Ok, so growling is good. It tells us that our dog isn't comfortable with a situation.
My question is to know how to work with a dog that growls at another living in my house. Both are male. Both are fixed. One is submissive. However, the growling starts as soon as one dog comes close to me, moves to a different position, enters the house, whatever.....
Behavior specialists aren't a resource where I live. There are no trainers that I have found to be effective. I'm on my own here. I'd be quite happy if the dogs could just ignore one another. They don't have to be friendly, but I need your advice about what to do with this problem.
I know that I shouldn't punish growling. I try to redirect. I send the dog to his bed (his area only). I also know that I shouldn't pay much attention to him when he's like this or it could reinforce the behavior. I usually tell him calmly to go to his bed and he does so. I wait until he stops growling and then reinforce. Is this correct?
The other dog is scared to the point of shaking at times. It breaks my heart to see him like that. I am careful not to reinforce this behavior either, rather, I try to redirect as well. Sometimes I feel like a traffic cop giving directions all over the place!
Separating is difficult since both are inside dogs. They do each have their own areas far enough away from one another so they're comfortable (for the most part).
The strange thing is, that the one dog growls when the other approaches, and after about 30 seconds both are sound asleep in the same area (usually where I am at).
Your experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated!
My question is to know how to work with a dog that growls at another living in my house. Both are male. Both are fixed. One is submissive. However, the growling starts as soon as one dog comes close to me, moves to a different position, enters the house, whatever.....
Behavior specialists aren't a resource where I live. There are no trainers that I have found to be effective. I'm on my own here. I'd be quite happy if the dogs could just ignore one another. They don't have to be friendly, but I need your advice about what to do with this problem.
I know that I shouldn't punish growling. I try to redirect. I send the dog to his bed (his area only). I also know that I shouldn't pay much attention to him when he's like this or it could reinforce the behavior. I usually tell him calmly to go to his bed and he does so. I wait until he stops growling and then reinforce. Is this correct?
The other dog is scared to the point of shaking at times. It breaks my heart to see him like that. I am careful not to reinforce this behavior either, rather, I try to redirect as well. Sometimes I feel like a traffic cop giving directions all over the place!
Separating is difficult since both are inside dogs. They do each have their own areas far enough away from one another so they're comfortable (for the most part).
The strange thing is, that the one dog growls when the other approaches, and after about 30 seconds both are sound asleep in the same area (usually where I am at).
Your experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated!