1st dogs aggression

Question
Hello we just brought home a South African Boerbel (Mastiff) home. He is a sweet large rescue dog. Shows no signs of abuse. We have an 11yr old lab/chow who is making our lives a bit stressful now. The lab seems to be very territorial showing teeth and sometimes lunging to engage. The new dog gets anxious and nervous. Does not seem to want to fight but if cornered he will not back down. We have not let it escalate that far we keep leashes on at all times. We now correct the labs behavior with a pinch collar and when she shows aggression we correct and turn her from the other dog. Is this how we should handle the situation? and what can we do different to acclamate the two? It has only been 6 long days. Thanks

Answer
What you are doing may be as good as anything.  A male and female are  the combination least likely to be a problem.  Give her a little more time.  It is obvious she thinks she is in charge.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

An 11 year old may be slow to accept your leadership.  In such a difficult case, you may need the hands on help of a private trainer or behaviorist.