Help Needed! puppy aggresion towards older dog

Rural mystic

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Ok friends need some advice. Ace [our Bulldog puppy 11wks old] is very energetic and playful and the mouthing and teething we expected. My question is the aggression he is showing towards our older dog Gabe. Gabe is a two year old neutered Maltese and before I brought Ace home I was concerned that Gabe would be jealous and be a bit too aggressive with Ace but thats not the case. When they are smelling each other Ace will allow Gabe [the maltese] to do so but when Ace wants to smell Gabe the maltese runs and Ace chases and nips at Gabe and has pulled some hair out at times. We always break it up but its impossible to stay with them all the time and prevent before it gets underway. Describing this to the Vet, she after listening carefully and observing their behavior in the examination room said that the problem was not with Ace but with Gabe that Ace's behavior was normal and Gabe's wasn't. That Gabe needed correction because he has learned to get away with unacceptable behavior and that Gabe is the one that really needs most of the correction. She mentioned that much of this they needed to work out themselves and to that to overly correct Ace [the puppy] for normal social behavior could cause the puppy problems down the road. She specifically said that Gabe the older dog was the problem. The vet ascribes to the positive reinforcement training as I do and she thinks submitting the puppy could cause a problem. Even though I ascribe to positive reinforcement the majority of time perhaps more is necessary in some cases. My question is should I submit the pup when he gets aggressive with the older dog and if so how much or do any of your guys have some other ideas that could help as well?
 

linwhite

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Sep 24, 2012
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Guido Zamboni - EB, Zoltan - Shortybull, Zeva - Frenchie
It sounds like Gabe's running makes Ace think it's playtime and bullys play rough so Gabe is probably frightened. I think the Vet is right. It's Gabe who has the problem, not Ace.
 

Davidh

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OK you asked this question on your intro post and I posted a response, so I will just copy it here also.

Welcome to the site and your pup is too cute. As far as the playing goes, it is mostly play. A pup that young really doesn't know when they are getting too rough. They learn this from their mama and other adult dogs. The Maltese is not teaching him this, but instead running away, which to the pup it's chase time. It's up to you to step in when they get too rough and just break it up and redirect the pup to a toy or if they have been playing for over 45 minutes, it's nap time. We crate train all our pups, and they love to go in their crates to get some quiet time and nap. The only time I will pin one is if they fight. Usually when they just get too rough a load "HEY" or "NO" will do the trick. You just need to find what works for you. Pups will be pups and love to play hard, and it's up to you to stop it when it gets too rough.
 
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Rural mystic

Rural mystic

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Thanks Davidh I guess I posted this here before I read your response on my intro page. Your suggestions seem correct to me and its what I have been doing. I let the puppy chase but if gets to the point that it seems it's about to escalate I verbally loudly correct and it if that doesn't work I step in and stop it physically. I have only had to pin the puppy once but have had to break it up numerous times. It helps to be affirmed that I am doing the right thing. Thanks for the reply and advice. I will stick with your suggestions. I am assuming that this sort of behavior will diminish in time with consistence and correction. Also when you need to pin down the dog and submit him do you hold until the dog quits struggling? Seems a redundant question because if they don't calm down they haven't submitted and I think it would cause more problems because the dog wouldn't see you as the leader. Thanks.
 
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Rural mystic

Rural mystic

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We crate train both of our dogs as well. When we go to bed they are locked in their crates and if we leave the home they are both locked in their own crates. We don't let either or both the dogs to roam the home unattended. They both seem to like their crates and will go to them on their own at times to be alone and rest. Ace the puppy bulldog took right to it the Maltese was already crate trained but it was much more difficult to get the Maltese to accept it when he was young. Ace whimpered a bit the first night and that was about it. When I first introduced him to it, I tried to make it a friendly and nice place to be by sitting beside it and playing with him and coaxed him into it with a treat and its gone very well since
 
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Rural mystic

Rural mystic

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Update. Any confirmation, affirmation or further advice will be appreciated. I have been consistently following the advice that Davidh gave a little over a week ago. The dogs are still manifesting the same behavior, it hasn't gotten any worse and maybe a bit better but Ace is growing all the time and so his playing can be rougher due to his size. The two year old neutered maltese [Gabe] will snarl and bite and Ace especially over a treat that he hasn't eaten, and Ace having finished his will try and acquire Gabe's. I understand that and Ace will usually leave him alone. But in all of this its obvious that Gabe views none of this as play and is fearful of Ace. What would otherwise be normal sniffing and rubbing up together Gabe gets tense and growls and if he breaks and runs or jumps on the couch Ace will follow and try to tackle him. I constantly break it up when it appears it will esculate. Either by speaking loudly No or calling Ace to gets his attention. I also may shake a bottle of pennies, or pop an empty cardboard core of aluminum foil to get the dog's attention and they will stop. Other that this one problem I have no issues with Ace. He is well behaved, other than this, is virtually house broken, sleeps the entire night in his crate without fussing, sits on command and comes 80 to 90 % of time when I call. Am I doing all the right things? Is there any other suggestions? Any help or encouragement will be appreciated. Most of the anxiety that this is creating is the fear that it will esculate and get worse as Ace gets bigger and that Gabe might be seriously injured.
 

Scueva

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I've was dealing with the same issue with my g/f chihuaha who's is 3.5#. Bully's play rough and use to run and bite the Chihuahas tail and smell him but inadvertently. Well the chihuaha is 8 and territorial and would lunge at the bulldog and try to bite her face rolls she would think he was playing and flip him over with her big block head. We we closely monitor them as the chihuaha easily be broken in half, I think with time the play style of my bully will ease up.
 
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Rural mystic

Rural mystic

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Ace
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Thanks Starkie and Scueva, for the encouragement and knowing that others are in the same boat and working out the issues effectively
 

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