addressed and fixed via the internet or TV shows.
Brad Pattison is a human being and to say he is scum and not worth the time of day is pretty harsh unless he is some kind of ax murderer or serial killer. He may not be what you consider a good behaviorist but that doesn't make him scum. He uses training methods you don't agree with. So what! You people need to learn that if you don't have something nice to say about someone then don't say anything at all. If you cost him business because of what you say he can sue you for slander. Think about that next time you want to bad mouth someone.
kjustiss, I'm glad things are better for you. I think picking up the food bowls after they finish is going to be the biggest help for you. Dogs that are aggressive over food will be agressive over their food bowls as well. They consider them property in a way. If the food bowls are gone they won't have anything to fight over. I also agree with the leash idea until you see that removing the food bowls is working. Good luck and who ever you choose to help you, trainer, behaviorist, whomever, trust their advice, do what they ask and I'm sure everthing will turn out for the best in the end.
Is it my opinion (that I share with many many others) that Brad Pattison is scum and not worth the time of day. PLEASE find a good trainer/behaviourist in your area. This is not a problem that can be addressed and fixed via the internet or TV shows.
Brad Pattison is a human being and to say he is scum and not worth the time of day is pretty harsh unless he is some kind of ax murderer or serial killer. He may not be what you consider a good behaviorist but that doesn't make him scum. He uses training methods you don't agree with. So what! You people need to learn that if you don't have something nice to say about someone then don't say anything at all. If you cost him business because of what you say he can sue you for slander. Think about that next time you want to bad mouth someone.
That's why it was prefaced with "it is my opinion". I am allowed to have and express my opinion where and when I would like. That's the beauty of free speech.
That's why it was prefaced with "it is my opinion". I am allowed to have and express my opinion where and when I would like. That's the beauty of free speech.
Brad Pattison is a human being and to say he is scum and not worth the time of day is pretty harsh unless he is some kind of ax murderer or serial killer. He may not be what you consider a good behaviorist but that doesn't make him scum. He uses training methods you don't agree with. So what! You people need to learn that if you don't have something nice to say about someone then don't say anything at all. If you cost him business because of what you say he can sue you for slander. Think about that next time you want to bad mouth someone.
Brad Pattisons "training" methods provoke VERY strong opinions. Some of what I have seen on that program makes me sick and I know I am not alone in thinking that. When you use "training" methods that go against all the principals of positive learning, people are going to bad mouth you whether you like it or not. Brad Pattison the PERSON may not be 'scum'. Heck, I don't know him from Adam. But his "training" methods in my opinion most certainly are.
Brad Pattisons "training" methods provoke VERY strong opinions. Some of what I have seen on that program makes me sick and I know I am not alone in thinking that. When you use "training" methods that go against all the principals of positive learning, people are going to bad mouth you whether you like it or not. Brad Pattison the PERSON may not be 'scum'. Heck, I don't know him from Adam. But his "training" methods in my opinion most certainly are.
I don't agree with some of his stuff either. But then not every dog can learn through positive training methods. I know we don't like to admit it but there are some problem dogs out there just like there are problems kids. Some of them just need a good whack on the backside.
Brad Pattisons "training" methods provoke VERY strong opinions. Some of what I have seen on that program makes me sick and I know I am not alone in thinking that. When you use "training" methods that go against all the principals of positive learning, people are going to bad mouth you whether you like it or not. Brad Pattison the PERSON may not be 'scum'. Heck, I don't know him from Adam. But his "training" methods in my opinion most certainly are.
I don't agree with some of his stuff either. But then not every dog can learn through positive training methods. I know we don't like to admit it but there are some problem dogs out there just like there are problems kids. Some of them just need a good whack on the backside.
I will agree that not everyone is skilled/patient/considerate enough to teach using positive methods, but every dog can most certainly learn from them.
You have got to be kidding me. Childhood spankings lead to rough intimacy? Who comes up with that stuff. LOL There is nothing wrong with spanking your child. Now, that doesn't mean beat them with a belt or abuse them, there is a big difference. I'm also not suggesting you go out and beat your dog, for goodness sakes... There isn't a trainer out there who hasn't at some time or another swatted a dog he/she is training and if they say they haven't they are lieing. I've heard several on here talk about forced fetching. You end up with a dog who does what you want because you forced it not because it was a positive experience and he loves to fetch.
Get real and stop turning what I said around to mean something it doesn't.
And I don't agree with force fetching either. There are other ways to create an enthusiastic retriever.
A trainer/owner that has swatted a dog is one that has lost patience/gotten frustrated, and corporal punishment is not teaching either a child or an animal anything.
And I don't agree with force fetching either. There are other ways to create an enthusiastic retriever.
A trainer/owner that has swatted a dog is one that has lost patience/gotten frustrated, and corporal punishment is not teaching either a child or an animal anything.
I would hardly call a swat on the backside corporal punishment. Now you are really getting carried away. :
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