# Aggression towards small dogs.



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Well times are changing and Drew and I are moving back in with his parents. 

We dont' WANT to but we are sick of renting and living paycheck to paycheck, being miserable and would rather save money to buy a house sooner than later.

Anyway, his parents have a young (5,6 7 8 month old) puppy. I am not sure what kind, I think boxer/shepherd mix. He has given their chorkie reason to go to the vet twice already. Once for stitches because he grabbed him instead of the toy, and another time for reopening those stitches. 

Last time we were at their house, this dog full on attacked Sprocket for no reason. 

I know this dog gets little to no exercise, is not properly trained, or stimulated. When he starts barking, they just shove him in their daughters room. 

When we move in I will not allow my dogs to be alone with him but I also want to help him. I plan to take him running in the morning with Gunner. To the park as often as I can. I want to work on his basic training and help him become a more self controlled. He is rather out of control and has no idea what to do with himself. 

Now I am worried about his past with small dogs and I would hate for him to injure Sprocket or the chorkie because I would not be able to forgive myself. 

What would you suggest? Am I on the right track?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

i think of course you should be careful, but I would bet physical and mental stimulation would change his attitude alot, poor fellow. And sorry you have to move in with his parents. I know we have to do what we have to do, though.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Are you sure that's a dog you want to take to run off leash at a park? or are you going to go somewhere else? I don't have a lot of advise but just know that once they get past the socialization age, it is pretty hard to change behavior especially since it sounds like he has run the household!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

xellil said:


> i think of course you should be careful, but I would bet physical and mental stimulation would change his attitude alot, poor fellow. And sorry you have to move in with his parents. I know we have to do what we have to do, though.


Yes we do have to do what we have to do. I am rather positive about it though. 

I plan to be VERY careful with this dog. I do not trust him but I want to help him. He is a small dog, probably 30 lbs, smaller than Mikey is.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

He's not very old. I don't know alot about young dogs, but it seems to me at half a year it can't be true aggression? They aren't sexually mature (or not much) - i mean, the young dogs at the dog park may growl and argue but they are nothing like the old dogs I have seen who are truly aggressive.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

whiteleo said:


> Are you sure that's a dog you want to take to run off leash at a park? or are you going to go somewhere else? I don't have a lot of advise but just know that once they get past the socialization age, it is pretty hard to change behavior especially since it sounds like he has run the household!


I wouldnt' be letting him run off leash until he is properly trained and socialized. I would take him with my dogs, but keep him on the leash. Until his recall and basic training is set and I trust him, He won't be going any where off leash. We don't go to a fenced in park, its a huge plot of land, probably 200 acres.

I have a hard time believing that he is too far gone. He is young still and with the right direction I am sure he will turn out to be a fine dog.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

The dog in question


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## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

I would probably start in a more controleld setting like obed class. It could justbe the way the dogs were introduced? Make sur eyou have a lock on your door and dog crates so no one else gets an idea to let dogs play when your not there.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

brandypup said:


> I would probably start in a more controleld setting like obed class. It could justbe the way the dogs were introduced? Make sur eyou have a lock on your door and dog crates so no one else gets an idea to let dogs play when your not there.


I dont' think they are willing to put that kind of money into him.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

He looks very young not close to 8 months old...Your right, if you put a lot of work into it then they be turned around. I guess I'm just used to dealing with dogs that weren't socialized and abused!


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Honestly...it sounds to me like rotten puppy behavior. In fact...sounds EXACTLY like Willow when she was a puppy lol As long as you are aware of the possibility of a fight breaking out and you are careful with the puppy etc etc you are by far on the right track! Exercising him *One on One* is your best bet right now, since you said yourself the dog is barely trained. It is in your best interest to do some serious walking with the pup (nothing to strenuous obviously) and once he is a bit better on the leash take him out with Drew and Sprocket as well. Keep them separated but make sure they know the other is there etc etc. 
Does that make sense? 
I see you have two other dogs it looks like, are they living with you since you've moved? How do they get along with the puppy?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We haven't moved yet and yes all my dogs will be with me. I wouldn't move to a place where I couldn't take my dogs 
Mikey treats him the same way he treats all dogs. Ignores him unless he gets into his space. 

Gunner is a puppy too so he plays with him just fine. 

Sprocket liked him until he attacked him.


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

LOL yeaaaah that can happen! I wasn't sure of your living situation so I didn't want to assume ha ha. If I ever had to move back to my parents I wouldn't be allowed to take my dogs at all =( 
Also just another tidbit, *I* personally don't allow groups of more than two dogs to play at a time while one is still finicky (like how the puppy you're describing is and how my Willow was...and still can be) since multiple dogs can make a rambunctious puppy...intolerable to other dogs a lot faster.
I've had to break up one scuffle between my two bullys and a husky mix once...never doing THAT again lol


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

The situation where he attacked him was completely out of the blue. We (Drews parents, drew and I) were watching tv in the living room. Gunner was laying down holding a toy, the puppy "charlie" was pulling on the other side. Mikey was laying next to me, and sprocket was in my lap. Sprocket jumps down, puppy turne around and straight up attacks him. I have never been so fearful for my dogs life. I thought he was going to die. 

Drew grabbed the pup by the hind legs and I grabbed both scruffs. Thankfully no one was injured.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I truly think you are on the right track. If I was in the same situation, I'd be walking and exercising, teaching the pup basic commands, manners and discipline, playing and taking him everywhere with me to get him as socialised as I could.
I'm sure the fight wasn't that bad if there wasn't any blood or bites involved, I know you said the fight came out of now-where, but I'm sure there was a conversation going on beneath out knees that most of us would be clueless about.
This dog is only a pup, he just needs to be shown what is right and what is wrong, it sounds like he needs to get a lot of energy out and his brain needs to be employed.
You will probably be the best thing that ever happens to him.


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

In my experience, this rotten puppy behaviour (and that IS what it sounds like), needs a three-pronged approach:

1) EXERCISE. I'd be cautious about doing "forced" exercise like running with a dog that young, especially one that is part Boxer. Boxers are not meant to do "forced" exercise until after 1 year of age because of the slower rate at which they mature physically. However, in this case it may be worth risking it in order to get enough exercise in. If Gunner will wrestle with the pup, that's always awesome for burning off major puppy energy.

2) Mental Stimulation. Feed meals out of puzzle toys. Do short sessions of obedience work a couple of times a day. Exhausting his brain is as important as exhausting his body.

3) SERIOUS BUSINESS BOUNDARIES. I'm sure you have rules/boundaries for your own dogs. Set some for the puppy, and be *100% consistent* about them. Get everyone else on board as much as you can.

The pup is far too young to be displaying true aggression - though this behaviour, if unchecked, could certainly turn into that down the road. I'm sure with some good guidance, he'll turn into a great little dude


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We were at their house last night and he and gunner get along very well. This dog has doubled in size.


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