Is this aggression, dominance, or play?

Question
QUESTION: I have a question regarding doggy behavior. My husband and I have a 4 year old Jack Russell terrier/Queensland Heeler named Miley. We live with his parents, although we are hoping to move back out on our own again. Miley plays with the two other dogs that live at the home, two German Shorthair Pointers, Max & Sammie. Initially, when we would turn Miley loose with the two larger dogs, Max would ignore them and do his own thing, and Sammie would get in Miley's face in a playful manner and they would play chase in the yard. Eventually all 3 of them would be tearing around the yard in a pack.

Recently (within the last 2-3 weeks) I've been noticing Miley becoming really vocal with Sammie. By vocal, I mean, that she will get in Sammie's face, or goes to her ear, and will poke her and growl. Sammie tucks her tail and will lay down. She doesn't roll over, but she does lay down. Sometimes, she'll slink away into the converted inside doggy room (it was an office space but it's been turned into a room for the dogs to go into when it's really hot or if it rains). Sometimes Miley will chase her in there, continuing to growl and bark. Sammie doesn't bark back or offers to bite or growl, just slinks to a spot to get away from her. Miley has cornered Sammie in the bushes and in the indoor doggy room and I make sure to separate them for a short time (a minute or two) and then release Miley back with the others.

My question is this: Is this a dominance display from Miley or aggression? Or is she just trying to encourage Sammie to play, but Sammie is submitting? I want to avoid a dog fight and knowing the potential signs now will definitely be helpful, especially considering the Shorthairs are bigger than my 20 lb dog.

Thank you for any help/advice you can offer. :)

Sincerily,

Brittney, Miley, & Sammie


Dogs don't bite out of   ANSWER: Hi Brittney -

This sounds like a doggie pecking order dominance issue.  I don't know how long you have been living with your in-laws, but if it has been awhile then Miley is probably trying to assert herself in the pack.  I'm sure that at first she was rather reserved with the other dogs, to feel them out so to speak, however now it definitely sounds like she is dominating Sammie.  Tucking of the tail, laying down and moving out of the other dog's space are all signs of submission. How is she with Max?  Unfortunately there are no equals in the pack so the dogs are going to have to "work it out."  In situations like this the behavior can occasionally escalate into a dog fight so you should familiarize yourself with dog body language and signs that a dog is going to bite.  I have included a photo for reference and a link to get you started. If Miley really starts to go after Sammie you can always give her a 5-10 minute "time out."  Make sure the area you choose to confine her to (crate, bathroom etc.) is safe, quiet and free of toys, treats or other fun things.  If you are consistent she should start to learn what triggers her "time outs" and hopefully give Sammie some peace.  Best of luck with your pups!

http://dogtrainer.quickanddirtytips.com/how-can-you-tell-when-dogs-are-playing-o

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We've been living with my in laws since Feb. 1st of this year. With Max, Miley is an angel. They adore each other. They enjoy each other's company and Miley doesn't show any of this dominance behavior towards him, and he doesn't show that type of behavior towards her. It seems like when Max is present, Miley's behavior cues up with Sammie, but when he's gone or on the other side of the yard, she's quieter. Maybe a little possession here too?

We like having all 3 together, but obviously, we don't want to have problems. =)

Answer
It sounds like Miley has had time to adjust and she respects Max as the leader of the pack. She is obviously not challenging him in any way right now, however that may change.  This means that she is happy being the #2 dog or that she does not have the confidence or leadership abilities to try and dominate him. Mother dogs are possessive of their puppies, and in the wild wolves will be possessive of their mates, but you don't ususally see that behavior with unrelated dogs living in the home.  It does sound like she might be "showing off" for Max and asserting herself as the #2 dog so he knows that Sammie's rank has changed.  Start to observe little things when all the dogs are together like who drinks first at the water dish, who gets to play with the new toy first etc.  You should see a definite pattern of the pecking order going on.  Be sure to supervise the dogs when they are out together so if things get too rough you can intervene.  You can try putting Miley in a time out if she gets too aggressive with Sammie and remember to praise her when she is being a good girl with her.  You may also want to consider taking Miley for a walk to burn off excess energy before turning her out to play with the other two dogs. If she's not dog-aggressive it sometimes helps to take her to a doggy daycare one day a week for socialization.  Other dogs at the facility can be very good teachers regarding canine manners and etiquette. Sit tight. Unfortunately there is not much you can do outside of supervising them and rewarding good behavior.  My sister has 5 dogs...3 males and 2 females and they have disagreements and challenge each other all the time as to who is the boss.  It gets a little noisy once in a while (which looks and sounds worse to us humans than what is actually going on in doggie language) but for the most part, they get along fine.  It is probably a good idea to consult a local trainer and schedule a session to observe the 3 dogs first hand and so they can give you more accurate feedback and suggestions. Good-luck!