Dogs won't get along?

Question

First off, my dogs and my brother's dog are sweet and loving pets. They love people and his dog loves my parent's dog (it's the only dog she will put up with). My brother's dog is a pitbull, not that it really matters, and she's VERY strong. He keeps her in the house on a leash because my mom doesn't like her going upstairs, due to her being so strong.

Anywho, I took one of my dogs over last week and she (my brother's dog) would not stop barking and trying to pretty much eat him. My dog flipped and he lunged at her too. That was the first time I saw both of them behave that way. I tried introducing her to my other dog today, and again she lunged at him and tried to bite him. She even tried to bite me when I got in the middle of it ( I know, stupid, but I'd do anything to protect my dog). My dog just sat there and didn't move, and he eventually went upstairs when I told him to.

I really don't know what to do. She is soooo hard to control and I'm afraid someone's pet will get hurt. Any advice as to acclimating her to more dogs, how to socialize her more without being afraid that she'll lunge at a random dog when she goes for walks? I worked with her when he first got her, but I got so caught up and busy with school that I just couldn't go over anymore. I know there are training classes and such, does anyone know of any good and cheap trainers in Colorado?

Oh, and he's in a wheelchair, so he can't really hold her... my dad takes her for walks and he can barely keep her in control because she's pure muscle.

Thanks in advance!

woahinkian · Accepted Answer

Sorry, I don't who you can get to train the dogs, but I do know the behavior can be changed.

If you want to try introducing the dogs to one another, do it outside, away from either dog's house or car.  Have someone help you by taking one of the dogs. Put them both on choke chains with strong leashes, Make them heel and hold the leashes way down, next to the collars.  Don't introduce them directly, but try walking the dogs past each other.  Just walk briskly and choke up sharply on the leash if the misbehave without stopping. When they can walk past each other then I'd try walking the dogs next to each other. 

I'd mostly ignore the dogs and only give attention when they did well. I'm not a trainer.  I've just been around a lot of dogs. 

Good luck.  I hope you find a trainer because it could be a difficult problem to change without help.

Texas · Answer

It is normal when 2 dogs meet to have some "discussion" regarding the mutual understanding of their "pecking order".  This is more intense discussion if one of the dogs consider the place of meeting to be "their territory", they are obligated to defend it against intruders.

It is better for 2 dogs to meet in "neutral territory" on leashes.

And it is good if your dog is trained to respond well to orders, Sit, Stay etc, and will "stand down" an attack when you give an order that requires a passive state.

In God&#39;s Image · Answer

Some dogs just don't get along, just like some people don't get along. It's all due to different personalities. I am watching my sister's maltese, Madison, while she is in Afghanistan and my usually sweet pug/terrier, Valentina, is jealous. 

She takes his treats, bullies him when I'm not around, and barks and chases him when I show him attention. But she doesn't act this way when my mom's beagle/jack russell is around - with him she is VERY submissive.

Just depends on the dogs and how they relate to each other. You can reprimand bad behavior, but you can't make them like each other.

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Dogs won't get along?

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