Re: Re: [PyrNet-L] Care, Behavior: aggression btw male sibs

[KGHUBGAS@aol.com]

Cindy -

In a message dated 1/12/99 9:04:49 PM, you wrote:
<< I assume your dogs all do very well with you though, is that
correct?  None of their aggression feeds over to you or your family
right? >>

Of my group of four dogs (Hawkeye died so recently we can include him, too,
since he was undisputed God for 13.5 years) the only one to show agression to
the human family is the Pyr, Panda. She is a spayed female. I allowed her one
heat before spaying. She was a pet store rescue, we assume from a puppy mill,
though she has "papers". She was agressive and arrogant from day one; she was
going to beat on the others, be the alpha, and even at 10- 15 pounds was
bossy. The other three backed her into the corner in the kitchen and pounded
her and terrorized her for a good fifteen minutes one Saturday afternoon. She
screamed bloody murder; it was hard to stand aside and watch, but we both work
and I figured they'd better decide the pecking order while supervised. She
wasn't hurt, just terrified! After that, no problems. If she and Hoover are
both "watch- dogging", snarling at the meter man, brutalizing the UPS guy,
they get nasty with each other, but haven't drawn blood. Injuries have always
been from play. Three surviving dogs are all female, Panda Pyr, Hoover
LabShep, and Standish Beagle (Poor Standish catches brunt of rough play
because of size, but can hold her own. She's tough!). Panda will growl and
show her teeth to adult humans once in a great while, and only if you really
bug her when she's tired or chewing, but has never been stupid enough to snap
or bite. We stare right at her, though, and don't back down. There is probably
no doubt in her mind that a bite would have serious consequences. She had to
make a conscious choice to _allow_ Hoover to be alpha; she could easily thrash
Hoover, but the early acceptance of the one who at that time was older and
bigger was her decision, and she does back down from Hoover. Doesn't sound
like either one of your guys wants to give.

Your guys might have a gender component; Hawkeye, only male, blinded at six
months at first owner (run over), 21 pounds soaking wet, was absolute alpha,
enforced by Lieutenant Hoover. Dogs actually moved aside for him to pass!
However, humans of house also enforced dog-decided hierarchy, which is far
easier with such a wide spread of ages and sizes. Your situation is very
interesting, hard to call without actually seeing dogs interact.

Hope we can help you with your problem..... 
Kathy
Middlefield, CT