Helicoptermom

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Munson and Sugar
Munson is 3 year old neutered male, laidback, loveable lump of sweetness. Sugar is 2 year old spayed female filled with anxiety and alpha craziness. She is also on Prozac because she is afraid of wind and sound of raindrops and birds chirping....has gotten better but used to be a real nut case. Right from the beginning at 12 weeks, I could tell she wanted to be alpha so I worked diligently to keep her in line and to keep the order. She has always played rough with Munson and we have worked on that and tried to stop wrestling matches before blood was drawn by Sugar. Lots of issues with her, but here is the top concern. She seems to resource guard me or my husband when we are on the couch. Both dogs are allowed on couch. If Munson is on couch first....usually not a problem with Sugar coming up and joining...although she wants to be between me and Munson. Munson doesnā€™t care and ignores her. If Sugar is on couch first and Munson even looks at the couch, all hell breaks loose and she attacks him like a rabid dog. She is 42 lbs of pure muscle and it takes a while to pull her off Munson. We have tried noise sprays, water bottles....nope,she is in a crazed state. Lately, we have used an old water bottle filled with some pennies and shake it and try to get it in front of her mouth. Even with that, one of us is having to yank her collar. Yesterday, I was sitting in chair with her and my husband was on couch and Munson got up beside him. Sugar leaped like a torpedo from chair to sofa to attack Munson. She never gives a warning and she can appear to be sound asleep. After we drag her off and scold her, she skulks away and goes under coffee table. Our vet who owns bulldogs says we shouldnā€™t allow her on couch at all and she needs to stay on floor. I see her point but feel bad that she feels rejected and fuels jealousy in her. Thoughts? Us on the couch is the trigger because they never fight when they are alone cause we keep a camera on them. She doesnā€™t go ballistic all the time so it is really hard to determine why she is ok sometimes and not at other times, but it does seem that once it happens...it happens two more times that day or evening. We had a trainer come to house for 6 weeks to help with leash aggression and leaping and biting at people after doorbell rings and some time with this couch thing, but it wasnā€™t this bad then. We are open to all suggestions,we love this girl and want peace.
 

oscarmayer

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Start with no more couch for either dog. You gave up your alpha position to her when you allowed her on equal ground. Time to take it back.
 

helsonwheels

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Bang on Chip!!!

And btw I personally would get her OFF Prozac. Lots of studies shows an increase in aggression in mice he day after administered!!
 
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Helicoptermom

Helicoptermom

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Thatā€™s interesting so I will need to research that.
 

helsonwheels

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Thatā€™s interesting so I will need to research that.

If I were you, I sure would be doing that ASAP. As most members know Iā€™m not a pill person. Prozac is just a fast quick chemical fix. Humans shouldnā€™t be on Prozac let alone dogs.... Sorry Iā€™m not for that. Get your dog out there and start working her out. If sheā€™s very active, she needs to burn energy. If sheā€™s afraid of rain, thunder, birds, stand out there with her and comfort her. Walk in the rain, sit beside her etc.. Duke was scare ā€œcrapā€ of thunders, I decided to go sit outside with him for a good 10 thunderstorms, talked to him, itā€™s ok Duke itā€™s ok..and petting him with itā€™s ok while Nyala was playing around. Just a thought!
 

ddnene

EBN's SWEETHEART aka our little GOOB
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Your Sugar sounds like my Willow... Lol Willow likes to resource guard us as well, and it can become an issue. We know her triggers, and as SOON as we see her starting I grab a water bottle, or if I'm too late and they are already into it I get a cookie sheet and throw it down. That will stop her in her tracks... Lol Walter puts up w/it, but sometimes he has had enough.

We have had a personal trainer involved, and her comments ring true. A tired dog is a better behaved dog... we make sure at least twice a day they have a good exercise session w/a short walk and ball time. If Willow really is acting out, I will put her in her crate for a prolonged "time-out"... she knows that she's overstepped her limits.

As far as the couch goes, I agree w/the gang... don't allow them on the couch. Willow gets on the couch, but Walter does not... he has his favorite bed so that hasn't become an issue for us.
 

oscarmayer

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I've successfully used a low dose of a similar drug, Alprazolam, on only one dog and his anxiety issues pale in comparison. Drugs like this serve to mask body language that one might NEED to see in order to ward off an attack. The drug seems to work well up to a point and then BAM...the effects fall of the table.
 

Texas Carol

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Brutus & Cami live in Heaven
Bang on Chip!!!

And btw I personally would get her OFF Prozac.
Lots of studies shows an increase in aggression
in mic the day after administered!!

I ECHO HELENE/CHIP'S WARNINGS ABOUT PROZAC.
TURMED MY LOVING AND GENTLE SPRINGER
INTO A PSYCO. HE TOO, WOULD SNAP WITHOUT
WARNING AND ATTACK OUR OTHER PETS (WHO
HE LOVED). TAKE HER OFF!
 

Manydogs

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[MENTION=15958]Helicoptermom[/MENTION] I know a couple of people who used pheremone collar/plug in, with a dog/cat that just seemed to "flip out" worked well for them, but I have personally never used them.
 

Hankster

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just a warning...... i think......... I dont think you can just take off the prozac cold turkey??? I may be thinking of something else but i would definitely find out if you have to take off slowly ...
 
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Helicoptermom

Helicoptermom

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Munson and Sugar
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Finally, someone who understands what I have been describing! Thank you! So let me ask you this: I donā€™t want to punish Munson and keep him off the couch, so how about just training Sugar not to get up on couch?
 

Hankster

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there is also this great stuff (just air) thats called "pet corrector" . My boy was a bulldozer towards my grandson or anyone actually and i could scream and yell (yea, good training method ) and never catch him before he'ed bowl him over. I did the spray sound a couple of times and walla, i can point to where the bottle 'might' be and he gathers himself for a calmer approach. I know others have used it for stuff as well. It's a miracle worker in my book. and it's just air!!! and you dont spray AT them. Look it up on amazon and you'll get an idea.
 

ddnene

EBN's SWEETHEART aka our little GOOB
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Finally, someone who understands what I have been describing! Thank you! So let me ask you this: I donā€™t want to punish Munson and keep him off the couch, so how about just training Sugar not to get up on couch?

I don't know if it would be a good idea to just punish Sugar... she may become even angrier at Munson, since he would be getting preferential treatment. Maybe keep them BOTH off for awhile, and slowly allow their privileges back if they can behave.

I know in our case Willow becomes jealous if we give Walter TOO much attention, so we make her leave the room so Walter can have solo time. He likes to wrestle w/his dad, and Willow can't seem to let him have ANY fun.
 

Hankster

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oh yea,,,,,, that stuff is just 'corrective behavior'... i wouldnt use to keep off couch cause thats not "naughty", just may break up a fight or distract if you see a trigger.
 

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