HELP! Please.........Scary for me

[bulldogs4me]

I knew you guys would come through :-) I have read and will read all posts and will do what it takes to make this transition work, though it does sound that some of it may last a lifetime

Not really, it's all about the training you do and the rules you set ... I have 3 in the house, my two bulldogs and my sons lab and in my home I am top dog, I feed them all at the same time in the same room, they do of course have their set spots but the #1 rule is no one can touch someone else's dish when it has food in it!! I am always close by during feeding time to enforce the rules but I can walk into my kitchen or whatever and Molly & Ally (the fast eaters) will eat their food step away from the dish and pass each other look at the others dish and walk over and sit just a little bit behind Diesel who is most often still eating and wait for him to walk away. It took time and I still have to be consistent with reminding them of their boundaries but once you establish clear rules, boundaries and limitations and they understand what is expected of them it will become a habit for them!! I now have them trained well enough that if Diesel leaves food in his dish, Molly & Ally will walk up look in see the food and look to me for direction ... which is always "leave it" so that Diesel can finish his portion.

Once you start setting and enforcing the rules they will start looking more and more to you for direction ... just remember its all about consistency!!!!

 

[gunnyboy]

When we brought Lu LU home she was the same way, if Sarge would get near us she pounced on him and we had to pull her off him. When she would do it again we would flip her over and hold her down, after a few times of that she stopped now Sarge and LuLu are best friends and never fight with each other. That trick was one that davidh suggest we try and it worked for us.

 

[luseaann]

The ladies do not fight over food, but over my attention. When this happens, it can get quite violent. I give them a "time out" by shutting them in separate rooms if they both participate. Liz seems to have learned to not lose her temper and fight back so she will not get a time out. Amy, on the other hand, is normally the growly puss who starts everything so she does get a time out. I make sure to tell her several times time out. I also use the leash, but rarely need to actually put it on her, she goes willingly.

Sometimes I can catch the warning signs early and either tell them no or be good girrrrl! Also try distracting them with a can with coins or something.

 

[loveabully]

with my female & male I can give them toys an they will play nice she still growls at him but she likes it she will put it in his face an then growl at him she's weird but with bone I have to keep them separate they've never fought but they still growl an she runs from him as he is biting her legs. For you I would put them in different rooms when they have good chewy treat that will help a lot.

 

[sweetpeasmom2008]

I don't know anything about this kind of stuff just wanted to say I hope things get better!

 

[mabel lou]

Well I am sure since he has been locked up all the time this is all new to him. I almost positive that any treat to him is like very exciting and confusing at the same time. I can't imagine someone offering treats to an animal that they have locked up all the time in a cage but it could happen I guess. Maybe your girl just wants to let him know that she was first and although as wrong as it may seem it kind of makes sense. She probably is willing to share things on her terms and you either agree or not with her behavior. If not then you decide the terms of how it will be to have peace in your home among both of these dogs. Good luck and I hope things work out perfect for you.

 

[EmmittPylate]

Hmmm I probably wouldn't give them treats together. Sounds like she was trying to be alpha and show him that she is seniority and she gets the treats.

 

[LynnA]

I can't offer any help, just have Otis here but I wish you the best and sounds like you have gotten great advice above.

 

[LisaMarie]

Wow!! That sure was a scary moment!! It will take some time, but you can do this!! For now be vigilant and step in at the first sign of possessiveness. Make a loud noise like "NO!" or "ENOUGH" This will startle her and after a while she will associate the loud word with something uncomfortable for her. It takes commitment but you can do this. As someone said here, they are like children learning whats right and whats wrong.

 

[dalmatina38]

Everyone gets along just fine in our house unless one has something remarkable and the other one wants it. This goes for the 13 year old Dane or Amber and has been that way for the past 16 years that I have had multiple dogs. When it comes to treats larger than small ones they can each sit and eat without the other taking it, I separate them until they are all finished. We had a knock down drag out over deer antlers not too long ago because I forgot all about some that were laying around. The Dane took Ambers antler and Amber decided she was going to get it back; Amber being short latched on to the Danes leg and it was on. We separated them, no one got hurt but we did make sure no more antlers were laying around. My moto is "divide and conquer." Each is fed in a separate location not in eyesight of each other and when no food is involved they are best buddies. Good Luck and I hope it all works out.

 

[Dubbiedog]

@Dubbiedog Cleo will get that way with Mac sometimes and she will eventually learn, she has been a mommy's only until now! the only thing different that I would possibly suggest in the future would be perhaps to put her in the crate instead of Tio. She was the one who started it after all and he's lived a life of cruelty stuck in a cage 24/7 doing that when she's the aggressor could possibly show him that he's the problem maybe? Please, please don't think i'm being rude in anyway, it was just the fiirst thing that popped into my head when i read that you crated him instead and I just thought, poor baby he probably thinks he's in trouble now. Mac has never even growled at Cleo, i swear I've never heard him growl EVER, it is always her who starts the fights. And chews the kids toys. and my couch.

I just want to say a huge Thank you to all who have responded and I have read every post and already implemented much of the advice and am seeing some progress. I have always been totally consistant with Dubbie. she is a super sociable girl and goes everywhere and is invited everywhere. We have never heard her growl either. She does't like Tio to get attention from me and of course he is stuck to me like Velcro. This is a first for all of us and as I try to "train" my husband that I'm not being cruel to Dublin by discipling her we have had a few words. I need all of his support right now and he is feeling "bad" for Dubbie. It's tough but I know what I have to do. I just want to clarify something. Tio was not crated all day. He in fact "ran wild" with 46 other Bullies and he has all the scars to show for it.:crying:. He loves his crate ( go figure) and willingly goes in and relaxes and sleep. Dublin is crate trained also but we have not had occassion for her to go in for quite some time. She will go in by herself and play and chill. I always understood not to use the crate as a punishment and I never have. It is considered a "good" place in our home. I will continue to read all of the advice. P.S> the housebreaking is going well . We just can't figure out where this boy gets his capacity to love and be soooo sweet when you know what he has been through but we are totally grateful.

 

[sweetpeasmom2008]

So glad housebreaking is getting better! Thats a big battle in it self!

 

[Tooleysmom]

. We just can't figure out where this boy gets his capacity to love and be soooo sweet when you know what he has been through but we are totally grateful.

I am positive that they know they have been saved and are in a place of caring and love.