I have a problem......need help

Bess is turning into a bully.
Shes bullys my little Fenn really bad. Not every day.
When i got her she was a bit of a sad case. I suppose she was spoilt when i took her on because of this.

She's always had a bit of a dominance streak with Skye but i never keep them together when i'm out as i just wouldn't trust them.
If Blue & Skye have a bit of a play at night she runs up to them causing trouble.
Tonight shes been really grumbly. I've had to put her on her back a couple of times (like mums do to their pups) to put her in her place. Is this the right thing to do?
I feel so awful telling her off. I've just called her over for a fuss kissed her on her head and she went for my face. While dominating her she went for me earlier. I'm not scared of her and she did give in at the end.
I've never had any problems with my lot so its difficult facing up to one.
I would never rehome her. My dogs are for life.

I know i'm going to have to go through the process of showing her i'm pack leader.

Also when i pull up outside my house after finishing work she gets all excited and nips my son.

Feeling a little sad typing this as i love her to bits. Shes curled up in a ball right by my feet.


Any advice would be grateful. Please help

She has been speyed

Hi Jules
Why are you feeling you should dominate her if she was a sad case when you took her on. I think you could be making it worse by rolling her to be honest, best to look at the situations she gets grumbly and work out why. The starting point should always be if she is in any pain at all if this has suddenly started.
I truly would stop feeling the need to dominate as well...

This is why i need help. She gets like it when theres excitement in the house. Like when we come home or when the dogs want to play.
So how do i stop her from picking a fight. Would you say its not dominance induced?
They are all well exercised & they are currently on Skinners duck & rice (hypoallergenic)
When i took her on if you made a funny noise or spoke to her near her head she's always been abit snappy.

Then why kiss her on the head?!!! You were sort of asking for it really!
It sounds like she is getting nervous and overexcited, never a good combination. If it's anything like our house the dogs go mad when we come in! Maybe you need to calm it all down, get them to sit before any of them get attention.

I don't think she is being 'dominant' with you, no. It's hard to say what she's doing without seeing it, but I would say stop trying to roll her and dominate her and try to watch her over a couple of days and see what's going on. How is she age wise to the others...how many bitches/males are there...how many are speyed/castrated...

I've just re read your first post, is your son IN the house then when you pull up from work? Who is he with? Can I suggest you pop her in a different room on her own (not you obviously as you are not there) BEFORE you pull up? Could be she's trying to herd him and keep everyone together for you coming in, so pop her elsewhere...perhaps phone home beofre you leave work???

No shes definately not herding.
Why kiss her on the head? Because i love her. I've kissed her on the head a hundred times and shes never done that before.
My son is 16yrs old & quite capable of letting himself in from school and sitting on his own for an hour.
He does shut her out of the room when i pull up now which is working well. But i've had her over a year and shes only started doing this the last week or so. My son has never provoked the dogs in anyway.
She definately not a nervous dog.... excited...what dog isn't in an exciting situation.

Shes 3 years old. All of them are speyed. I have 1 dog & 3 bitches. Yes its a lot of bitchs but apart from the problem i have with Bess they all get along great. I haven't had a problem up until now.

Its not the others i'm having a problem with.
Shes due for her annual booster next week & i have the week off so i will be speaking to the vet about it.

So as you can see her behaviour is puzzling me.

I've been doing some browsing and have absorbed some interesting information.
It will be peace of mind talking to the vet next week. She seems to have chilled out a bit now. No grumbling. I think i was dealing with the situation wrongly so i'm hoping the new techniques i have read up on will help.
Thank god for the internet

Jules. Have PM'd you.
Keep your chin up hun. You'll get to the bottom of the situation and get it sorted.

Hi Jules...keep your chin up hun.
I don't think she;s trying to dominate you hun, I get the feeling she is just trying to find her place in the pack....if you get my meaning. I'm not really in favour of rolling dogs myself, although I have heard alot say that they do.
Like you say there is alot of useful information and I'm sure Megan57Collies, has pm'd you by now with some good idea's.

Personally I would go back to basics with her, as you said she was a sad case when you took her on, and you've probably spoilt or given her alittle of her own way to compensate for that.
Talk to your vet and just check that there is nothing going on painwise, but I'm inclinde to think that (and I mean this nicely) she is seeing your dominance as a fearful thing or challage. As you said you rolled her, then later kissed her on the head.....then she snapped. Might be worth having a few sessions with a behaviourist if she continues, sometimes it's worth getting a outsider to spot whats going on with her, could be something really simple. Maybe a good idea (for the time being) not to kiss her head. Good Luck Hun xxxxxxx

Just out of interest, how do you know she's not herding?
I'm sure you do love her to bits, but when she is 'grumbling ' a lot and you have taken to alpha rolling her, on top of having had issues around her head in the past, it is a bit of a recipe for disaster surely??
I didn't know how old your son was. Shutting her out should wokr and then he could gradually reintorduce her at home time, but only when he is happy with the methods you use as well.
Sometimes the most nervous dogs can look the most 'dominant' (not a word I like but I'm putting it into your context...)
No, you may not be having a specific problem with the others, but when you have a pack, they are all part of the problem and therefore the soloution too.

As this is a recent behaviour I would look at getting a thorough vet check done asap. I would also look at anything, however small that may have altered in your home. It may also be worth keeping an eye on your other dogs as sometimes illness in one can trigger reactions in others.

i'm glad you're not going to roll her anymore...please tell me you're not going to rattle bottle her either though! If she is in the slightest bit nervous you will make the situation a million times worse if you do. I hope the methods you've found work for you and your dogs. x

Definitely do not try and dominate - it's a recipe for disaster.....

Some excellent advice here. Hope you manage to get it sorted.