dominant puppy?

Question
@ Hello, we have a 6th month old poodle (sold as a toy but more the size of a miniature!) called Jeffrey. He is normally a lovely dog and is great with other dogs and strangers, apart from getting a bit exited. However from being quite a young pup he has growled at my brother the youngest in the family, aged 11 when not wanted to be disturbed. Recently however he has seemed to get worse and often growls when he is patted or stroked by my brother and has snapped quite a few times, but never actually bitten. He has also growled and snapped at my dad a lot less often than my brother but more than my mum and myself, it seems he likes females more than the males. When researching dominance problems he appears to tick a lot of the boxes associated with this problem. It is becoming a great problem and are all worried about his behaviour, however apart from telling him off each time he growls we have no idea how to go about correcting it. So any advice will be strongly appreciated, thank you.

Answer

Hi Victoria,

First, if you already haven't done so you should have Jeffery neutered. Studies suggest that testosterone might increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior, and the younger a dog is neutered the better. Six months is a perfect age to neuter.

Second, Jeffery is acting like the "top dog", and his behavior can get a lot worse if you don't take steps to put him in his place, which is subordinate to you and your family. This can be difficult when you have a dominate dog, if you have no experience in training a dominate dog. This might not be something you can read about and fix. Plus the longer Jeffery's aggression goes on, the more of a chance that he'll start biting, and that his behavior would have become habitual (which then is very had to change).

Here are some web sites with info on training a dominate dog:

http://www.inch.com/~dogs/taming.html

http://leerburg.com/dominac2.htm

http://suite101.com/article/alpha-exercises-for-dog-owners-a78978

You and your family should try to identify all situations in which your dog is likely to challenge you, and avoid all interactions and situations in which his aggressive behavior might be evoked.

Another thing to begin is the "Nothing In Life Is Free" training regimen. This is really simple to follow, and can really help your dog to understand he is not in charge. Keep in mind that this is not a substitute for behavioral work. Read more about Nothing In Life Is Free, here:

http://www.pets.ca/dogs/articles/nothing-in-life-is-free-nilf

The most effect (and quickest way) to gain control over Jeffery would be to enroll in a dog obedience class. Jeffery will learn how to obey, and a trained professional will show you how to control him. Obedience training will also help you develop stronger leadership skills. Ask your veterinarian or a local boarding kennel for a recommendation to an obedience class in your area.

Best of luck,

Patti