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Brand New Dog Growling At Older Dog


Guest ellenanneeddy

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Guest ellenanneeddy

I'm fairly unnerved by this. I just ( This saturday) adopted an almost 3 year old male(Zeke), into my pack with an 8 year old male (Finnie) and a 9 year old female (Bird). Today Finnie stepped on Zeke and Zeke growled and snarled at him showing teeth, twice. I screamed no, and it stopped immediately. Fin went off and found another nap spot. But I'm really nervous about leaving them in a pen together. I think Zeke will behave while I'm watching. He's been pushing for pack position and I;ve pushed back. He';s been in a prison program and has some training, so I've made him sit or down for anything he's wanted from me. He;s friendly with people, in a stepped back kind of way.

Is this just jockeying for position, or do I have a real problem here? Do I need to break out the muzzles?

I've had greys for 12 years. Haven't had this particular problem before.

Ellen Anne Eddy

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I am not a trainer or behaviorist and I don't play one on tv. But, in my opinion, if Zeke was stepped on, I can see why he was not happy. It could have hurt. I muzzle my dogs (except for the toothless one) when I am not home. I also permit my dogs to growl at each other - within reason. They need to be able to communicate without having to resort to biting. Zeke didn't bite, though, and he could have if he wanted to. What size pen do you keep them in?

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Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus 
Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart
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Muzzles are your best friend as you likely know. It sounds like Zeke was just warning Finnie, not abnormal for a new pup in the pack and being stepped on. Thankfully no biting occurred. If you're going to leave them in a pen together and/or go out and leave them alone, muzzles are must in my opinion.

Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge.

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Yep, a certain amount of growling and snarkiness is to be expected when you're integrating a new dog (especially a younger dog with two older ones). Growling isn't always a negative thing- it's a way dogs communicate and helps to establish pack order and discipline. When we brought home our second, I didn't really get involved unless I thought it was going too far. With that being said, I think muzzles are always a good idea until you're confident that the dogs won't harm one another. It takes a few weeks or so for things to settle down, so try to have patience and supervise everyone as much as you can.

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Guest zombrie

If he was stepped on, I don't see what the problem is? Growling would be expected... "hey, stop that, it hurts, back off!" It's how they communicate. You say they are in a pen together, how much room do they have? I know mine would get grouchy if they were forced to be kept close together, they would much rather their own space....that is what they are used to.

Edited by zombrie
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If somebody steps on me I tend to growl.... As a matter of fact Sunshine jumped on the couch and Rainy about an hour ago. Rainy snarled like kujo. I didn't even bat an eye at it.

 

The dogs did juggle for pack position after moving into this house, but feeding Rainy first seemed to have settled them back into normal.

------

 

Jessica

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Guest ellenanneeddy

Thank you. We had two xpens connected. I've separated them so Zeke can have space by himself. The rest of the evening has been quiet and I'm feeling less nervy about all of this.

It's so nice to have other people to ask.

Ellen

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Guest PiagetsMom

Maya has been here almost a year. The other day, even though she was the one who chose to lay down next to Mirage, when he bumped her, she growled at him. So, considering Zeke was stepped on, I don't think it's unusual that he would react.

 

When I first brought a new pup home to an existing pup, I muzzled the first day, and then only when they were outside, or left alone. To be honest, I really didn't have any "jockeying for position" as none of my pups have been of the "dominant", or alpha sort. However, on the advice of the GPA kennel master, I did do everything first with my existing pup - treat, feed, allow out the door, etc. My bridge girl, Piaget, abdicated that position to Mirage (male, second grey) willingly, but she was a very submissive pup. Maya (female, third grey) has never tried to take that position from Mirage, even though I was told that males usually defer to females, so no problems there. I guess Mirage has always been my alpha by default.

 

When I leave the house and the pups are alone, they do have the run of the house, and I do still muzzle both pups.......not because I've ever had an issue, but as a safeguard against one.

Edited by PiagetsMom
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I've always had 2 dogs at a time (only got a grey this year) and quite often there has been fights, the only injury was a nick on the edge of ear and a bit of saliva on the loser. I have never worried too much about minor fights as it is no different to two young human siblings having a spat. I don't let it carry on for more than a few seconds though. It was mainly the alpha females starting the spats too.

 

My koolie will growl at the grey and bare his teeth but hasn't actually done more than that, I think he is too scared to as the grey is so much bigger than him so he is just putting on an act.

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Guest HHHounds

Just be careful. We had a new hound for 3 months. He had been a bit snarky with my other male and then one morning just bit part of Zorro's ear off. The new hound found a new home where he could be an only houndie....

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I'm confused as to why are your dogs in a pen? Doesn't sound like this was a temporary thing while something was going on since you mentioned being concerned about it.

 

Baby gating them into part of the house I can understand in certain circumstances, but two of these dogs you've had for a long time. Surely they don't need to be confined?

 

As to your new dog growling--that's how dogs communicate. Not sure why you "screamed" at him. It's the height of rudeness to step on another dog, I imagine, in the dog world. Not too many dogs so passive they would just accept that with no protest. If he was "aggressive" he would have bitten your older dog, not just growled.


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Susan,  Hamish,  Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck

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Nixon is the most laid-back Grey ever.

He is a certified child-friendly therapy dog and tolerates just about anything humans can do to him.

 

However...if he gets stepped on by one of the others (ushally Nigel) he does give a little growl.

Even if they've barely touched him, he will let out a short, quiet 'please don't touch me' growl.

 

I never disipline him for that.

 

Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi.  Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie),  Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge.

 

 

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Guest Wasserbuffel

Nothing wrong with warning off someone who is stepping on you.

 

My grey gives a soft warning growl if my cats get too close that she thinks they might step on her. I don't discourage this behavior, because sometimes she's under a blanket and I'm sure the cats prefer a warning to accidentally stepping on her and getting snapped at (which has never happened, because the cats heed the warning).

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