Agressiveness in one of my dogs

Question
Hi I need your expertise here, badly!  I have 4 dogs, one large lab, 2 toy poodles all are male and one female shitzu.  The female shitzu attacks one of my toy poodles out of the blue and goes in for the kill.  This prompts the lab to join in and go after him too.  I have broke up several fights and am just sick about this.  I would love to get rid of the shitzu but it is my daughters dog and she is having a fit, but does not live here she is in college.  All dogs are neutered and spayed.  I favor the poodles especially the one that has been being attacked.  Any suggestions? Thank you for your help

Answer
Hi Patricia;
I am afraid my daughter would just have to go ahead and have her fit. It was her responsibility to train her dog, and she shouldn't expect someone else to put up with her mistakes.
I am dogmatic about this, it is a parent's responsibility to taise their child, whether that child has 2 legs, 4 legs, or slithers. And it doesn't matter if the parent of the child is 4 years old or 40.
We were very indulgent about allowing our 4 children to each have their own petm however, they were responsible for them.When my children come over, they sometimes bring their dog. One little grand-daughter always brings her puppy. I am granny to the 4 legged grandchildren too.
Her puppy gets along great with my 4 dogs, and Caressa is 8, but she tales care of her puppy. She's a good little mother.
I have a little Lhasa mix that I took as a foster dog, and kept, rather than finding another home for. He was about 6 weeks old, and our 1 year old Australian Shepgerd, a male, took over that puppy. He acted like he was it's mother.
When we had the puppy for about a week or two. it flew at the aussie, and was holding onto his cheek, growling like "kill, kill". Rowdy threw a fit when I plucked to puppy off his face and scolded it. He didn't want his "baby" fussed at. they are 5 and 6 years old niow, and Max stills flies at Eowdy, and bosses him around, even theogh he is half Rowdy's size, but he knows the others won't tke it, so he never tries it with them.
Rowdy ALLOWS this, but I DON'T ! I put his little butt in time out. He hates that. I don't hit, but I think they would rather I beat them than the nagging fit I throw, and them put them in time out. all I have to say is "DO YOU WANT TO GO TO TIME OUT", and Max straightens right . Time out is bannishment to a small bathroom with no toys, nothing to do but lie there, bored, and miss out on everything he can hear going on.
When my friend comes with her yorkie (who for some reason hates my Sheltie) I put his little butt in time out too.
He really fights though, and will bring blood. I can't allow him to attack ny Sheltie, even if his mom DOES spoil him rotten and never correct him at home.
That little witch you have has decided she is going to be the alpha. She has to be taught she is just a little peon, and YOU are the alpha.
Dogs are pack animals, like people are. They do not do well living alone, they need the community relationships, but there must be an alpha, and a beta, who makes the rules.
Training would do it, but the Lab needs to be trained too.
I am the alpha, and "Ain't no lil 4 legged critter big enough to take it away from me." LOL
You've had these dogs for several years, they understand more of your language than you think.
Chew them out, let your voice reflect you are angry. Raise your voice and chew them out. Don't just say "NO!"
I say things like "
  "NO !  I AM NOT GOING TO STAND FOR THAT !, YOU DON'T FIGHT" I really read them the riot act!
Is spring break coming up soon? Tell your daughter to either solve the problem with her dog, and train it, or fine it another home, or you will.
She can take it to training class when she is on spring break.
What would you do if it were a shin-kicking child that was fighting with your other children?
Raising dogs is just like raisig children. You HAVE to lay down the rules, and see that they are followed.
When the little one attacks the other dog, grab it by the scruff of the neck and look it in the eye and chew it out good, then  put it closed up in a room by itself. no toys, nothing to do but be bored. start with 30 minutea or an hour, and increase the time each time you have to put it in time out.
If she is drawing blood when she attacks, you may need to paddle her butt a few times. I have only had to spank Max once, and have never had to spank any of the others.
Max is just more bullheaded. Takes more to teach him.
When I do spank, I pick them up and paddle them on their little butt. I don't hit hard, and I chew all the time I am spanking.
She has to dread the punishment more than the ego boost she gets from dominating the other dog.
Petsmart and Petco stores have weekend trainig classes. They are basic obedience classes. and I can't emphasize too much how effective the basic training courses are for correcting bad behavior, and making good citizens out of pets.
They are part of a family. They have to learn to behave in a way that contributes to the family unit, not destroy it.
You have to make this dog realize, it is your way or the highway.
Your daughter is an adult. She has to realize the same thing.
YOU are the one who's nerves are on end, and YOUR dog is the one being made miserable.
It is HER dog, SHE has to take care of the situation.
You and your dog are the victims, and this should stop.
I highly recommend training classes for the Lab too. It is the  "mob" mentally that makes him jump into the fray.
Dogs that live in our home with us, are not in the situatuion they would be in were they in a wild pack, so they have to learn not to behave like a wild pack.
To get this stopped will take some time, and a LOT of patience. They have been allowed to get away with this too long.
You can take the Shitzu to training classes yourself, if you decide to let it stay in your home.
The trainer will teach you how to stop these attacks, and the proper way to intercede.
One trainig method I like to use is the Tellington Touch of animal massage. You can massage a dog out of aggression, fear of thunderstorms, and greatly help with pain relief from Arthritis, after servere pain etc. I use it a lot to massage my Arhritic English Setter. I can massage her, and get her moving much more eaasily. I have used it to help speed up recovery from surgery, and get them easement of the pain, and their muscles working properly faster.
I have used it to cure fear of thunderstorms and excessive barking.
I have seen it work on a dog that attacked any dog it saw, and the dog be brought back by another dog, and it behave well and not even growl, much less attack.
As your dogs get older, Arthritis will be a problem, even possible the small dogs. and especially the Lab.
Learning that massage method will let you help them a lot, with fewer medications.
To read about this massage method, and buy a video of how to do the nassages, go to this site.
The video only costs about %35,99, and it will be the best money you ever spent.

www.lindatellington-jones.com

So, my advise would be,
Take the litle dictator to training classes, and also the lab. Once you go to training class and learn what to do with the little one, you can go home, and do the same thing with your lab, and train it yourself.
You will also then know how to train any dogs you get in the future, so they are the well behaved family members they should be.
some Humane society chapters also have these classes.

See, I don't care how "Normal " a behavior is, if it makes waves in the peace and tranquility of the family, it is just one "normal" behavior they have to learn to get out of.
I hope this helps you, but if it doesn't help enough, write me back, and I will try to help more, but I have always found good basic obedience just fixes all the problems.
There is no such thing as a dog that can't be taught, and turned around.
through training, you can turn this nasty little dog into a sweetie.
Charlotte