Jealousy in dogs - just a phase?

[Bluemoon420]

Our breeder says that, but I haven't personally dealt with it. DH has dealt with it himself. With some GSD's he's had in the past.
I do know my female GSD who's about Jax's, age rules the boys in this house. But they are much older than her. If I ever get another GSD puppy down the road, I think it will be male. Although, Sophie could end getting along just fine with another female. She constanly surprises me.

Bluemoon

 

[Beekissed]

My 4 yr. old lab/bc mix has never grown out of it. When he was a pup, my older dog, Lucy, would snap at him if he got between me and her and I would correct her for this show of jealousy. She learned quickly to stop this....then Jake got a little bigger and started the same behaviour you describe.

I do the same thing you do but he never really stops trying...each time I go out to interact with the mutts he pulls this twirling dance between me and Lucy, bouncing her out of the way. I have to tell him to stop each and every time.

I had a milk cow that was jealous of Jake and would try to gore him if he sat next to me, then would lay her head in my lap.

Now I have sheep that are jealous also and will butt Jake if he gets between them and me...where does it all end?

I need to clone myself to keep all these jealous animals happy.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Nope, won't happen until they are at least two years old, if ever. From everything I have learned about german shepherds from both the breeder and other sources, GSDs are one of the few breeds where you can keep two intact males and not expect to have fights. As Brindle pointed out, with GSDs you are more likely to run into trouble with two females. The breeder's household is a prime example. His females are the ones that have to be kept seperated, not the two intact males.
Kane is sowing his wild oats, some of it I tolerate and some I don't. I'm making sure that he understands that he has to share me with Jax and I believe he will grow out of it with time. We do everything humanly possible to make sure each dog gets the same amount of love, attention, treats, you name it. They either both get it or neither of them does.

 

[Kansaseq]

I do the same thing. If I'm petting Emma, and Mica horns in (more dominant), I push Mica away and make her wait her turn. I neither want to reinforce Mica's pushy behavior with Emma, OR with me. I am alpha, and decide who I pet, and when. I also intervene if I see an interaction I don't want. That doesn't mean I get involved in every dog to dog interaction that goes on. But ultimately, it's my house and I make the rules, not the dogs.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Yes, that's the rules we are trying to follow in this house. Thankfully other than this new issue of Kane horning in on Jax's pettings, we haven't had to intervene during their play with each other; other than to say "no ears!" when we see one or the other pulling on them.

 

[Rammy]

You need to watch the Dog Whisperer. You have three packs in your house. You and your dog. Your husband and his dog. And you and your husband. There needs to be a pack leader. Your dog is claiming you as his female. There was an episode with GSD's on Whisperere dealing with this very subject and it was simple to fix. I dont remember how he did it though. You need to show dominance to your dogs and you and your husband need to be consistant with it. I wish I could be of further help on this.

Rammy

 

[Brindlebtch]

I expect Jax

and Kane

know that Momma Grits is in charge of their puppy butts.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I've not only 'heard' that, I've seen it! My friend had 'girl fights' in her GSD dogs that just about killed one of the dogs. She had to send one of the females back to the seller after a few months. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so horrible. Her husband got bit when he got between them and tried to break it up. It took hundreds of stitches all over the one dog to treat her after the fight, the other dog fully intended to kill her. The same female did that to several different females she attempted to bring home.

The woman always bragged about how 'close' she was to the attacking female and bragged about how 'loyal' she was. What she took for 'loyalty' and 'closeness' was actually aggression, that she unwittingly encouraged.

When a puppy in a group of dogs starts playing around energetically and making noise, the 'top dog' will come over and hold the pup down by the neck. The human needs to be the 'top dog'. The human decides who gets disciplined, and who gets pushed away, not the other dog. When a dog takes over the 'top dog' role from the human, it needs to be told in no uncertain terms that that is NOT ON. Don't just say 'Nein'. Put the dog on a down stay and put some drama in it. MAKE SURE it knows that deciding who gets pushed away is NOT ITS JOB, or it will escalate. These things are not 'phases'. They are trying out behavior of the lead dog. It is a challenge to your position, not 'loyalty' or 'closeness'. Put an end to it in no uncertain terms.

We had a very soft dog, a mutt, who watched with great interest as I came over to the couch, stood there a moment and said to my hubby, could I lay down where he was. He very kindly got up and I laid down on the couch where he had been. After that, EVERY time I walked over to the couch, the dog would quietly get off the couch and let me sit down, but if hubby tried to sit down, he'd straighten out his legs and slowly push hubby off the couch, and not budge an inch! He would never, ever listen to my hubby. Evidently he figured he and my hubby were on the same level, LOL.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
True that. Both dogs are aware of who's in charge in this household. Neither dog wants to take a chance on not listening to Mama. If they did then the big alpha with the deep voice would get involved (Daddy). I think Kane and Jax would rather chew off their own hind legs than to make daddy have to raise his voice.

Plus, both dogs are velcro dogs as GSDs often are. We not only expected that, we enjoy it. Jax is trained to the level we wanted from him. Kane is still mama's baby and tries me at times, but he's catching on.

 

[Slinkytoys]

I've had and handled many GSDs over my lifetime. Yes, the female fights are much more "intense"---but not as numerous as the male on male fights. Especially if they are whole if there is a female in heat in the area. As for Jax and Kane, once the growth plates are closed it would be safe to neuter them. Since they aren't going to be bred, neutering would be healthier for them. Kat has her dogs' best interests at heart, but they are nothing like an IW.
Slinky