Questioni think it is jealousy but our younger dog 2 years old has bitten before not so bad but has just bitten our older dog of 14 years and this dog now might have to have surgery. we live nowhere near a puppy school and finances are a bit low due to this vet bill. What do we do??
AnswerLikely the younger dog is exeerting its rank. 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 There are plenty of good books out there, perhaps even at your library. Try oneof these:
The Cultural Clash by Jean Donaldson, 1996
Excel-crated Learning by Pamela Reid, 1996
Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, 1996
Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1993
Second Hand dog, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1988
Dog Problems, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1989
Super Puppy, by Peter J. Vollmer, 1988
HELP, Mt dog Has an Attitude, by Gwen Bohnenkamp, 1994
Owners' Guide Better Behavior in Dogs and Cats, by William Campbell, 1989
What All Good dogs Should Know, By Wendy Vollmer, 1991
How to Raise a Dog When Nobody is Home, Jerry Kilmer, 1991
Through Otis' Eyes-Lessons from a Guide Dog Puppy, by Patricia Berlin Kennedy and Robert Christie, 1998
Puppy Primer, by Brenda K Skidmore and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996
Beginning Family Dog Training, by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996