roostershmoo

So I have two sisters who just turned two, got the very timid one first, and the second dominant one 4 months later. Mabel (dominant) was first adopted into a home with dobermans.

They've been together for 1.5 years-Mabel was always dominant especially around food, but lately she is agressive about not letting Emily on the bed or too close when there's petting and cuddling.

How can I work on this?

I love the girls, but don't want Emily hurt

Thanks!

Mikey T

so you are saying Mabel is peturbed when Emily is rude and obnoxious by invading her space?

just what do you mean by agressive
read the following article an see if you still feel the same way about the behavior.
Dogs Use Non-Aggressive Fighting to Resolve Conflicts

He Just Wants To Say "Hi!"
Aggression or appropriate response to rudeness? Far too many dogs suffer because handlers & trainers don't know the difference between the two.

the problem you are facing is common but it one created by us humans and not the dogs

1. why does emily even attempt to get on the bed when Mabel is there. It is because she has learned that butting in is a good tactic to get attention and pets as well. so we set up the situation in the first place by encouraging rude behavior

2. when you pet or do something exclusively when the dog is a alone you encourage the dog to what exclusivity

you need to work on 1. petting and rewarding each do only in the pressence of ther other. Rewarding deferential behavior. 1 being calm and peacefull the two dogs come up for pets acknowledge and pet the dog that sit quitely not the one that is knudging your hand and being rude and obnoxious. work opn fustration tollerance use a crate or baby cate if you have to to start but for example play, pet and given one dog attention in the presence of then other . then reverse. teach the dog to wait their turn.


if emily is very timid Mabel is going to do what she does because it works with emily. working on emily's shyness will help. Keep in mind human have a different measure of fairness than dogs. People tend to think 50 -50 in evrything but dogs are not that way. If one dogs loves toy the other dog does not have to have any to still be happy. they often perfer having the better sleeping in spot. keep in mind trying to each dog equally is not necessarily fair. you need to best meet the need of each dog and each one is likely to need and desire things in different perportions.,

I think you could be help greatly by the following
FEELING OUTNUMBERED? - HOW TO MANAGE & ENJOY A MULTI-DOG HOUSEHOLD, 2ND EDITION


and for a fair review of the booklet click here
.

Mikey T

describe the behavior not what you feel is the cause

roostershmoo

good point!

Mabel is very outgoing and boisterous. She mommies Emily, licks her eyes and ears every day.

Mabel has started to lunge snapping at Emily out of the blue lately. This is new and seems to be related to times when she is getting some loving, and she feels that Emily is too close.

Emily is terrified of all people, and I don't believe she will ever get better. I think we got her too late, at 5 months and that she wasn't socialized. She loves being around dogs and thinks Mabel is her moon and sun.

I'll look through the links you posted, and thanks for your thoughts!

Mikey T

did not make myself clear I was asking for the actual behavior around food. It is possible you are dealing with resource guarding and it is manifesting itself in both situations. ie guarding food, you, the bed etc.

if she intended to do harm it would have occur. behavior do not occur out of the blue but it is easy to miss the build up to the behavior. for example if earlier Mabel could control emily's action by a growl under her breath emily may no longer be respecting that etc.

nothing I have given you specifical deals with the behavior first you need to think about the dynamics betweent the two. I am guessing you feel emily because of personality needs "protecting" and that may be interfering with the natural order of things for the dogs. Basset are excellent manipulator an emily may be playing the passive aggressive card to get what she wants, that is provoking mabel to react when you are around to gain attention and favor. It could also be a the natural progression of resource guarding which tend to get worse over time because it tends to be self rewarding.

Mikey T

she can get better but that does noit mean she will not always be shy if you do nothing the shy behavior tends to be self rewarding and therefore the behavior gets worse if you do nothing to counter act it.

some useful references for dealing with shy dogs

Cautious Canine

Help for your Shy Dog
click here for fair review
shy K9's yahoo group