She is being so mean.....

[Martin0327]

Well I have now had Ace and Arizona for about 2 months now and well....Im concerned about Arizona. Ace is very sweet and loving. Arizona is becoming meaner to Ace by the day.....She doesnt like to let him eat anything!!!! She will bark and growl. So I gave them two seperate food bowls and she would go back and forth between them growling at him. Now its to the point where she almost snaps his snout off. Ive seen her bite at his face and pull it. From the moment they came home I have been crate training them. Arizona loves it and she always goes right in as did Ace but night after night they fought worse and worse. I had to bring Ace to sleep with me and DH (he wasnt too happy about it) but what could I do? Arizona would fight with him til he was out. I bought Ace and then two days later bought Arizona so that they could grow up together and so Ace would have a playmate but she treats him like crap. They do play together during the day but she play a bit rough with him. I love both my furbabies and Im not going to rehome her just because she is who she is. Im hoping that someone can suggest or help me figure out what I need to do to change her behaviour. Im sorry this is long. Thanks in advance for your time and suggestions.

[QuickSilver]

Sorry to hear you're having trouble! I am not sure how to address all of these issues, but I did want to recommend that you get a crate for each of them - it sounds like they share a crate? A crate is a dog's special space that is just for them. If Arizona is getting territorial, she will NOT want to share her crate. And Ace should have a place to retreat.

[Martin0327]

Yes well..they were sharing a crate but just for a little while because then Arizona would get so ugly and upset with him. I had been bringing Ace to bed with us and then I tried letting Ace just loose in my room hoping that maybe he would just find himself a spot he likes and nope! He will bark at me til I pick him up and let him in the bed. That going to be a problem isnt it...

[QuickSilver]

Are you able to get another crate? It sounds like Arizona has decided to establish herself as the dominant dog. There are different recommendations for how to handle this, and I'm not sure which one is best. I think Ace would appreciate his own crate, though.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by Martin0327

Well I have now had Ace and Arizona for about 2 months now and well....Im concerned about Arizona. Ace is very sweet and loving. Arizona is becoming meaner to Ace by the day.....She doesnt like to let him eat anything!!!! She will bark and growl. So I gave them two seperate food bowls and she would go back and forth between them growling at him. Now its to the point where she almost snaps his snout off. Ive seen her bite at his face and pull it. From the moment they came home I have been crate training them. Arizona loves it and she always goes right in as did Ace but night after night they fought worse and worse. I had to bring Ace to sleep with me and DH (he wasnt too happy about it) but what could I do? Arizona would fight with him til he was out. I bought Ace and then two days later bought Arizona so that they could grow up together and so Ace would have a playmate but she treats him like crap. They do play together during the day but she play a bit rough with him. I love both my furbabies and Im not going to rehome her just because she is who she is. Im hoping that someone can suggest or help me figure out what I need to do to change her behaviour. Im sorry this is long. Thanks in advance for your time and suggestions.

Are you free feeding them? My suggestion would be to put down their food at opposite ends of the room for them to eat. If Arizona is continuing to act aggressive when they are further apart I would not allow them in the same room while eating. As soon as they are done I would pick up both bowls of food. How old were they when you brought them home? It almost sounds like maybe Arizona was not properly socialized and taken from her mom too soon.

[Martin0327]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

Are you free feeding them? My suggestion would be to put down their food at opposite ends of the room for them to eat. If Arizona is continuing to act aggressive when they are further apart I would not allow them in the same room while eating. As soon as they are done I would pick up both bowls of food. How old were they when you brought them home? It almost sounds like maybe Arizona was not properly socialized and taken from her mom too soon.

no Im not free feeding them they eat 2 to 3 times a day. I tried to seperate the food bowls but Arizona would rush to whatever bowl that Ace is at and snap at him. As it is now, Ace is so scared that he will steal a kibble and run somewhere to eat then com back steal another and run away. Arzona was 9.5 weeks old when we brought her home ans she and Ace acted as if they had been littermates all along but as they have gotten older she has just flat out gotten meaner and meaner to him.

To make matters worse Ace loves Arizona and for example last night, Ace was on our bed, sitting at the edge and cried and whimpered a bit because he wanted to be with Arizona so I tried to see if she would have it. But as soon as I put her down she got up and snapped at him. He wants to be around her but .......

[LDandPasquale]

Could you feed one while the other is in their crate?? That way they each have their turns at the food dish without any anxiety???

[RIPMyLittleCase]

If you do get them their own crates and Ace realized his is a safe haven, maybe he would eat his food while in it where Arizona cannot get to him. We are free feeders in our house and our little foster girl used to be like that. She has onle been here about a month and has gotten out of that habit. The only time we had an issue in the last 3 weeks now was the night of the full moon! When they get their milk bones, they each go to different areas in the room to eat them. They figured that one out on their own.

Now that Ace is used to sleeping in bed with you, he is probably going to try to stay there and not want to sleep in a crate. Our boys sleep in separate crates in separate bedrooms. Our foster girl lets us sleep with her in our bed!

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by RIPMyLittleCase

If you do get them their own crates and Ace realized his is a safe haven, maybe he would eat his food while in it where Arizona cannot get to him. We are free feeders in our house and our little foster girl used to be like that. She has onle been here about a month and has gotten out of that habit. The only time we had an issue in the last 3 weeks now was the night of the full moon! When they get their milk bones, they each go to different areas in the room to eat them. They figured that one out on their own.

Now that Ace is used to sleeping in bed with you, he is probably going to try to stay there and not want to sleep in a crate. Our boys sleep in separate crates in separate bedrooms. Our foster girl lets us sleep with her in our bed!

Oh that little Clara Belle!

[RIPMyLittleCase]

Yup, that's the little stinker!

[ChantalB]

Do you take them for walk together?

That usually really help a pack to bond.

[Martin0327]

Originally Posted by RIPMyLittleCase

If you do get them their own crates and Ace realized his is a safe haven, maybe he would eat his food while in it where Arizona cannot get to him. We are free feeders in our house and our little foster girl used to be like that. She has onle been here about a month and has gotten out of that habit. The only time we had an issue in the last 3 weeks now was the night of the full moon! When they get their milk bones, they each go to different areas in the room to eat them. They figured that one out on their own.

Now that Ace is used to sleeping in bed with you, he is probably going to try to stay there and not want to sleep in a crate. Our boys sleep in separate crates in separate bedrooms. Our foster girl lets us sleep with her in our bed!

Im not sure if Ace would take to his own crate....I was already thinking about taking the crate away since they seem to be getting through the night. I was gonna buy each their own bed. See if Arizona will do without a crate and if Ace will take to a bed.

[megansmomma]

Do you feel that Arizona is food aggressive to you as well? I am also wondering if she came from a breeder or a pet shop? The reason that I ask this is because at 9 1/2 she was pretty young but not horribly young but if she came from a pet shop she was taken from her mom even younger which could cause problems like this. My Pebbles is food aggressive but not to the point that she chases the other 2 out of the room. I put their food down and they eat----end of story.

Hmmmmm? What happens when you give treats? Does she try to take them all from Ace and chase him away then too? If you were to sit on the floor and work on give sit and give paw how does she act? Will she wait her turn? I am thinking this might help but it is only a guess. What I am thinking is if you get some really good treats that you would not normally give cheerios or maybe tiny pieces of cheese. Sit on the floor make she sit give a treat and praise and do the same with Ace. Make them wait for their treats but give lots of praise to both. When Arizona sits and waits for her turn make she you praise her then as well. Make her earn her food.

We got Pebbles when she was about 5 months old and she had horrible habits from lack of training. I was at my wits end with her and I found a book called Let the Dog Decide. The idea is to have control by using a longer leash and harness while training. When they try to run away or whatever it is that you are trying to get them to do you can step on the leash they are dragging behind them. What is does it makes them think they are deciding to not run or for your example attack Ace and his food bowl. When she tries to charge across the room step on the leash so that she cannot get there but do not even look at her. It's early and my brain is not fully away but I hope you get the idea of what I am trying to say. This really worked with Pebbles. She walked around the house for weeks with a leash and harness on. When she would try to run under the bed I would be able to stop her, when she tried to run out the back door ahead of me I would stop her but always treat and praise after. I swear to you this worked! She now will sit at the back door until I tell her that she can go out. Better yet I can open the front door for the pizza guy without her charging out the door. I guess my point in all of this rambling is that this book really worked.

[Martin0327]

Originally Posted by ChantalB

Do you take them for walk together?

That usually really help a pack to bond.

No this is really stupid but I havent really taken them for a walk...I let them olay outside for a little bit but Im not sure how long or far they can walk. They are so little Im afraid to overdo it. I really want to take them on my walks. I walk twice around my block and that is equal to a mile. You think they can handle that?

[Martin0327]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

Do you feel that Arizona is food aggressive to you as well? I am also wondering if she came from a breeder or a pet shop? The reason that I ask this is because at 9 1/2 she was pretty young but not horribly young but if she came from a pet shop she was taken from her mom even younger which could cause problems like this. My Pebbles is food aggressive but not to the point that she chases the other 2 out of the room. I put their food down and they eat----end of story.

Hmmmmm? What happens when you give treats? Does she try to take them all from Ace and chase him away then too? If you were to sit on the floor and work on give sit and give paw how does she act? Will she wait her turn? I am thinking this might help but it is only a guess. What I am thinking is if you get some really good treats that you would not normally give cheerios or maybe tiny pieces of cheese. Sit on the floor make she sit give a treat and praise and do the same with Ace. Make them wait for their treats but give lots of praise to both. When Arizona sits and waits for her turn make she you praise her then as well. Make her earn her food.

We got Pebbles when she was about 5 months old and she had horrible habits from lack of training. I was at my wits end with her and I found a book called Let the Dog Decide. The idea is to have control by using a longer leash and harness while training. When they try to run away or whatever it is that you are trying to get them to do you can step on the leash they are dragging behind them. What is does it makes them think they are deciding to not run or for your example attack Ace and his food bowl. When she tries to charge across the room step on the leash so that she cannot get there but do not even look at her. It's early and my brain is not fully away but I hope you get the idea of what I am trying to say. This really worked with Pebbles. She walked around the house for weeks with a leash and harness on. When she would try to run under the bed I would be able to stop her, when she tried to run out the back door ahead of me I would stop her but always treat and praise after. I swear to you this worked! She now will sit at the back door until I tell her that she can go out. Better yet I can open the front door for the pizza guy without her charging out the door. I guess my point in all of this rambling is that this book really worked.

Actually I just had them both together when i was working with them on the "sit" command and she is not aggressive when it comes to the treats. There is no snapping or being mean. Could it be cause Im right there in front of them. They are pretty great with sit so I need to teach a new one but they know when they sit they get a treat and when i have them in front of me they sit right next to eachother til I give it to them. Arizona is only food aggressive with Ace. I have a 3 year old that will be pretty close while she is eating (my daughter Katie likes to watch sometimes) and Arizona just eats. I can stick my hand anywhere in her face if I wanted to and she doest do anything. i know this because I used to stop her so Ace can eat and she wont react bad at all. Ace is the only one she does this with. Thank for the book suggestion Im loioking into it now.