Serious Aggression toward other dogs in the home/ Please HELP !!

[dawn27]

I need help with my Ruby Bella our youngest Yorkie. She is just under two and for the past year or so she has been very aggressive toward my girl Brandi who is very quiet and laid back. Who til now would never fight back. But she had gotten fed up with the abuse and is now fighting back. It started out only being a few time but it has gotten worse. Now Ruby is attacking my other girl Miah the pack leader.  Thankfully no blood had been drawn.

Ruby is a very pleasant little gal, very well behaved, listens well, no potty issues, no toy or food aggression, nothing except this. Nothing that they are fighting over that would trigger this kind of attack. Ruby just goes into TOTal BITCH mode. The only things that I do notice is that she will attack them when when they are excited/ barking at the sweeper or load noises and she doesn't like having her bottom sniffed. But most of the times it is over Nothing! There is no load noise, no barking or sweeper running, nothing.

I separate them, pin her or both down using the claw/pack leader method as seen on Sesar Millon and she just goes NUTS. She bears her teeth, and sounds like some sort of demon is being exercised from her soul. I don't let her get up until she is calm. And than sometimes I will put her in her cage for a timeout. And she comes out, all is good. Until the next time something triggers her aggression. This happens about once a month sometimes more. Than there will times when she is perfectly fine for months at a time. I just dont get it....

I am at al loss.... I have four Yorkies, I have had dogs my entire life and this is a first for me. I don't understand it at all. I raised all four of them with the same amount of love and affection. The same amount of discipline, training and rules. But she is getting worse and I don't know what to do...... I need your help, I need suggestions, I need my baby girl to stop this aggression NOW before one of them is seriously hurt. I very grateful that she has not turned her aggressions onto me or my human family members.

[Ringo1]

I only have two dogs so I can't address your multiple dog issues but I will recommend right away not to 'hold her down' or practice the alpha roll in any way.

This made my dominant male Westie even more aggressive around other dogs.

Someone with more training knowledge than myself may chime in.

A visit from a professional trainer/behaviorist may be in order.

Best of luck to you.

[Maximo]

^^I agree, forget the alpha roll thing because it is counterproductive and dangerous to you and the dog. Cesar always has a warning on the screen not to try it at home.

Are all the dogs spayed? Is any of this connected to heat cycles?

I would separate the offender when you cannot supervise.

Did you raise all of these dogs from puppyhood, or is there something in her background that could be playing into this?

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by Maximo

^^I agree, forget the alpha roll thing because it is counterproductive and dangerous to you and the dog. Cesar always has a warning on the screen not to try it at home.
I will have to try something else.. I try to nip it in the bud but not always around when it takes place.

Are all the dogs spayed? Is any of this connected to heat cycles?
Three of the four are fixed, Ruby is not. and NO it happends just any time...

I would separate the offender when you cannot supervise.
I do when we are gone from the house.

Did you raise all of these dogs from puppyhood, or is there something in her background that could be playing into this?

Yes all of them. Two came from mid size breeders the other form a home breeder. Ruby was one that came from a breeder with about 6 different breeds. A very nice place... no issues there.

I started working with her when I run the sweeper. I have my eye on her when I start it up and correct her the moment she starts after one of the other dogs. I worked with her turning it (on & off ) several times. She did pretty well with it. But again that in only one small part of the aggression problem.

[sganow]

Our Ginger gets aggressive with the other dogs (Maggie and Lilly) when she is excited like when someone comes to the door or when someone is outside the fence. She runs up there and if one of the other dogs gets in her way she suddenly attacks them. It's like she's in a frenzy. That's the only time she does this. It sounds like your situation may be similar. I wish I knew what to do about it too. We just try to stay alert and stop her right away. She is a Yorkie, but she's bigger and more muscular than our other Yorkie or our Maltese. Oh, and our little Maltese (Lilly) is quite the little scrapper too. But Ginger's size and strength allows her to very quickly overtake the others. I hope you find something that works. If so, please be sure to share!

[bellababy08]

Originally Posted by dawn27

Three of the four are fixed, Ruby is not. and NO it happends just any time...

A intact bitch...is just that, a bitch!!! I suggest you get her spayed..than start addressing her aggressive behavior...It might just take having her spayed...Good luck!

[sganow]

For us it's just the opposite. Ginger is the only one that IS fixed. It is pretty stressful though. You don't want the other dogs to get hurt. I hope you find something that works.

[susan lynn]

This sounds like my house, I have $ Yorkies, 2 females and 2 males. All are spayed/neutered ( Sassy was spayed yesterday). Sassy is the youngest and the smallest she is always attacking Tessie ( my first and oldest Yorkie) . Tessie doesn't want to hurt her so she lets Sassy bite at her. Tessie will growl sometimes but Sassy can be such a B that it doesn't always work. We have tried timeout also and it works sometimes. Sassy really attack Tessie if we are going for a walk. I have to pick her up because they got in a fight several times. I have tried several things also. I am hoping the spay will calm Sassy down. If it doesn't I would have her spayed anyway. Hopefully this could help your Ruby also.Most times Sassy is very sweet and loving.

[dawn27]

Opps LOUD noises... that is !

I'm working with her, trying to make things better with her attitude with them. I can only hope for a better serene household soon.

Thanks everyone... Please continue to add input if anyone has any advise.

[tjdmom]

I do think that hormones do play a part in problems between girls and boys too for that matter so perhaps spaying would help. I belong to a dog breeders site and this problem has come up more than once and although I have not had issues myself (knocking on wood right now!) it is a common problem. I have seen other breeders say that 2 dogs (male) will fight and you'll wind up with vet bills but two girls will fight to kill each other. Anyways, I do think you need to take this problem very seriously. I belong to a wonderful trainging site. You might want to check it out and see what they say....
SATZ_Main : Safe_Alternative_Teaching_Zone

Good luck!

[Ringo1]

Here's another good starting point ~ reinforcing her ranking in the home (and it's not the Alpha). Just a gentle way of regaining a little control. It really helped my Westie.

Nothing in Life is Free Gaining control of your dog humanely

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by Ringo1

Here's another good starting point ~ reinforcing her ranking in the home (and it's not the Alpha). Just a gentle way of regaining a little control. It really helped my Westie.

Nothing in Life is Free Gaining control of your dog humanely

Rule: You can give all the attention you want to the dog as long as it is by YOUR RULES and not his!

This is defiantly one that I have always used in my household from the very beginning with both the kids and the dogs. Not a problem there... but thank you for the information.