Help me male aggression!!!?

Question

I have three dogs. Two we have had for a while. One (female) is about a year and a half and the other (male) is about a year both are fixed. A month ago someone dropped off a six week old puppy in our neighborhood so we took her in and are keeping her because our female treats her like her own pup. The male has snapped at the puppy twice. I know that just snapping at her is just him teaching her boundries as all dogs teach pups but he has bite her twice causing her to bleed in the face. Last night I had to rush her to the ER. She was fine just a small puncture but I can't let this happen again. How can I make him stop biting her. We show him all kinds of affection and give him plenty of alone time. When he is bad we make him lay down and submit. I know that he should not be showing any dominent tendancies because my husband and I are the "alpha dogs" what can I do?

Answer 1

I believe the problem is that she is a puppy and he's practically full-grown. He's trying to put her in her place but the bitting is going way too far. If there's any way to keep them separated when you can't keep an eye on them, do it. When she's about 6 months old he should calm down. Until then all you can do is watch them.

Answer 2

The aggressive male is jealous of the pup because the female is spending more time with it. He sees it as a threat and is probably going continue to do so until the pup grows a bit and is able to fight back. Also, a male dog will not see a female human as "alpha" in any capacity. To him, you're still female. They will either work it out between themselves or you'll have to find a nice home for the pup.

Answer 3

I wouldn't worry about "alpha" anything. Instead of feeling like you have to constantly show your male dog "who's boss", which creates an aversive relationship, just be sure that you separate the male dog from the pup. Don't ever give your dogs a chance to fight. Since the male dog has given you this information ("I don't like that puppy") it's up to you to be responsible by keeping them apart.
Reward your male dog with special treats when the puppy is around. You can change his association from bad to good by simply rewarding him. Do this now whenever you can, and you won't have fighting dogs later.

Answer 4

Well most importanly make sure that you give everyone equal attention because animals do get jeulas. Then give them treatrs when they play woth each other in a nice way. Also let them take their time in getting to know each oter because if you rush them it might get worse. Maybe let them have thier space and show them that each other is nice but if they dont want to hang out together they dont have to. Good Luck!!

Answer 5

You may have to separate them for some of the day. He may be jealous of the female's attention to the puppy & needs time alone with her.

Answer 6

get him a halti (or a muzzle if you are really worried) and walk him by the puppy make sure that you are far enough away that the halti will gently pull his head down and stop him. or you could get him a training collar and correct him with a firm tug on the leash when whe snaps at the puppy.

Answer 7

What Is Canine Rivalry?
Canine rivalry refers to repeated conflicts between dogs living in the same household. Animals that live in social groups establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy normally serves to maintain order, reduce conflict and promote cooperation among group members. Conflicts arise between household dogs when there is instability in the hierarchy, that is, when the ranking or social position of each dog is not clear or is in contention. Initially, dogs may only snarl, growl or snap without injuring each other. Sometimes, however, the conflict may intensify into prolonged bouts of dangerous fighting which may result in one or both dogs being injured.

Getting Professional Help
Ongoing canine rivalry is potentially dangerous since the dogs could be severely injured, as well as family members, if they become the object of redirected aggression when the dogs are fighting. Because resolving rivalry problems requires managing the dogs' somewhat complex social behaviors, it's often necessary for owners to obtain assistance from a professional animal behaviorist (see our handout: "A Guide to Finding Professional Help for Animal Behavior Problems"). Animal behaviorists are trained to observe, interpret and modify animal behavior.

Why Conflict Occurs
Conflicts* between household dogs usually develop when the ranking of each dog is not clear or is in contention. This may occur if:

You attempt to treat both dogs equally, rather than supporting the dominant dog's position.
You interrupt or interfere with the dominant dog's ability to control the preferred items (food, toys, beds, attention) in his environment by giving preferential treatment to the subordinate dog(s).
You prevent the dogs from expressing the signals and ritualized behaviors that establish dominance.
A new animal has been introduced into the house.
A resident animal has died or no longer lives in the house.
A resident animal is re-introduced after an absence.
A young, subordinate dog reaches social maturity (usually between ten months and two years of age).
A dominant dog ages and cannot maintain his dominant status. Understanding Dominance Behavior And Social Structure
You cannot choose which dog you want to be dominant. The dogs will establish this among themselves, and any attempt to interfere may result in increased conflict. Where each dog ranks in the dominance hierarchy is determined by the outcomes of interactions between the dogs themselves.

Determining which dog is dominant: Individual personality, as well as breed characteristics, are important factors. The dog that demands to be fed first, petted first and through the door first is usually the dominant dog. Remember that the rankings may be different in different contexts (one dog may control food, while another may control resting places) and they may change over time.
How dominance is established: Dogs usually establish their dominance hierarchies through a series of ritualized behaviors that include body postures and vocalizations that don't result in injury. One dog may "stand over" another by placing his paws or neck on the shoulders of the other. However, because of past experiences, inadequate socialization or genetic temperament tendencies some dogs may, with very little warning, escalate dominance displays into aggression. If this occurs, call our Dog Behavior Helpline at 696-4941, Ext. 346 or your veterinarian for a referral to a professional animal behaviorist.
Dealing With Rivalry Problems
If the dogs involved are intact males or females, spay or neuter both dogs.
Determine each dog's dominance status relative to each other. Remember, this ranking is based on the behavior of the dogs, and not what ranking you prefer.
Support the dominance hierarchy. You need to support whatever dominance hierarchy or "pecking order" your dogs establish for themselves. Don't undermine their hierarchy by attempting to treat them equally or by preventing the dominant dog from asserting his position. Dominant dogs can, and should, be allowed to take toys away from subordinate dogs, to push in to receive attention and petting from the owner, to control favorite sleeping places, toys and other valuable resources (from the dogs' point of view). Support the dominant dog's status by allowing this to occur.
Make sure that all of the humans in your household occupy the top of the dominance hierarchy by practicing "Nothing in Life is Free" (see our handout: "Nothing in Life is Free"). This provides stability at the top of the dominance hierarchy, which will help the dogs sort out their lower places in the pecking order more peacefully.
Never, under any circumstances, attempt to break up a fight between dogs by grabbing their collars or inserting any of your body parts between them. If you feel you must break up a fight between dogs, do so by squirting them with a hose (outdoors), or squirting them with a vinegar/water mixture from a squirt bottle (indoors).
With the help of a professional animal behaviorist, elicit and reinforce non-aggressive behaviors using counter conditioning and desensitization techniques. These procedures must be designed and tailored to specifically meet the needs of each individual case and require professional in-home help.
You should be aware that if you respond to this type of problem inappropriately, you run the risk of intensifying the problem and potentially causing injury to either yourself, your dogs or both.
Punishment Will Not Solve The Problem
Punishment can actually make the problem worse. We encourage you to seek assistance from your veterinarian regarding: spaying and neutering your pet; evaluating the health status of your dogs; and for a referral to a professional animal behaviorist. Rivalry and fighting problems can usually be resolved so that you and your dogs can live together in peace.