This week's reader's question:
We have recently got a new dog as a friend for our first dog. Both are spayed shar pei cross bitches. The new addition is trying to dominate the first dog. How do we handle this situation?
I see this situation as not a dominate behaviour rather more as competitive. Two dogs means having to share resources with another and competition for these is rife. In order to manage your girls the first step is to ensure you are in control of the resources they are competing for. Here are a few examples of this:
Food - It became a no bones zone once our pack increased in size; bones are only given when the dogs are separated and are removed before the dogs interact.
Space - Ensure each dog has a place to retreat to alone to have a break from each other and feel safe in. Even we enjoy a bit of alone time in the day so think about this need also.
Toys - Some dogs become possessive over toys so only have these available when you are supervising play so you can remove an item if needed.
Once you move from a single dog to multiple dogs in your household, your role changes from "workmate" to "manager", which means you need to become proactive and catch and redirect negative behaviour either dog shows to a behaviour you want.
It is far more effective to avoid conflict with distraction or separation before the point of no return.
If you are able to see the moment that either dog begins to compete call her to you for a simple sit to break her focus off her housemate, then you have achieved key management elements.
1 - You avoided an escalation of the behaviour.
2 - Your existing dogs gain confidence in you because you avoided them feeling as though they had to react and deal with the situation alone.
3 - Your dog learns that coming to you for a reward is of greater benefit than a separation in time out.
Ensure you spend short training sessions with each dog to get their basic manners to a point you are happy with.
Then move to train both dogs together once each dog is responding individually.
They learn they will receive equal amounts of attention from you so you do not also become a source of competition.
Paw point of the weekSubtle changes in body language are often missed so spend time watching your dogs so you learn their language as body language is our dogs' true form of communication.
Dogs will also growl, bite and bark during play so we need to learn the differences in body language to know what is actually play or menacing.
Contact me for the chance to have your question selected for publication at nadines@dogguru.co.nz or for further information on Dog Guru visit www.dogguru.co.nz.