Dog aggressive

Is in need of some help. I recently rescued a 6 month old American Staff dog. He wasn't physically abused, but just left outside day and night. I have two other dogs. A 10 month old tyme bully and a 7 year GSD.

The bully and the staffie adore each other..but the GSD keeps going to attack him. The Staffie is scared and not fighting back. They go for walks together and he'll leave him be, with the odd bit of charging, but that's it. Inside the house They have to be in separate rooms. I'm doing everything I can to make my gsd feel totally secure abut his place in the pack with the new arrivel and that he's a good thing.

It took him about a week to relax with my new bully, but she was only 8 weeks old. It's now been 2 weeks and he still wants to attack him.

Please help????

Hi - I am currently going through something similar with my 8 month old SBT Badger and 6 year old Golden Retriever (Baxter). Baxter attacked Badger recently so I went to speak to Dog Behaviourist who said that because Badger has hit puberty - Baxter is asserting his authority as leader of the pack (I have 3 dogs in total).

In order to help assert Baxter's place as leader - and for Badger to understand his place - Badger is now on "Nothing In Life Is Free" programme. In a nutshell - Badger has to "earn" everything - from treats, to time spent with me. He isnt allowed on furniture, I have to ignore him when he demands time from me etc. I am not sure if this will help you - and I am brand new to this site - but I know how desperate we were for help when this first happened to us and Badger is responding well so far to Nothing in Life is Free.

Good luck

I can offer a little advice but I think your best bet would be to bring in a behaviourist - not any behaviourist, one recommended by your vet or is it APDT (-someone else will verify that for you).

My advice, although I am not terribly sure it will work, but may do depending on how serious this issue is:
Whenever your GSD goes for the little one (have him on a lead in the room with you) everytime he attempts - remove him, let him know you are not accepting this behaviour, but don't speak to him, just lead him out into the hallway - although have a baby gate so you are not closing either dog in or out.
Leave him outside for a few minutes then bring him back into the room - watch TV or listen to the radio...if it isn't over food, toys etc then it may be something else...but if he attempts anything - remove him again - it's a repeat exercise but it in theory should work.

Is your GSD or SBT neutered? It could be a male thing, but highly unlikely as the SBT isn't fighting back..

Are the males neutered? Is the GSD timid?
I think you should look at getting a good behaviourist in to observe. Please don`t use anyone who uses pack theory or Dog Listener or Whisperer principles though.

Please read some modern books on dog behaviour. The `pack leader` theory is even disowned by the guy who formulated it.
The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson is a good place to start.

My GSD is neutered and I just got the new puppy neutered. My Bitch has just come into season, so maybe that's the core of the problem? I'll be having her spayed in a few months....

Today the puppy was able to walk about and my GSD ignored him, baby steps but each day seems to be a bit better?

I really wish for this to work out. I don't want to rehome the new puppy. I'll feel a failure! He's such a lovely dog

xx

The GSD is extremely Alpha, not with me, but a very strong confident dog

This being so, added to which the breed he is, I wonder at the motive for getting another male and another bull breed.

GSD,being from the pastoral group, like to control things (BCs may be the ultimate managers, but GSD come close).

As for place in the pack, every time you get a new dog, the pack dynamics change, who is at the top to begin with is not necessarily the one that remains there.

Be careful that you reading these dogs correctly.

lol Motive? How do u mean?

My motive would be: I'm live in the countryside. Love walking my dogs, I can't have children and I'm a sucker for a dog that's been left alone to his own device all day and night in a garden!!