Two Bully Pups- One starting to get a lil aggressive- HELP
Submitted by stefanie0597 on September 25, 2012 - 2:26pmSo my hubby and I have two bullies. Henry - 8 months old and Leroy 4 months old. Henry was with us first and has started to get a little aggressive at times. Any suggestions as to why or what I am doing wrong? Will it make a huge difference once Henry is has been Neutered???? Help!
Can you explain a bit more about his agression?
Is it towards you? His brother? Other dogs? Other people ? Everyone?
Maybe a bit more on what kind of behaviour he's exhibiting?
Thank-you for responding.
Thank-you for responding. Henry is being aggressive towards his brother. It's not all the time, just over a toy or when he seems to be territorial with either me or my husband. They play together very very well and seem to love each other but he "went after" Leroy twice yesterday and I don't know how to stop it or what I am doing wrong that is not "alpha" behavior and is allowing Henry to think he can act this way. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Your younger boy could be sending signals that...
Henry sees and doesn't like and then he gets aggressive. Sometimes it's hard to read them, but you have to learn to look for the trigger that sets him off. We had that happen with our two neutered boys several years ago and we hired a trainer to come in and observe them. Turned out the one we thought was innocent wasn't. The aggressor was just responding to his body language. Where are you located? Maybe someone on here can recommend a trainer in your area.
I'm not an expert but others are
But it sounds to me like he's trying to show you ALL that he's the boss. He's dominating his brother because he has a feeling he can get away with it (rather than being a brat with you).
You are right to nip this in the bud. When he acts this way, you have to make it clear to him this is not acceptable. Don't punish him by hitting him (not that it sounds like you ever would) or even by putting him in his crate. But you can "punish" him by denying things that he wants. If they are fighting over a toy, take it away immediately and don't give it back for a while. If it's a food thing, keep them separate. If it's a mummy daddy thing, don't let him up on the sofa with you - make him stay on the floor. Make it a treat for him to join you. Eventually, he'll get it.
Hopefully, some of the real behaviour experts will chime in here.
But you might have to bribe them with pics of Henry and Leroy... :)
As Explained to me
in the past this is not what would be considered Alpha behavior. An Alpha does not attack, they don't need too. It was explained to me as he is being a "bully" no pun intended :).
So Celine gave you some good things to do. If he is taking away toys then they lose the toy priviledge, it you let them on the couhc now, stop it, as well as the bed. They sleep in their own crates or beds, not yours. If you haven't taught them the basic commands like sit, stay, down, then start. Us training treats and you can do it any time during the day. While your making dinner, they sit and stay, then each gets a training treat. They must stay in their own space when you give the treat, if they move then it is a sit stay again, then treat.
Also if you have not taught them to "give" then you need to. Give ... meaning give the toy, or waht ever it is they have that you want. You can start this by trading. They give you the toy...you trade for a different toy or treat. eventually they will give or "drop" on command.
I do use the crate as a time out place, you have to have a space for timeouts. The crate is their space, same as a timeout chair for a child. It's a spot, not a spot for punishment, but their place.
If one is bad and they squabble over a bone....it's a command like "Nawwwwwww Badddddd" in a low toned firm voice and then "go to bed". They both go to bed. I will after a few minutes give them back each a toy. Depending on what I'm doing I may let each out again, or separately.
My 3 rarely squabble, but sometimes they do. Ester and Kohl take toys away from MacKenzie and sometimes he doesn't give in, so they squabble...and Kohl tends to hover over Ester, which can piss her off, which sometimes cause a squabble, or he sits and barks at her. So I have to monitor and give him his own toy.
They always want what the others have.
I would also get the older guy neutered soon and contact an animal behaviorist before this escalates. For now they should play separately with toys to avoid any conflicts. And always feed seperately either in separate rooms or separate crates.