petitpie

Help, my husband and I have 4 standard poodles that we love. The 2-year old became dog agressive at about 1 year. She is healthy and cared for, but separated, and we wonder if she would have a better life in a 1 dog home. Would training help? I've had small poodles all of my life, and standard poodles are very different. We don't know how to manage this situation.

Rowan

Hello! I'm sorry to hear you're having issues with your SPOOS.

I think some details might help us sort this out and to give you the best advice, so please tell us more about your poodles.

For example:
What is the age range and what genders?
Are they intact or neutered/spayed?
Did you get them all at once?
Are they rescues or did you raise them as puppies?
What type of exercise do they get (daily)?
What type of training have they had?

You say the aggressive poodle is segregated from the others. Are you having full blown fights or just posturing and warnings? What causes these issues and does it happen with all 3 of your other SPOOS or just one in particular, ie, another female?

petitpie

Thank you for your kind reply. All are girl spoos (love the name) and spayed; ages: two spoos are 3 1\2, one spoo is 2 1/2, aspoo is two. Three came at different times as puppies, one 3 1/2 came at 2 years and nine months from another home.

She played well until turning 1 year and now will attack the two submissives ( 3 1/2 and 2 1/2) She behaves well with the first 3 /1/2 dominant spoo. They are turned out in a large yard for exercise, three spoos together (1 dominant and 2 subs) and then same dominant and aspoo. They are out for several hours, morning and afternoon.

Three have had obedience classes and I continue to work with them. The aspoo is the best behaved because I've demanded it. Around the 2 subs her eyes glaze over, she lunges at one of them, and doesn't listen to me.

The 3 1/2 sub will fight back and the 2 1/2 sub will not. Seems like such a mess that I'm not even sure that I'm being clear for you. I think the aspoo wants to be the dominant dog and is jealous of the others. Please let me know if I've left something out and you need more information.

JE-UK

Yikes. That doesn't sound pleasant. The worst damage I've personally ever seen in a dog fight was two bitches (who lived together!) trying to literally kill each other.

I'd get a behaviourist in asap to assess the situation. It may be that the problem dog can be convinced to live peacefully with the others, but the behaviourist should be able to tell whether it truly would be wiser to place her in an only-dog home.

Where are you located? Might be someone here could offer a recommendation.

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"Yes is so much important than No." Dominique Barbier

fjm

I agree with JE - when females fight it can get very nasty. I would find a qualified professional to spend some time with the dogs and advise you, but I think you are both sensible and loving to consider that the best thing might be a home on her own. It is not necessarily a dominance issue - some dogs just don't get on, and females in particular can decide to eliminate each other. Even if it is just constant bullying it is not much fun for the dogs, or for you.

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

Rowan

petitpie:
I've always had male dogs and I've been lucky in that I've never had any aggression or fighting issues. I think your best bet is consulting a behavioural specialist and letting him/her determine if this girl can change her habits or if she truly would be much happier in a single dog home, or perhaps living with a neutered male SPOO. (I'm sure your other three would be much happier with the latter option at this point in time.)

You're doing the right thing by considering all your options, taking her to obedience yourself AND recognizing she might be better off in another home. Pat yourself on the back as you're doing great.

My breeder used to say, "They call them bitches for a reason." She wasn't making light of it, but she once told me her spats all involved the bitches.

I know there are a number of people on here who have more than one SPOO bitch, and hopefully they'll also weigh in.

Please keep us posted on your progress and let us know what you decide to do. It's possible someone here lives near you and can help you with placement (if it comes to that).

petitpie

Thank you to those who have replied to the poodle problem, and suggestions are well-taken. We are in El Paso, TX. A trainer suggested I use Tabasco on a sponge on her nose to stop the behavior immediately and has had good luck with that technique. She is sweet and loving alone, very smart, full of energy, and might be a good agility dog with training. We are reluctant to give her up and will try to help her. More ideas please.....

fjm

I am a very uneasy with using such aversive methods to change behaviour - it may stop it, but the bad associations with the Tabasco are likely to reinforce her anxiety and dislike of the situation that causes the punishment - closeness to the other dogs. I really think you need a properly qualified behaviourise, and a referral from your vet, rather than a trainer, which can mean anything. The world of dog training is notoriously ill-regulated (or rather unregulated) - it is very important to check the qualifications and experience before paying for or taking advice!

__________________

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

liljaker

I agree with fjm -- it may accomplish your goal, short term, to get her to stop, but create lots more problems. Also, others may chime in here, but poodles are (IMO) much more sensitive than some other breeds, and some "trainers" think all dogs are dogs. I don't endorse what he suggests in the first place -- don't you want to get her to respond the right way, and let her feel good about that reaction instead of the association that might imprint by doing the Tabasco? I would speak with a behaviorist rather than a "trainer" and I'll bet you get other suggestions.

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Rowan

I'm with the previous posters on this one. To me, if you aggravate a dog that is already in a heightened state, you are just asking for trouble. This doesn't sound like sound advice at all. Sure, you create a negative association with sponges, but she isn't going to understand that her behaviour is wrong. I don't understand how this technique will impact her behaviour towards her SPOO friends at all, except to make her all the more agitated.

Hopefully someone who has been in your situation will weigh in with some alternatives!