Why is my dog nipping, growling and barking at my sister?

Takara is, as you know, an excitable puppy whoever she's with. But she's calming down now but I'm encountering problems with certain people.

I know why it is she gets so giddy around my dad it's because he's useless with her (yes I know - harsh) and when she gets to the stage where I would normally put her for time out, he, instead of telling her 'no' to biting hard and putting her for time out, knocks her onto the floor so she jumps up again, thinking it's a game.

I'm trying desperately to stop this so please don't tell me about all the must be consistent stuff! You try telling my dad that he's doing something wrong and then living with him

But what I don't understand is what it is about my sister...
She can be sat on the sofa with me calm as can be, my sister walks in and it's growling, barking, biting.

Is it because my sister's been made nervous around her as Takara always goes for her or could it be the fact that for some strange reason known only to herself my sister wears men's deoderant. (I know bitches prefer men and with it being my dad as well wondered if that's what it is).

I can't even tell sometimes whether she's playing or actually growling as sometimes she looks and sounds aggressive but others she'll wag her tail.

What is it about my sister? She's fine with me and mum and I know why she gets hyped up with dad, so what can be done to build up some sort of trust beween Becky and Takara. She's very jumpy around her at the moment.

Lottie

How old is your sister? How does she interact with Takara? Does she do any puppy training with her? How does she react when Takara starts acting up?

I doubt the deodorant has anything to do with it. More likely to be your sister's attitude/body langauge/actions/voice. As for bitches preferring men - well, I have never seen any evidence of that as a general principle.

I have never heard that before about female dogs prefering men?...and I don't really think it's the case in my opinion.

One of my dogs, Keena behaves this way with my sister too!...and I know why...my sister isn't very confident around dogs and Keena picks up on it and sort of 'bullies' my sister...there is nothing aggressive in it at all as Keena does not have one aggressive bone in her body...But I can see she sort of tries to challenge my sister as Keena is a big clown and I think she gets a kick out of it and in her own doggy way it just makes her giggle!...Do you know what I mean?...

I don't think it's aggressive with your pup either but I think that she is being a bit 'cocky' with her as she feels she is able to be a little more dominant around your sister.

Maybe get your sister to join in some short training sessions with you guys...Just the basics that you are teaching right now...and have her give the puppy some commands that way the puppy will see her as a bit more dominant and maybe wont be so pushy with her!

Also when the puppy engages in any behaviour that you guys don't feel desirable towards your sister have your sister turn her back on her and ignore her till she chills out then when she does your sister can give her attention, rewarding her for being more 'calm' around her.

Hope that all makes sense and maybe helps a bit.

thanks to both of you - only just seen this.

Firstly, in answer to your questions,
Becky isn't very confident around dogs. She was attacked by a dog when she was younger and that's why we got a puppy and not a large dog to begin with. I know that she isn't very confident with Takara and I told her not to be too edgy if possible because Takara would pick up on it.

She's 15.

When I posted this, she didn't engage much at all. She spends a lot of time out of the way anyway as she's got to that age and decided to be a gothic rebel lol
When T plays up around Becky, she either goes and puts big shoes on to save her feet, or she will sometimes leave the room. I know this doesn't help but I can't force Becky to be around my dog...

This is an update though that has somehow just happened since I posted.

Takara is definitely calming down - it must be a mixture of not really training but making sure we do the same thing every time.

Becky stayed in with Takara just the two of them while I went out the other day, I came back and Becky had her sitting, giving paw and playing. So she's obviously decided to take control herself.
I think a lot of it is the 'bullying' thing Myschevious, Takara knows she won't get away with it around the rest of us.

Basically I told Becky that Takara's teeth don't hurt that much, it's just the shock of being bitten and barked at. It's only occasional and by mistake that she gets carried away and really bites. I told her that she had to be calm around her and if she was on edge, it'd put Takara on edge. I think Becky's heeded to this.
She doesn't feed her, I do it every time. But, Becky often offers to take Takara out so that will probably help if Becky takes her out to play in the garden. She has to be on lead at the moment - we've had a set back about building walls - so Becky will often take her out for me. I ask her to 'babysit' as well sometimes even though T is ok on her own so I think it's working.

Thanks for your advice - I'll take heed and get Becky to do the turning her back thing. I do this when she's jumping up and biting my legs and also when she's jumping up for her meals while I'm doing them, eventually she just lays down and watches you until you've finished.

Thanks again.
Lottie