Fighting Puppy

chloe

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#1
I have a 5 month old female westie. She's truly wonderful. Playful, fun loving, energetic, etc... The problem that I have is that she like to fight with the older dog. She gets along great with the middle dog, who's a female. The older dog who's 15 years old, of course, is the queen, who lost her playmate, the middle dog, when I brought in the westie. But now that the westie is older, she has become fearless. When the older dog growls at her to leave her alone, she starts to bark and wants to fight her. I don't know what to do. I don't want to give away, but it has recently crossed my mind repeatedly. I've never given up any of my dogs, but what's important to me is the well being of my older dog. I want whatever time she has left (she's not sick) to live in peace and not fear. On numerous occasions, I had to separate them when they were fighting. There was a point when they were fighting, she bit my older dog's tail and drew blood. It didn't hurt the older one, but gave me great concern. There are times when they get along so wonderfully, it makes me rethink. Like right now, they are laying under my chair, two inches apart from each other. I want it so much to work between the two of them. I need help. Can anyone offer me some good advice.

Thanks and totally desperate.
 
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#2
wow what a tough situation. I think you are doing the right thing by ensuring your older dogs place and happiness. I think that the pup is just going through a growing stage where she probably has decided that she is going to take over as top dog. You are doing the right thing by confirming that the oldest is the top, but make sure YOU give top rank to the oldest in front of the youngest. She will have to learn that she isnt going to be in charge. THe best punishment for a dog challenging the lead is non-attention. Feed, pet, and give attention to the top dog first ALWAYS. Even if it seems mean to ignore the younger one, she will learn not to challenge the one that YOU have deemed top dog. Again, I hope that this is just a stage, and that the puppy will learn quickly. Be mindful that even if it does get better, it will probably happen again when she is about 1 year. At least for mine it did :)
 

milo

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#3
weee!!
Well my puppy lab when i take him for walks and we see another dog he starts to bark at them!!!Silly dog!!lol
Anyway i say No!!But he keeps on doing it!!!But when the dog comes over hes as nice as pie!!But then he starts to jump up on top of there heads!! :rolleyes:
 

avenlee

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#4
Hi Chloe !

I have a now 1 yr old female Westie and BOY! aren't they fiesty. Which is a personality trait that I love about her also. (double edge sword :p )

My Nora will challenge everything I ask her to do. I just look at her sternly and she will howl at me (and I'll laugh inside), but tell her "noooo, don't you do that to me" Then she will put her ears down and roll over, very submissive at the same time.

We have a 3 yr. old female Cocker Spaniel, Sadie, and Nora would literally jump over her and tug at her ears. However, Sadie is still young and VERY allowing for this to happen (did I say that right, lol) Hope you know what I mean. But I will put my foot down when it gets out of hand and Nora will back down. I always use the expression "YEAH!" real short and loud and Nora will respond to that and stop, drop, and roll. LOL I always treat Sadie as my first in terms of feeding, petting and greeting. You need to tell her who is boss!

Westies are very very hyperactive dogs. It takes time to teach them right from wrong and a little extra sterness doesn't hurt.

Good luck !
 

avenlee

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#5
avenlee said:
Hi Chloe !

I have a now 1 yr old female Westie and BOY! aren't they fiesty. Which is a personality trait that I love about her also. (double edge sword :p )

My Nora will challenge everything I ask her to do. I just look at her sternly and she will howl at me (and I'll laugh inside), but tell her "noooo, don't you do that to me" Then she will put her ears down and roll over, very submissive at the same time.

We have a 3 yr. old female Cocker Spaniel, Sadie, and Nora would literally jump over her and tug at her ears. However, Sadie is still young and VERY allowing for this to happen (did I say that right, lol) Hope you know what I mean. But I will put my foot down when it gets out of hand and Nora will back down. I always use the expression "YEAH!" real short and loud and Nora will respond to that and stop, drop, and roll. LOL I always treat Sadie as my first in terms of feeding, petting and greeting. You need to tell her who is boss!

Westies are very very hyperactive dogs. It takes time to teach them right from wrong and a little extra sterness doesn't hurt.

Good luck !

I meant more of a "HEY" rather than a "YEAH" hahaha hard to type out the sound I make :rolleyes:
 
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#6
Just keep reinforcing your oldest dog as the top dog. That's the best advice. I do that with mine and it works - even though the younger dogs outweigh Bimmer by over 2:1! He gets fed first - the other two have to wait. When it's cookie time, he gets his first. When the sofa gets too crowded, he's the only one allowed up. If the other two wedge him out of the way to be petted, I push them aside and call him back to me. And every now and then I make sure I share the last bite of my food with him and not with anyone else. Sometimes everyone gets a bite, but Bimmer's always first. That's one of the most significant ways you can reinforce position. You're first - the leader - and you show the others that the oldest dog is your lieutenant, so to speak.
 

Dale

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#9
Same Problem

We have Tuggs who is a month older than our Bubs. Bubs is forever biting, very fiesty, if Tuggs has a toy or is eating/drinking, he always takes the toy away or pushes his way in to eat first. Tuggs is a very melow puppy He is forever biting, even when we tell him not to bite and put him in his kennel. I just do not know what to do. The pups really love the snow and they get along fine, then all of a sudden they just want to go at each other. This is getting very frustrating. I have read some of the suggestions and I will most certainly try them out, but if anyone has any other good suggestions it would be greatly appreciated. HELP!!
 

chloe

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#10
I want to thank everyone of you for your advice. I noticed the other day that I had repremanded my older dog, Chloe, for going through my indoor plants. Well, needless to say, Polly, the westie, caught us in the act and I felt like she was thinking to herself, "Now it's my time. She's scolding Chloe. So I have the upper hand". She began to growl and bark at her and that started a fight between the two. I feel like I can't scold the older dog at all when she does wrong, otherwise the westie will feel she's in charge. I won't let the westie, Polly, go on the couch or the bed unless it's okay with Chloe. Chloe is my queen. When they fight, I put Polly in the room and close the door, sort of like time out. She starts to cry and after awhile, I let her out. This seems to work. I have also shown her a slipper when she starts up, which she seems to fear, and she backs away. I couldn't agree more with Avenlee, when she states her westie is fiesty. Polly is fiesty and quite energetic, playful, cuddly, extremely loveable and brings alot of laughter. It's funny, when they wake up in the morning, they're so happy to see one another. I just don't get it. Just the other morning, I had to laugh to myself, because it felt like I have children. I got up and woke up chloe, who was sleeping on the bed and said "Good Morning Chloe" and then opened the crate to see Polly stretching and yawning and said "Good Morning Polly". Both with wagging tails and playfully followed me to the other room and as I opened the door, saw Tiki (the middle dog, she sleeps with my Mom), just waking up and said "Good Morning Tiki". With all wagging tails and such a playful mode, it was hard to think that any fights could happen amongst the three of them. I hope it stays this way, because I couldn't imagine a better way to wake up in the morning.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and advice.
 

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