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Hello all,
I hope a similar question has not been posted here, I've looked through so many posts in so many different forums my eyes are crossed and I'm starting to forget who and where I am.
Anyway, I have these two hounds. Duke, a Plott hound, and Flip, a red-tick and my problem child whom I nevertheless adore. For the record, I do NOT hunt with my hounds as they are both rescues and have issues making them unsuitable for hunting. And anyway, I'm sure I'd shoot myself in the foot.
Here's my problem: Flip aggressively defends his food and toys from Duke and other male dogs, but never from female dogs and never, ever from people even those he does not know. He's never bitten Duke, but he jumps on him and a shouting match ensues, which means that since they are hounds it gets pretty darn loud and sounds like a death-match. But my real concern is that Flip just doesn't seem to know when to quit. Long after Duke is crying "Uncle", Flip is still on him and I have to put myself bodily between them until Flip finally skulks off for some corner time.
Now, this does not happen often as I have removed the toys from the backyard, but the occasional stick escapes my attention and when that happens, out comes the hairy eyeball and I have to intervene before it escalates. What I see happening is Duke who is 1 year old, stares Flip in the eye when he wants the toy that Flip already possesses. Flip gives Duke the warning look and Duke ups the ante by continuing to stare. At this point, Flip either curls one lip up then charge, or dispenses with the smiling altogether and just charges and it's on. And that happens very quickly - it takes longer to describe it verbally than it does to actually happen.
I should probably mention too, that I do have experience with hounds. I owned a bloodhound/redbone cross who was running more or less feral with a pack of other owner-less dogs in the mountains of N. Carolina. He was also a very dominant (but not aggressive), alpha, but after a few months of intense work on both our parts, he made a decent , if a little headstrong, pet. Also have a basset hound/Labrador cross who is a dream dog!
I love my dogs and they have a permanent home with me, even if i have to keep them seperate for the rest of their lives. But it's often said that hounds are not like other dogs and they are difficult to train. That was certainly true for my bloodhound, but other than him, the only problems i've run into training my hounds is that they tend to have the attention span of a Bartlett pear. And they do have a stubborn streak. But those things are usually overcome with patience and consistency.
But I've been wrned by other hound owners that aggression needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets worse - which I agree with - by the use of shock collars and such - which I don't agree with, and feel that something like that is unnecessary. I know Flip had a truamatic start to his rescue, and since he's been here, he has never required harsh treatment. Not once in the 2 years I've owned him.
Sorry this is such a long post, but I wanted to make sure you had enough background info as possible! Thank you for reading.
Annie
I hope a similar question has not been posted here, I've looked through so many posts in so many different forums my eyes are crossed and I'm starting to forget who and where I am.
Anyway, I have these two hounds. Duke, a Plott hound, and Flip, a red-tick and my problem child whom I nevertheless adore. For the record, I do NOT hunt with my hounds as they are both rescues and have issues making them unsuitable for hunting. And anyway, I'm sure I'd shoot myself in the foot.
Here's my problem: Flip aggressively defends his food and toys from Duke and other male dogs, but never from female dogs and never, ever from people even those he does not know. He's never bitten Duke, but he jumps on him and a shouting match ensues, which means that since they are hounds it gets pretty darn loud and sounds like a death-match. But my real concern is that Flip just doesn't seem to know when to quit. Long after Duke is crying "Uncle", Flip is still on him and I have to put myself bodily between them until Flip finally skulks off for some corner time.
Now, this does not happen often as I have removed the toys from the backyard, but the occasional stick escapes my attention and when that happens, out comes the hairy eyeball and I have to intervene before it escalates. What I see happening is Duke who is 1 year old, stares Flip in the eye when he wants the toy that Flip already possesses. Flip gives Duke the warning look and Duke ups the ante by continuing to stare. At this point, Flip either curls one lip up then charge, or dispenses with the smiling altogether and just charges and it's on. And that happens very quickly - it takes longer to describe it verbally than it does to actually happen.
I should probably mention too, that I do have experience with hounds. I owned a bloodhound/redbone cross who was running more or less feral with a pack of other owner-less dogs in the mountains of N. Carolina. He was also a very dominant (but not aggressive), alpha, but after a few months of intense work on both our parts, he made a decent , if a little headstrong, pet. Also have a basset hound/Labrador cross who is a dream dog!
I love my dogs and they have a permanent home with me, even if i have to keep them seperate for the rest of their lives. But it's often said that hounds are not like other dogs and they are difficult to train. That was certainly true for my bloodhound, but other than him, the only problems i've run into training my hounds is that they tend to have the attention span of a Bartlett pear. And they do have a stubborn streak. But those things are usually overcome with patience and consistency.
But I've been wrned by other hound owners that aggression needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets worse - which I agree with - by the use of shock collars and such - which I don't agree with, and feel that something like that is unnecessary. I know Flip had a truamatic start to his rescue, and since he's been here, he has never required harsh treatment. Not once in the 2 years I've owned him.
Sorry this is such a long post, but I wanted to make sure you had enough background info as possible! Thank you for reading.
Annie