PucciNPoni
Well-Known Member
Please please please someone with behaviourist expertise come back to me with some advice before I kill Merly. He's doing my nut in with his fighting!!!!
My min poodle came to me last August at ten months old (he's now about 22 months old). He's neutered and he was socialised within a pack where he was bottom of the pecking order. He started picking on my border terrier chester, who by his own rights, can be a bit of a fighter himself. However, I have been observing very carefully and it's not him that's starting the fights! He is a very sociable dog, loves meeting new ones. I never worry about him having a go when he meets new dogs. Nor do I worry about him with people. He's very loving normally, but he is agressive with my older two dogs! This started about a week after he arrived with us, but then stopped for ages. There had been no fights for easily six months or so...until....
Two weeks ago we were on holiday in a rented house. Merlin really stepped over the line on the first night there - he attacked -- I mean really attacked! my old girl - a 15 1/2 year old minature pinscher - over her chew treat. They all got one, but as she's not got many teeth, she's slower to consume hers. He must have been hawking her like always does, and suddenly right behind me I heard this fighting commotion - thought it was the usual suspects, Chester and Merlin. But I saw Merlin pinning her to the ground, her neck in his mouth and he was shaking her like a rag doll!!!! So broke the fight up, gave him a telling off and sent him outside with my husband before I did something I might regret.
Last night he was at it again. This time there was no food or toys - but I was not long in the door. My husband had been in for a bit and I was speaking to him and saying hello to the dogs. I had to keep shoving Merlin back who wouldn't let me say hello to the other two (he shoulders in and knocks everyone else flying cos he wants all the attention for himself). I usually refuse to speak or touch him when he does this, just wait til he's sitting patiently and then make a huge fuss. However, yesterday I had to physically remove him from my lap as he was being so bolshy.
Two minutes later, he and Chester went galloping off down the hall together. Chester tripped and fell over and Merlin went in for the kill - grabbing him by the throat and started shaking his head! Chester was screaming his head off (such a wooos for a Border Terrier...) but it was still really disturbing. I went down the hall, grabbed Merlin off Chester, but Merlin was locked on and I literall ended up picking Chester up by Merlin's TEETH! Got him loose, told him off and sent him outside by himself.
WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?!?! I probably will ring my behaviourst guy that has helped me in the past with Chester. But I would love some advice in the mean time! Things that I have done have been to make sure he's bottom of the pack - he's fed last, he's in the doorways last. He is the last one to be spoken to when I come in.
My min poodle came to me last August at ten months old (he's now about 22 months old). He's neutered and he was socialised within a pack where he was bottom of the pecking order. He started picking on my border terrier chester, who by his own rights, can be a bit of a fighter himself. However, I have been observing very carefully and it's not him that's starting the fights! He is a very sociable dog, loves meeting new ones. I never worry about him having a go when he meets new dogs. Nor do I worry about him with people. He's very loving normally, but he is agressive with my older two dogs! This started about a week after he arrived with us, but then stopped for ages. There had been no fights for easily six months or so...until....
Two weeks ago we were on holiday in a rented house. Merlin really stepped over the line on the first night there - he attacked -- I mean really attacked! my old girl - a 15 1/2 year old minature pinscher - over her chew treat. They all got one, but as she's not got many teeth, she's slower to consume hers. He must have been hawking her like always does, and suddenly right behind me I heard this fighting commotion - thought it was the usual suspects, Chester and Merlin. But I saw Merlin pinning her to the ground, her neck in his mouth and he was shaking her like a rag doll!!!! So broke the fight up, gave him a telling off and sent him outside with my husband before I did something I might regret.
Last night he was at it again. This time there was no food or toys - but I was not long in the door. My husband had been in for a bit and I was speaking to him and saying hello to the dogs. I had to keep shoving Merlin back who wouldn't let me say hello to the other two (he shoulders in and knocks everyone else flying cos he wants all the attention for himself). I usually refuse to speak or touch him when he does this, just wait til he's sitting patiently and then make a huge fuss. However, yesterday I had to physically remove him from my lap as he was being so bolshy.
Two minutes later, he and Chester went galloping off down the hall together. Chester tripped and fell over and Merlin went in for the kill - grabbing him by the throat and started shaking his head! Chester was screaming his head off (such a wooos for a Border Terrier...) but it was still really disturbing. I went down the hall, grabbed Merlin off Chester, but Merlin was locked on and I literall ended up picking Chester up by Merlin's TEETH! Got him loose, told him off and sent him outside by himself.
WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?!?! I probably will ring my behaviourst guy that has helped me in the past with Chester. But I would love some advice in the mean time! Things that I have done have been to make sure he's bottom of the pack - he's fed last, he's in the doorways last. He is the last one to be spoken to when I come in.
, come home, ignore and let outside, the excitment of your entering is over with, you can calmaly treat or stroke when they are back in from the garden in a low key manor, begin to block all attempts of over excitemnt in all areas by point blanc ignoring the attempts, no talk,no touch, no eye contact at these times, and if said dog pushes it, then take his collar, and remove to another room, repeat this until he gets the gist he only stays when he is calm and setles, when he is calm then a quick calm stroke or treat is enough of a reward, if you do choose to stroke him, so so on your terms and stop wheneer you like, if he pushes for more ignore completely, he will go off and settle if he does not get what he wants.
