Can anyone please give me advice. I have taken in a rescue dog to foster who is causing problems due to jealousy of other dogs. Tonight he attacked a friends dog I was playing with and ended up biting me though not intentionally. My initial reaction was to pts but I don't think he is a 'bad dog' ... just wants someone to himself. I have tried many things from ignoring , to scolding, to mixing him with the others and for a large part he is ok ... however he just can't help himself when he feels insecure ... he is only 10-12 months old, emaciated, was flea infested etc etc ... and towards humans generally is very gentle and affectionate. I would just like some hints on how to better deal with this behaviour. With my female dog he just bites lumps of fur our of her coat, as well as trying to mount her (often a trait with underweight dogs) ... but I have never witnessed this coat biting before ... he literally just grabs her fur and pulls!

you say hes-GENERALLY ,good with people, whats that mean????when isnt he,poor soul has been in a state but its not because of him being underweight hes mating your bitch---its because hes a male-if he was overweight hed still be trying, :D hows the poor female taking having her coat pulled out, :(

Hi, thanks .... I know he is a male! What I meant by that is that in my experience within rescue many emaciated dogs are more highly sexed ... they hump fresh air as he has! Generally good with people ... I mean he is loving and affectionate and desparate to please, until you try and take him away from food he shouldn't have .... that part is overcomeable. The part I am most worried about is his jealousy of the other dogs .... and thats the part I need some help with really. I have shown him again and again who is boss but his obsession with having some affection means he wants it all! (probably typical male too!!!) :) and this coat pulling bit I have never experienced before so wondered if anyone had.

Hi Caitlin,
How long have you had this dog? His jealousy could be part of that settling-in stuff that you get to go through. BUT he might just be one of those dogs who will never be able to live in a multi-dog household. He seems to be viewing every other dog as competition for the good life. He is still quite young, but his experiences could have permanently imprinted other dogs as "notfriends" especially when resources are to be doled out. Oh, BTW --humping is a dominance trait, not always sexual.

The other reason I ask how long you've had him is that you said you've tried remedies that aren't seeming to work. If you've only had him a month or two, your consistency might not be easily understood by him. How exactly are you "showing him who's boss?"
I'm just curious and attempting to get a better picture of the situation, especially since he bit you, which is quite worrisome.
toodles

We looked after a rescue lab for a friend (Buster the Killer Labrador). He had been rescued from a house, were he had been starved and beaten. He also used to hump anything in sight. He was a perfectly lovely dog, unless you tried to take his food away or tried to make him do something he didn't want and then he turned into a monster. He bit Al and me and we found out that he'd stayed with other friends and bitten them. (I still have the scars and being bitten on the boob just aint funny )

We had him neutered, but it didn't work. Luckily the friend came and took him back, coz we were considering having him pts and the vet agreed.

Sorry to share this sad tale with you. But if his behaviour doesn't improve then you may have no option. :(

How's Buster the Killer Lab doing today with your friend?
(I cringed in sympathy pain for you when I read about the "boob" bite --Owww!)
toodles

Buster is alive and well and living in Berkshire. Look out Fiona!!

He is still a tad over friendly with the teeth, but he's his owner's first dog and he doesn't see anything wrong in the dog biting him on a regular basis.

(He didn't want the dog neutered either, but as he was in Sierra Leone at the time, he didn't have much choice :D )

HI Caitlin

My sympathies are with you, it is a difficult situation.

Don't despair. Dog aggressive dogs can be fine again, but this one will probably need to gain in security, emotional maturity, and confidence.

Dont suppose you saw Pet Rescue with the JRT/Cairn called Bobo? Well, he had been kept on a chain for all his life and so saw all dogs as a threat, being a terrier he bit and attacked first and asked questions later. :(

He was taken to Angela Stockdale who works with the NCDL and others, and her stooge dogs. The terrier went instraight away to the attack with the stooge, Stan, a GSd, but her dogs are chosen for their ability to handle this kind of problem, and Stan just pinned him and held him til Angela said "OK Stan,he's mine."

Anyway, to cut a long story short, and with the help of her dogs helping Bob understand dog language, do you know he actually ended up playing - yes, actually playing!! - with her dogs (including Stan). It truly brought a tear to the eye. He has been fine ever since :)

The reason i am mentioning this is because I have met Angela at a workshop and have seen her methods myself, and if you are anywhere near her in Somerset I would suggest makng contact :)

Take a look at her site, it's www.dog-partnership.co.uk If not, maybe she will know of trusted people who can help.

There are other ways of helping dog aggro dogs as you know, but your case and situation do seem a little complex :)

Good luck anyway in whatever you decide,
LIndsay

Thanks Lyndsy, I will look at website ... sadly I am nowhere near Somerset but might try an email. He is fine with my dogs now ... it is just dogs outside now. Tonight he tried to bite one on the bum ... and chased one of the other dogs from the same walking group off the field and came back looking so happy! I just missed getting him on the lead in time ... lesson learnt not to let him off lead now! Ato home he is now the perfect family pet ... his biting of me was because my hand got in the way of my friends dogs neck and not intentionally aimed at me. I know if I brought any dog into this house I could make him stop, but once out there in the open he will not listen to me and just keeps going back for more.

Caitlin you have my sympathy. My rescue ESS bitch Missy has recently proved to be dog agressive (and had a couple of nips at strangers too! :-( ) She is far worse on the lead, and especially when close to me. We don't meet many dogs on walks, but I'm taking her to agility with a sympathic trainer to try and destress her - we're thinking about using the Master Plus collar on her as well, but as many of her problems seem to be to do with her 'timid' nature I'm not convinced this is the best way to go........ It's not easy is it?

Fran

As long as it isn't resolved like mine was. I had burgulars the other day, smashed in my patio door to the kitchen where my 3 dogs were. Carina ended up on a 6 foot garage and feel off with the fright, Dilita my old girl was lay on the settee when I got home and I still haven't found Lana yet. She may have been a jealous devil at times and caused me a few problems but this is the last way I wanted it resolved.

I hope that you can overcome this, I know how it feels.

Thanks ....sadly my biggest problem here is that he isn't my dog ... but a foster dog that was to be rehomed ... maybe I should have asked the question how do I find an owner who will take a dog perfect in he house (as he now is) but dreadful on walks. I am just not sure you can for a mongrel! I have however contacted some local trainers .... is the Master Collar the one which gives shocks? How might this help ... simply by getting him to respond to my call when he goes in for attack?

And Diane I am so sorry to hear about your problem .... I hope and keep my fingers crossed she will turn up.

No the Master Plus collar doesn't give an electric shock (but it still surprises the dog) it works by emitting a spray usually scented with citronella that gives the dog an unpleasant surprise - the idea being that it links it's action with the negative experience and drops the action which triggers it. I have reservations as I don't want Missy to see meeting another dog as an unpleasant experience, even though she lives happily with another dog here at home........

Fran

Diane thats terrible let us know the outcome fingers crossed .Best Wishes

Hi Caitlin,
Just a suggestion, you might try on your walks a head harness on him like a Halti or Gentle Leader. He won't like it at first, but after awhile, he'll settle. The wonderful thing about this style of control is that you can keep your hand close to his jaw & know exactly his limitations. He can't lunge, like a regular collar or body harness. I've used it with my snapping problems and it's really helped to maintain control of the situation.
good luck,
toodles

Thanks to everyone for advice, I got in touch with Angela who directed me to a lady in Liverpool to whom I spoke on the telephone. She gave me some basic advice ... and so far (touch wood) the results are looking good. Its all bribery and corruption of course, but tonight I had him sitting taking treats while a large dog came over and sniffed him, he never even batted an eyelid! Touch wood this will continue.