Very Unusual Behavior

[ultrarealist]

I have 3 dogs - Momo a 3 yrs old Yorkshire Terrier dog neutered, Sandy a 19mths old Affie bitch spayed and Amani a 5mths old Affie puppy dog full. Amani was crated when this incidence happened.

A friend of mine visited our house for the first time and as usual Momo is very firendly towards anyone and Sandy is always nervous in the beginning but usually is ok after a while. I was sitting next to my friend and Sandy was relaxing and lying on the floor about 5m away from us. Momo picked up a ball to me and invited me to play retrieve (Momo loves it). After several round of fetch, my friend got interested and he threw the ball then Sandy barked at him from afar (5m) then when my friend was trying to throw again, Sandy jumped up growled and charged to my friend and ready to bite, it was very close but I managed to call her off. We stopped the game and Sandy was relaxed again.

Sandy always ignores the ball and I've given up training her for that for a long time so I can rule out resources guarding. Does anyone has the similar experience or be able to explain what happened? I am opened to any opinion that may help and I just want to make sure it won't happen again as it was quite scary. It is the first time I saw Sandy showing aggressiveness.

[Nekhbet]

Sandy was trying to control the situation and she didnt like your friend showing excitement with another member of her pack or didnt like the body language displayed (especially with her young pack member in a crate vulnerable in her eyes). Frankly I would be putting her in a crate in another room if she doesnt like people. Sandy too is not at that age of maturity and being a bitch she will try and be top dog.

I would get a professional in to at least give you one session of understanding what your dogs consider the pack structure in your household and what you can impliment as the 'new world order'

[ultrarealist]

Sandy was trying to control the situation and she didnt like your friend showing excitement with another member of her pack or didnt like the body language displayed (especially with her young pack member in a crate vulnerable in her eyes). Frankly I would be putting her in a crate in another room if she doesnt like people. Sandy too is not at that age of maturity and being a bitch she will try and be top dog.

I would get a professional in to at least give you one session of understanding what your dogs consider the pack structure in your household and what you can impliment as the 'new world order'

Sometime I am confused with the pack order with such an interesting combination, sex, age and sizes. I am wondering how this will evolve when Amani is grown, he is very dominating.

[Nekhbet]

dont think its something thats set in black and white. Remember its dependant on quite a few factors, can even change day to day.

ultimately I aim for me at the top and everyone else listens, no dog making their own decisions on how to handle situations and encounters I dont allow dogs to scrap over things, tell each other off (they can play and tussle etc) or pinch each others food items. In fact dogs that push the point have privelages, and occasionally dinner, taken from them for their behavior.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Nekhbet

[Akitaowner]

completely agree with Nek - pack structure is something that should be thought of as Dynamic and changing all the time who is boss int he hosue may not be in the yard or out on a walk...

as said above keep youself/family as top of the pack everyone else needs to know that what you say goes NO MATTER WHAT... the rest they can sort out amoungst themselves...

my boy is still top dog here and my girl is about 2.5yo - she does make challenges to him and now and again they fall out but 24hrs later they ar best friends again - we had one occassion in the night where they had a full on fight over who could sleep nearest our bedroom door they both got put outside for the night! ...

i let them sort out their battles and tend not to break them up - no blood is ever drawn...ok once! but they both always know that what i say goes the rest of the time they can do as they please...