aggression

murphy · Rookie

aggression

Carol · Master

Hi there,

I understand your concern and you've come to the right place! Can I suggest that you contact GAL's Follow up Co-ordinator Carole Robinson, who can give you great advice.

Email her at robinsoncarole@blueyonder.co.uk

Viv, who is a beheviourist and a GAL pal, for want of a better phrase, is a regular visitor to the Forum, so keep checking back and I'm sure she'll post you some advice too.

Hope it goes well

-- Edited by Carol at 14:36, 2005-09-19

Suzanne · Guru

Hiya - can I ask a) how old is Murphy & b) how old are the kids???

Sounds like he is trying to stake his place in the pecking order of the family now that he has been there for 10mths ....but as you say you cannot risk this behaviour with the kids about. It is however easily treated....Viv is prob the best person to ask re this one but def start by excluding Murphy from eating times - again in return, make sure he isnt disturbed by anyone inc kids when it is his dinner time - a lot of dogs can be possessive over their food - he may just need time to realise that his food isnt going to be taken away from him etc & that he doesnt need to be so defensive about it - what was his backround?? was he stray?

He also sounds like he is becoming possessive over your husband which should be discouraged - mainly by your husband as Murphy is obviously looking to him as top dog so it is your husband as top dog that needs to give Murphy a firm NO is he growls at anyone trying to approach during 'their' time...

Hopefully Viv can give you further advice (& i hope my advice isnt a load of clap-trap....) Let us know how you get on & dont give up !! This is easy behaviour to fix.

All the best...

UndercoverElephant · Master

Hi there,

I seem to remember reading that one of the duties of the pack leader is to back-up the weaker members of the pack in such cases. The theory is that if the tog dog (or, in this case probably your husband) stands up for the kids, or stands with them and shows who's side he's on, it reinforces everyone's place in the pack, and the dog quickly works out what is and isn't acceptable in their new pack.

Hope this helps,

Phil

murphy · Rookie

Thanks for these replies. I will definitely email Carole Robinson and keep checking back.

To Suzanne: a) Murphy is 3 years old and b) the kids are 10 and 12

Murphy was retired from racing as he was putting the other racers off by wanting to play rather than race. His owner then kept him in a kennel which was broken into and he was beaten up. He is not a nervous dog and is happy to see anyone come into our house, he hardly ever barks and wags his tail at everyone. When he first arrived he would growl when approached whilst sleeping/lying down and moving his bed to a more appropriate place resolved this (along with a water pistol if it was to hand) but he has never bared his teeth and snapped before.

I will let you know how I get on, thank you.

Dave · Enlightened One

Hi Murphy, welcome to the forum....here's my take on things...

Situation B is easier to manage I guess by excluding Murphy from family meal times (although doesn't address the root cause of the problem) Murphy sees a table of food and quite fancies some then sees kids entering room, he knows the kids are going to eat the food and doesn't like that hence the growling...

Situation A I guess is very similar, Murphy doting on hubby, enter kids who hubby is going to share his time with, Murphy doesn't like that, wants daddy all to himself hence the growling..

I think in this situation the kids need to be more involved with Murphy,make sure they spend lots of time with him, allocate them tasks like grooming him every day, also let the kids prepare his food and put it out for him. If murphy is a good boy and is going to get a treat make sure the kids give him it, that sort of thing. Trying desperately here not to get into pack dynamics mumbo jumbo but Murphy can't be allowed to see the kids as a 'threat' he must see them in the same way as he see's daddy so this also means whilst the kids become more involved with him daddy has to cool it a little bit..

Finally, Viv posted a document on the behavioural thread recently in the 'Mallaig Again' post, have a read at that, it's VERY interesting...Good Luck!

Viv · Old Hand

Yes, Dave, I hope that doc. I posted is read, it will give anyone a better understanding of what is actually going on in things that are discussed as complicated issues that are in fact very easy to understand.

What you have here is a simple resource problem. To a dog everything has a value. When the value is high - dog wants it. When the value is low - you can have it!

Change the values. Meal times, train him to do something to 'earn' anything (away from the table)or better still train him to go to his bed with a tasty something. He will soon shoot off for his treat rather than sit at the table. Needless to say NEVER feed him at the table (in this case). It may also be an idea to feed the dog first. If he's not hungry food should lower in value.

If Dad's a resource, his value needs to come down. If anyone enters the room and the dog is with him - get up and move away, if the dog follows, go to another room. Get the kids to do some fun stuff with the dog.

Viv