aggressive puppy

Harper · Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:33 pm Post subject: aggressive puppy

we were blessed with our 5 week old Molly(LYD) about 3 weeks ago. We also have a 4 year-old male cocker. Lucky has not taken well to Molly and is constantly growling at her. The problem is Molly will not back down when Lucky growles and nips at her. I have read that the older dog will show his dominence by pining down the younger pup. We have had Molly over 3 weeks now and I don't want her to get hurt. Molly is already 2/3 the size of Lucky and is willing to go nose to nose. Will Molly ever back down?.

lablover · Account Deactivated

Hi Harper and welcome to the forum.
Sorry to hear of your problems.
[quote:9b83839236]Molly(LYD)[/quote:9b83839236]
Sorry, but what is LYD?
Was there any specific reason you had Molly at 5 weeks?
It’s always difficult to comment without seeing the behaviour – but 5 weeks is definitely too early to leave her mum and litter, and I would guess that your problems are most likely to stem from this. At this age, pups can be very rough with each other and this is a vital time when they start to learn about basic canine interaction - mum may intervene if things get out of hand. She has been denied this opportunity by leaving the litter so early and so it is really down to you to teach her. Please don’t expect your cocker to put her in her place it is very unfair to him -you will need to intervene and be the ‘mum’. Given the circumstances you have outlined, I could not blame him if he did snap at her.
Will Molly ever back down?.
In answer to your question – she needs to be taught what is and what is not acceptable behaviour. This should have started with mum and her littermates, but because she left the litter early - you will have to teach her.
Forget about dominance, and older pup pinning her down. Look at it as if she were abandoned as a baby and had been taught no manners. Given that you have a bigger task than with a puppy who has started to learn canine behaviour from littermates, it may be beneficial to get some advice from a trainer. Where are you?
Good luck & HTH
Smile

Labdad · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 8:55 pm Post subject:

Welcome Harper.
Lablover has offered some very advice.
Please fill us in how you came to have a five week old Labrador puppy and what you are doing about the problem.

Sounds like Lucky has been very tolerant. Hope you will be able to teach young Molly some manners. Hope you get a good trainer soon.

Please share your progress with us.

Cheers

Harper · Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:08 pm Post subject:

Hi and happy new year from California.
Thankyou for your comments. I noticed people were referring to their Lab by calling them their BYD(Big Yellow Dog). well, Molly is little, hence LYD(little yellow dog). Sorry. When we received Molly she was 5 1/2 weeks old. The breeder brought her from Kansas City Mo, along with her siblings. The breeder stated Molly was old enough to leave the litter and was already eating dry puppy food. Last night we celebrated the newyear with friends and took Molly along. Our friends have a 1- 1/2 year old Lab/Chow mix which they rescued. Molly played all night long with him with out a problem. So, it's not a matter of social skills or knowing her place in the pecking order . Molly is 8 weeks old and a very happy and large puppy at 11 lbs with lot's of energy. Molly is nearly the physical size of Lucky without the weight. I guess time will tell if Lucky is going to accept Molly into the family. Soon, very soon, Molly will tower over Lucky and maybe he will change his ways and love Molly as much as we do.

lablover · Account Deactivated

Hi Harper
[quote:bae2df9459]I noticed people were referring to their Lab by calling them their BYD(Big Yellow Dog). well, Molly is little, hence LYD(little yellow dog). [/quote:bae2df9459] - Ok, Smile

I hadn't heard that expression before.
Sorry, regardless what the breeder said, 5 1/2 weeks is too early to leave the litter.
[quote:bae2df9459]The breeder brought her from Kansas City Mo, along with her siblings.[/quote:bae2df9459]
Was that her breeder or a dealer?
[quote:bae2df9459]So, it's not a matter of social skills or knowing her place in the pecking order [/quote:bae2df9459]
No puppy of 8 weeks (regardless of how old they left the litter) has social skills and knows their place - they are still learning.
[quote:bae2df9459]I guess time will tell if Lucky is going to accept Molly into the family. [/quote:bae2df9459]
Any introduction of a puppy needs careful handling and supervision. Some older dogs accept the new addition without fuss, most will need some time to adjust and it is important the the older dog is not sidelined, or overwhelmed by a boisterous puppy.
Dominance has nothing to do with size although Molly may well become the more dominant in the future (females often do), but she still needs to learn what is acceptable canine behaviour.
[quote:bae2df9459]Soon, very soon, Molly will tower over Lucky and maybe he will change his ways and love Molly as much as we do[/quote:bae2df9459]
I hope Lucky lives up to his name. Sad

Labdad · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:06 am Post subject:

Hello Harper

[quote:e68fc2dd7b]
we received Molly she was 5 1/2 weeks old. The breeder brought her from Kansas City Mo, along with her siblings. The breeder stated Molly was old enough to leave the litter and was already eating dry puppy food.[/quote:e68fc2dd7b]

Many reprutable Labrador retriever breeders do not release puppies to their new home until they are at least 7 weeks old, sometimes eight weeks old. Many responsible breeders do not sell a puppy far from their kennels, and when they do it is to people they know. Some links to puppy development:

http://www.doberman.org/articles/puppy.htm
http://www.idahohumanesociety.com/caretrain/stages.htm
http://www.mastamariner.com/puppy_dev_01.html

Sounds like the person you bought the puppy from could be either a broker, a puppy mill, or a backyard breeder.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/puppymil.html

[quote:e68fc2dd7b] Molly played all night long with him with out a problem. So, it's not a matter of social skills or knowing her place in the pecking order . [/quote:e68fc2dd7b]

An 11 week old puppy playing with a 1.5 year old dog away from home is not the same as being at home and getting along with another dog of the family

[quote:e68fc2dd7b]Molly is 8 weeks old and a very happy and large puppy at 11 lbs with lot's of energy. [/quote:e68fc2dd7b]

http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/helpful-hints.html
There is a table near the end of the article with food amounts and average weight for the age. According to the chart that is not gender specific, the average weight of an 8 week old is 13 pounds.

[quote:e68fc2dd7b]Soon, very soon, Molly will tower over Lucky and maybe he will change his ways and love Molly as much as we do.[/quote:e68fc2dd7b]
http://www.dogwhisper.com/12-09-2003_dogbite. pdf
I don't think it is that simple or clear cut.

Labs are extremely popular in the US. Lots of people breed them and in addition to the genetic problems that are on the increase, rescues and human societies have reported an increase in Labradors that do not fit the breed standard for temperment and an increase in aggressive behavior in yound dogs that have come into their care. I have read and sorry I cannot find what I am looking for but it appears that the less desirable behavior is due to the age of the puppy when separted from it's litter and mother.

My advice is to consult with your vet with behavior questions, get your dog about to date on vaccinations and after 16 weeks of age enroll in puppy kindergarten. Dogs younger than 16 weeks can pose a heath threat to older dogs with compromised immune systems. This happened to my then nine year old Lab Misty. She recovered but it was long and costly.

HTH