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Pecking order: for those with multiple dogs

3K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  Susan_GSD_mom 
#1 ·
I saw this question on another forum and was truly stumped by it.

This guy has maybe 4 huskies and one of them gets picked on incessantly by the others. It's heart-breaking.

How do you stop this behavior?
 
#2 ·
Serious loss of control by guardian!!! Best solution is most likely rehome the dog getting picked on!

Two or More Dogs
https://suite.io/adrienne-farricelli/2t5h2q5

Those links are ones I recommend but this is way over the top!

Carp load of e collars and a pro to train the user is most likely best approach! Be willing to bet that with a second set of eyes, the leader would be found and the other two dogs are following him! So maybe only one collar?
 
#3 ·
When I take my husky, Finder, to our local husky group play date we see something similar. There's one poor white husky girl that is just so unbelievably submissive that she can turn into target practice for one of the dominant females. We (the humans) work strategically to keep those two dogs separate during the off leash play so that both dogs can enjoy their time.

If I were in this man's living situation it sounds like it might be time to go to a crate and rotate style of life. That or do some serious training, both confidence building and behavior correction with his dogs. Def wouldn't let the low totem pole pup take the constant abuse. Would be interesting to know which dog was last added to the pack and what the dynamics were prior.
 
#4 ·
From what I gather, he just rehomed a husky (maybe a foster...I don't know) that was originally being picked on. And after that husky left, the pack began again on a different member...The owner corrects them when they're picking on her but it needs to stop...
 
#6 · (Edited)
Unlike humans, dogs will usually always attack the weak and unstable submissives, they don't protect and nuture them like we do. I've seen it many times, see it sometimes in my own pack. Seen it in dog park situations, also read it here where someone has asked why there submissive GSD is getting attacked at the dog park or why their normally well behaved GSD attacks a submissive dog. Sad to us, but I suppose in dog world it is not sad and is a case of survival of the fittest.

IMO the only way to fix this problem would be to rehome the pup to a home where he/she is the only dog, maybe you could suggest this to the owner? But then I wonder if the submissive pup is removed, would the other 3 then fight for dominance and try to eliminate the next naturally submissive one?
 
#7 ·
Only a one dog household but my parents have had multiple dogs at the same time. Maybe not the popular answer but they let the dogs figure it out. There WILL be a ranking hierarchy among dogs.

Now they did manage some & would not allow a blood bath. Packs are interesting. I guess in extreme cases a dog should be considered to be rehomed for the safety & sanity of all. But in most cases I think it's best to let them be.
 
#19 ·
Same here. Currently I have 2 rescues, neutered male, intact female. The boy came from a very abusive, neglectful background, and for a year lived in a kennel with another intact male, larger and stronger, and my poor boy was regularly beat down and starved. Jade, my female, is an "alpha wannabe," and tries to go after him once in a while. I don't allow it. He lived too long that way, has scars to prove it, and I won't allow her to put him through any more abuse. She knows, and all I have to do now is say her name or give her a body bump out of the way, and she backs off.

Once she realized the boundaries I set for her, she began to relax, and her true, silly, playful personality came through. Have to admit, though, it's much easier with just two, I have done multiples before, with a mixed pack, GSDs and GSD/wolf. Easy to get bit in the middle of a ruckus if you let it escalate that far, but you still have to set the boundaries. I never rehomed a canine because of pack issues, we managed it. How could you rehome and still be fair to BOTH of them?

Susan
 
#14 ·
I don't intervene for the most part with mine. There is a pack order, I know who the top two dogs are and I think the other 4 are still figuring that out. Whenever I think I figured it out one if them does something that makes me change my thought process. They really get along pretty well , Midnite is the most pushiest and the roughest. He usually gets rough with one of the other boys and one of the girls steps in and stops him. Just yesterday he was picking on the one dog and it was getting loud, the other dog decided that he wasn't going go take it, which always throws Midnite off. I turned around to tell them to stop and my oldest female had already stepped in the middle and pulled the smaller dog away. It's something to see. I told her good girl give me high five , she did and went to sleep, her job was done.
 
#16 ·
I don't intervene for the most part with mine. There is a pack order,.
That is good advice! I do intervene and "I" got hurt! My wife would not and my Bull Mastiff would pin the offender to the ground (GSD). But when I was in the middle my GSD saw "me" as a source of empowerment???

If i "ever" have this problem in the future, I will use an E collar and light the offender up like a
christmas tree! Lesson learned!:mad:

But back on topic:
Three Dogs Who Shouldn’t Be at the Dog Park or Daycare | Robin Bennett

This is not a dog park thing but it may help in understanding the "issues"
 
#18 ·
I have a pack of six, one is a JRT, five are German Shepherds, and four of them are intact females. I allow them to correct each other fairly, but put a stop when it goes over the top. Even with four intact bitches, I have never had a "bitch fight" because I monitor all interaction and know where each dog stands. My alpha bitch, Kyniska age 3, and my newest bitch, Indah age 1 1/2, have never fought even though there has been tension. Indah likes to jump my 7month old because she is smaller and, as such weaker, and I put a stop to it when Kyniska doesn't. If Kyniska gets involved, Indah is fairly put in her place. Indah doesn't back talk Kyniska, and if she did, she would be corrected because she isn't alpha.

The only time, recently, when Kyniska went over board, was after Indah did the "shake off" and was back into a thinking state (instead of reactive state) and Kyniska should have backed off, but didn't. I verbally corrected Kyniska, and told her to leave it. Kyniska is pregnant and hormones are playing a role, so she was feeling more need to make her point. Indah got the point without Kyniska needing to over do it, so I stopped Kyniska.

When three of the last litter were visiting, two sisters, one brother, the sisters got into it. Owner of one was very upset and didn't know why they were "fighting." I explained that female A was upset and stressed because brother wouldn't stop humping her and she finally had to tell him off. When puppy B approached and did a normal behavior, female A overreacted causing a disagreement because puppy B didn't appreciate the overreaction. Being sisters there is already sibling issues, so they're more likely to get into it anyway.

My point, having a pack, or even just two dogs, means you need to know what's going on around you with them. NOT just with their pack order. One dog being stressed physically, or mentally, can cause issues. Factor in unstable or dogs with issues, and you REALLY need to know.

It also helps to have knowledge and understanding in their communication as well. What the difference a tail wag means when its stiff vrs flowing. The height its at when its wagging (and even the dog and how their tail normally sits via height). Licks of the tongue, where their eyes are focused, ear set, even add in where their heads are turned all can explain why a dog fight started. It's this knowledge that can prevent a fight, before it starts, or to figure out who to correct if it has started before you can prevent it.
 
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