Fear based agression towards dogs

Just time for a quick question - will try and do proper updates later - also I have been putting mias progress on my blog

But Mia is here
She is deff pretty fear agresive towards other dogs - snarls and spits at dogs in the distance and is all puppy kisses and ears back when she meets up with them

The big problem - which is improving
Is her and Bens interaction

I introduced them slowly but she really has a hair trigger and Ben has even started fighting back
It seeems to be mainly resorce guarding and when we see any curled lip the dog in the wrong is put on the naughty seat - mia to her crate or Ben to the kitchen

The two of them do seem to be calming down and have been playing for quite a while together - even happily with the same toy

Thing is, am I doing the right thing just keeping an eye and seperating them for bad behaviour or is there a better way to deal with this
I dont want to punnish her because it is a fear based agression - and Ben is only fighting back because he is unsure and timid too
any advice for dog to dog agression in a multi dog house would be greatfully recieved

They are never alone together, she is still on the lead for walks (at least 50% of the walks are individual one dog walks) she is crated at exciting times like when they just come in or feeding time. No toys are around, we only gave them a 5 min time today with toys and it was v nice

But then not long after I made the mistake of giving them each a chew, not right next to each other, she gulped hers down and then went over to see Ben
I dont know who snapped first but we had a little scuffle and then I was scared to notice that she has managed to get a wee puncture just below Bens eye - so she is meaning buisness

After the time out she is fine with him - all kisses, but he is (understandably) weary of her

I think she is an amazing dog but is this a normal thing that can just be sorted with training?? Its ,y 1st time with 2 dogs and she seems so smart and loving but at the same time I really cannot have Ben terrorised just to train up another dog

In my experience a bitch will always be top dog. However they will find their own pecking order (please note I didn`t say pack order!) and it`s early days yet. I wouldn`t have chews around - or toys - just yet. And I`d feed them and train them separately to start with . And also try not to interfere too much while they`re getting to know each other.

good avice...

just caught this BM.. good luck with her.. I had no idea you had a foster.. well done. x

Quite possibly in her short life she has already had to learn to fight for food and it will take a little while for her to relax and realise that there will always be enough for her and Ben.

Both Hoki & Stumpy came with food aggression, but both got over it in a relatively short space of time....once they understood the rules.

I do feed seperately (well often in the same room with me standing in between them) but only because Hoki eats about 10x faster than Stumpy and although she will now wait until Stumpy has moved away before approaching her bowl or kong or whatever, sometimes just her being too close will put Stumpy off and she will walk away.

But, right from day one, I spent more time training them together than apart (using only small bits of whatever, that are gone in one mouthful) because I wanted them to get used to the idea that the other one being around was actually a good thing where food/treats was concerned rather than a bad thing.

It did help that Hoki has a very good stay and leave. So I would have them both in the same room...then I would make Hoki lie down to one side of me at a bit of a distance, and have Stumpy right next to me on the other side. Hoki was made to do something, and I would throw her her treat. Stumpy would first be told to stay and as long as she didn't move towards Hoki, she got her treat too. Over time I moved them closer and closer together until they were more than happy to sit next to each other, both waiting 'their turn' for a treat.

It wasn't until they both were completely relaxed with watching the other one get a treat and that both their 'stays' and 'leaves' were pretty solid that I risked giving them chews and things that weren't gone in one mouthful. Even now, I would not risk leaving them along together with something like that...I think they both know better, but wouldn't like to risk it.

Good luck, I'm sure she will get there with your help

fab post fiona.... thats one idea I will need to keep in my tool box for multi dog houses with food aggression.

I think it sounds like you are doing just fine . A lot of what you do is trial and error , you learn by your mistakes .
I would feed them seperately , give them treats seperately and just continue the way you are .
I wouldn't necessarily say that by catching Ben below the eye she means business . That area is very thin skinned and easy to make bleed .
Once she settles down and realises she doesn't have to fight for everything anymore things will improve

thankyou guys
i guess i was major unprepaired for agression as i was told she was timid and shut down
also ben has never fought back in his life. he submits to anyone
great idea with the training, i will give it a go. right at the start i was treating them together with her throught the crate bars and him right next to me
things are a little more difficult just now cos my mum is visiting and although she is trying to help she always takes bens side and would have mia crated all day. you can cut the tention with a knife when mia is out of the crate

i dont mind which dog is top but i dont like how she bullies him sometimes and wont let him leave rooms or lie somewhere
is it right that i stop that? there is so much conflicting advice out there, some saying i should stoo that others saying i should support the top dog

I have had a few rescue dogs and have often felt like you that perhaps I have spoiled my existing dogs lives but I think Ben will be tougher than you think and he probably quite enjoys having another dog in the house really .
Just keep them apart for feeding and treats . Your foster dog will be completely stressed out and give her time to settle .
Lots of good walks together is good for calming things down .
I would not let her bully him but it doesn't have to be a big deal just quietly stop her from doing unacceptable things , she will soon learn .

Hali's advice is spot on
I would say that dogs will find their own position and it's sometimes quite fluid, one will be more confident and take the lead in different areas. Sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between the boss and just plain bossy. The true top dog has no need to be bossy. I just adopt a zero tolerance position on aggression of any form, as soon as one makes a move to block anothers movements, or whatever, I correct them, (with a verbal correction), and if necessary step between them. I treat them as equals, no bullying allowed at all in any shape or form.
They should soon settle down as long as everyone is completely consistant.