RE: [eskiepeople:15325] Question about possible rising aggression :( Long... sorry.

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:56:49 -0700

I'm probably going to have Lightning neutered but have got to find a home for the other dog.  Lightning is not a dominant male and has never been aggressive.  He wouldn't be now if the other dog would just leave him alone.  Lightning won't ever start a litter because he's never interested in dogs in heat, never tries to mount or do anything un-neutered males normally do.  He is also always in the house or in a fence.  he's afraid to go outside the fence.  None of my dogs try to dig out. If I left the gate open they might run out but I never go in and out the back gates so they don't run off.  Lightning was abused and the only place he feels secure is in his own home, in his own yard.  I've had him for 6 years and it's like  he never grew up.  I guess you could say he has emotional issues.  Being in a fight is not his cup or tea.  He was only protecting himself.  Now I have to go to the hospital because the wound (2nd I've gotten from the new dog) has become abcessed and is so bad it smells.  I'll probably be in hospital a couple of days on IV antibiotics.


-----Original Message-----
From: Cindy Capen
Sent: Nov 5, 2010 2:03 PM
To: eskiepeople
Subject: RE: [eskiepeople:15308] Question about possible rising aggression :( Long... sorry.

I would definitely get Lightning neutered. It may help the situation. Getting him neutered isn't about good vs. not so good behavior, it's just the thing to do when so many dogs have no chance at a home and why have the possibility of him "starting" a litter of offspring. Since he's afraid of men, talk to your vet about you being the last face he sees before the neuter surgery and the first one he sees when he wakes up. I do this with Kaiser when he gets his teeth cleaned. I take the day off work, stay with him until he gets the anesthesia via IV. I wait in the waiting room and when they're done, they carry him in to an exam room and I sit on the floor. They bring him in with the breathing tube still in place and he's not awake yet. A vet tech sits with me and Kai for 10-15 minutes and when he wakes up they remove the breathing tube. He's usually up walking in an hour or so. There's one other client who stays according to the vet, but only until the dog is under anesthesia. Can we say spoiled Momma's boy?! But it makes it easier on everyone if I'm there so that's what works. Your vet should be able to accommodate you for the procedure if you explain it will help Lightning be calmer and cooperative.

It's stressful and difficult to keep animals separate all the time and it seems once in a while something will happen where they encounter each other and there's a fight. I've been there, done that and will do my best to never be in that situation again.

I would guess it started as domination since initially both dogs were the only unneutered males. It seems best to have both in a neutered state, not just one.

Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 08:07:51 -0500
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [eskiepeople:15302] Question about possible rising aggression :( Long... sorry.

I don't have any suggestions but sure hope that someone does.  My sympathies are with you as I am having the same problem with a dog I just got.  He's wonderful with me, children and all my dogs but one.  And this one, like Wagner, is the most gentle, humble dog I've ever seen.  He was beaten and almost starved when I got him and now he is a golden furball.  (Not sure what he is, a Husky-Sammie mix, I think.)  Lightning is about 60 lbs.  Chewy is about 24 lbs.  Chewy did fine the first few days but one day he got on the bed w hile I was petting Lightning.  Lighting gave him a polite get-out-of-face growl and Chewy absolutely attached.  I managed to get them separated but got a horrible bite from Chewy.  He didn't attack me - my arm got in the way of his teeth while he was trying to get to Lightning.  Was this jealousy?  Was it domination?  Chewy backs down if any of my other 3 growl at him but he antagonizes Lightning unmercifully.  I'm having to put up a doggie gate to keep them separated and can't let them in the yard at the same time.  Chewy barks incessantly while Lightning is out, whether Lightning is outside or inside.  It doesn't matter.  Chewy still barks his head off and jumps in the crate so hard it moves along on the floor. 

Chewy got through the gate again the other night and I got yet another bite separating them.  Usually Lightning would back off if Chewy was removed from the equation but the other night Lightning kept trying to get to Chewy and my friend had to put the gate in front of Lightning.  He was trying to get to Chewy while I was holding him.  If Lightning gets aggressive, I will NOT be able to handle such a big dog.  He's never, ever been aggressive but Chewy has him on pins and needles. 

Oh, I took Chewy and had him neutered 3 days after he bit me but he hasn't settled down at all and it's been about a month.  Lightning is not neutered because he never was aggressive or tried to hump the other dogs and since he was afraid of men (my vet is a male) so I didn't have him fixed.  All my others are fixed.  Should I have Lightning fixed?  My other 3 are all neutered.

If anyone has any suggestions they would be most welcome.  I'm really not up to dog fights all the time and it's not fair to Lightning to keep him away from the others. 

Help, help.


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Nov 4, 2010 8:48 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [eskiepeople:15294] Question about possible rising aggression :( Long... sorry.

Greetings all ~

I have a bit of a dilemma that seems to be escalating, and since I've never dealt with this kind of thing before, I'm not sure how to correctly handle it.

We adopted Ziggy, a 3yr old eskie mix, about 6 weeks ago. He is a delightful critter, friendly, assertive, lively, a really happy guy ~ all good stuff.  HOWEVER... it appears that he has decided to challenge my aging boy, Wagner, for top dog status, and I'm not sure this is going to end well...  :( Also, as an FYI, he was neutered on August 31st, just in case that has any bearing on this situation.

Wagner is 10 years old, a skinny guy by nature (only 45lbs) but very tall. We looks exactly like the "designer" golden/poodle mix. He's a very laid back guy and enjoys his peace and quiet. Over the past year, he has developed significant arthritis in his hips, and no doubt he has some pain. He's such a good guy (my heart dog) and we figure he's earned the right to pretty much do what he wants, within reason - and he has always been reasonable. He has never been aggressive, and when Angel Quinn was adopted about a year after Wagner, he let her take over pretty much without issue. Also, he was neutered at 14wks at the shelter, so he's never experienced the major influx of male hormones.

Up to this point, there has been some posturing, etc., mostly on Ziggy's part. Wagner has tried his best to just ignore him. When Ziggy would start his stuff, Wagner would just get up and walk away. That was fine. Unfortunately, just in the last few days, Ziggy WILL NOT leave Wagner alone, and Wagner has about had his fill of it. Ziggy is constantly trying to mount Wags, (he';s not very successful because he's little), yet he also play bows during the same episode. Ziggy has not flashed any teeth, but instead makes this whiney sound like he's trying to talk - actually kind of endearing. Wagner on the other hand is starting to offer up a gutteral growl when Zigs just does not quit. To be honest, I don't blame him.

I crated Ziggy for the first couple of weeks to be safe, but he adapted so well and so quickly to our household I stopped routinely crating. I might add that it's a challenge to get him in it anyway, although we're going to have to re-institute it I believe. He has never had an accident in the house since he got here, which is amazing. He really is a wonderful little dog.

My question ~ How best do I handle this? It seems clear to me that Ziggy is actually the alpha here, as he's a very "take charge" guy. To be honest, I don't think Wagner cares much one way or the other, but he wants to be left alone.  Is it possible that Ziggy is just trying to engage Wagner in play?  The interaction just seems very different from when Quinn came and sort of took over. There was minimal posturing, other than to inform Wagner that all food was hers, all toys were hers, and he could have them if she said so. It was very cut and dry and he never challenged her until she became ill. Then he took over from that point, but again, there was no overt posturing for position. It just happened.

Of course, my primary concern is that I don't want anyone to get hurt. Ziggy is fast and agile, so I'm actually not as concerned about him as I am about Wagner. He's earned his peace and quiet, and I hate to see him stressed like this. I'm fearful that if there is a fight, Wagner will get the short end of the stick because it's getting more and more difficult for him to move very quickly.

Any thoughts?

Doris, Mom to Quinn the Eskimo Angel O:-), Wagner the Shaggy Professor, Baby Fox, our pom-eskie rescue fireball, and ... Drum Roll Please!!!!! Our NEW pom-eskie (and something with short legs) rescue boy.... Ziggy (Stardust)!!!
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