Marty wrote:Thanks so much for taking the time to write all that...I know it can't be easy when you have children...
very informative, and it shed some light on some things for me.
No aggression problems here now, but it explains what I suspected about Louie (whom I regretfully allowed my son to give him a home after 1 1/2 years here). He not only was coming into maturity, but that was the beginning of Winnie's kidney failure...which we found out shortly after. He is fine with my son, but now when they go to visit my daughter, he has problems with her Baxter, where he didn't before...and Baxter just turned 2!
My 3 are all females and do very well together, so I guess iam lucky and will stick with that. I never could figure out why Biscotti was so odd with food, but maybe it is just her very submissive nature. She goes belly up for anyone who will look at her! Even strangers...
And I didn't really mean to hijack the post...maybe it ought to be renamed "how to understand your dog."
I quoted this one but thought that for JUDY i should leave the rest there for her reference.
All female dogs in a house and she lets the other two eat BEFORE her AND she goes belly up for anyone who will look at her. LOL It can only be two things...She is either REALLY subbmissive and allows the other dogs to eat before her because she is SOOOOoooo submissive OR she is really ALPHA female and treats them as puppies (the whole letting them eat first) and as for the laying on back that is actually a really submissive behavior but it can be that she is DEMANDING to be rubbed. If you hadnt said anything about her being on her back i would have just assumed she is playing mama role(alpha female) but with this info that you gave me with her on her back its' either submission or really really alpha. LOL Knowing now they are all females and they are not fighting then go with the whole if it aint broke dont fix it. THey have become accustomed to their roles are at fine with this. As long as they are not dominating you then you are good!
What type of dog is Louie and daughters Baxter? How old are each dog and are they neutered?
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
Demanding is really a good description of her, and always has been. So in a way, she does do the alpha thing. She's a rescue Basset with a totally different personality than my others, so I wouldn't be surprised if there might be some beagle mixed in somewhere.
Louie was a rescue also, about 5 now, but he was around 3 when I had to let him go with my son. Most likely a Basset mixed with a larger hound, maybe Walker. He has always acted a lot like Biscotti, so maybe there is more alpha in both of them than I thought. Baxter is a 2 yr Basset whom they got as a puppy. Both were neutered as puppies.
From what you say i would have to go with that she does the whole alpha thing as well. If it gets out of control then I would fix it but for now if it is working for you then dont.
As for the other dog well I would have to say that the dogs in the house NEED to be taught that your son IS the alpha and only alpha. Again the book i recomended is a great book and helps fast and cheaply and without reading a 100 page novel. He truely needs to assert himself as the alpha and once he does and they know it peace with be within the home.
If Baxter was there first then Baxter gets fed first. Remember the rules. The oldest gets fed first or the one who has lived there the longest. Since Baxter was there before hand then it would be him. Once the pecking order is fixed there should be no more fussing. They should not be fed together or at the same time. Remember that Baxter is first with everything. First to go outside (after son walks out the door first, even if he just steps out and tell Baxter to go potty that is fine) THEN Louie goes out (after son walks out door first and since he was the one fussing your son must make sure HE goes outside first until Louie knows his place). Baxter gets fed first in a separate spot then Louie. Louie doesnt have to wait for Baxter to finish BUT he must be fed last. HE needs to know he is the low man and that although son is alpha always, Baxter is still above Louie.
Almost 7 years in remission from Graves disease and no meds!
