# Dog prefers other dogs over humans



## bornnygurl (Jan 23, 2007)

Hello. New to the forum so please be easy on me . I have three miniature dachshunds. The dog in question is a 10 month old neutered male. My puppy was kennel raised and I'm thinking from his behavior he had little interaction with humans and his only source of socialization was other dogs. 

When we first got him he did not like to be touched, approached, or picked up. With socialization and training he is okay with these things now. We introduced him to my other dogs one by one and on neutral ground several hours after he became acquainted with his new home. He is very submissive towards me (gets out of the way when I walk by, goes on his back when I approach, doesn't dart out the door first etc). But whenever my other dogs are around he totally ignores me or tries to get away to get to them. If I hold him he'll whine and whine to get down because he wants to play with the other dogs (who are sleeping). I could be gone all day and when I let my dogs out of their crates he runs after them and ignores me. I also have made it so he depends on me for his source of fun, food, etc. It does not help. I put him in a down-stay and he stare the other dogs whining for their attention (they ignore him). He will pace and pace on the floor if they are are not on the floor with him. He simply can not be independent and play by hisself. He's pretty good at being obedient when we are alone together. He can walk on a loose leash, sit and go in a down-stay, etc. 

One of my dogs just doesn't like him and stay clear of him (which is odd for her). My other dog would play with him occasionally in the beginning (before I noticed the problem) but he didn't know when to stop despite her warnings. He is very aggressive and hyper trying to get their attention despite any correction from me. He is extremely hyper and I have tried to curb this by walking him daily and doing intense obedience sessions with him. It does not help. This may not seem like a big deal to some but it is to me. I feel like what is the point in having a dog who doesn't want to be bothered with it's owner. 

Things I have tried: 

Putting him with the other dogs and correcting/rewarding his behavior towards them. 

Isolating him from my other dogs and doing bonding activities with him.

Obedience training with the pinch collar.

And a few others I can't think of right now

What else should I do?


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

Why a pinch collar? I agree with the concept of obedience training because that usually helps the bonding process, but with a dog like this, I'd only use positive reinforcement.

Also, I think I'd let the dogs settle their own pecking order, and not interfere.

How old was the dog when you got him?

What are his sleeping arrangements?


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## bornnygurl (Jan 23, 2007)

He was a little over four months when we got him. He sleeps in his crate as do all my other dogs. Postitive reinforcement only does NOT work with him at all. I am not interfering with the dog pack order as long as there is not fight aggression. But like I said my other dog (the oldest) does not like to be bothered with him and gets away from him as fast as she can. If he is in the room she want's to be elsewhere. My other (the middle) dog will play with him but when she's had enough she will let him know. He just won't stop.


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

I'll be interested in what others suggest, but the one thing I think I would try would be to sleep with him - for that added closeness that he isn't going to get in a crate. It's the one time that you are totally non-threatening. If there's any problem with alpha status, then the dog needs to be on the floor, or at least at the bottom of the bed. But IMO, bed privileges increases the bonding.


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## German Shepherd Lover (Dec 22, 2006)

He's a dachshund so get over it.... These little creatures are as hard headed as they come. 

I think a pinch collar for an eight lb dog is a lot over the edge..

Get a real dog, a German Shepherd, and find out what a real German dog can be like.. 

My elderly parents love minature Dashunds and I am still trying to figure out why. The are good at watering the furniture but fortunately my furniture has stopped growing so I don't need one. 

Seriously now, Ithink you hit the nail on the had originally that the dog was never socialized and my opinion is that he is much more comfortable with the dogs than people and that is perfectly normal. Good luck but he may well have bonded to one person before you got him and sometimes these little creatures only find one person to bond to. 

I like people more than dogs so maybe his liking dogs more than people isn't all that strange. 

Enjoy your little hot dogs!!!


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## bornnygurl (Jan 23, 2007)

German Shepherd Lover said:


> He's a dachshund so get over it.... These little creatures are as hard headed as they come.
> 
> I think a pinch collar for an eight lb dog is a lot over the edge..
> 
> ...


Wow, I hope that first part was sarcasm! If not; I don't down anyone else's choice of dog out of respect for that persons choice and expect the same in return. He is not eight pounds he is almost fifteen pounds. Nevertheless I am not going to defend my position on the mini pinch collar. It has helped in obedience training end of story. I don't treat my dogs like they are humans but just the same I like them to be apart of my family. As it stands right now he is not. This is why I was seeking answers as to how to make him apart of my family. My other dogs don't too much care to be bothered with him and being that he only likes them what is the point of him being here if I can't change that?

For what it's worth he is my fourth and last dog of the dachshund breed.


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

bornnygurl said:


> For what it's worth he is my fourth and last dog of the dachshund breed.


Why do you say that? I've always thought they should be in the terrier class instead of the hound class, simply because of their tenacity and their original purpose which is the same as a lot of the terriers. I'm sure you know that you can't judge the breed by an unsocialized kennel dog. Have your other dachshunds been a disappointment?


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## bornnygurl (Jan 23, 2007)

Don't get me wrong I love my dogs to death (well the ones that care that I exist). However, there are significant breed traits that every dachshund I have encountered has. These traits are bringing me to the conclusion that this is not the "ultimate" breed for me. My other dogs have not been an utter disappointment but they sure weren't a breeze. The definitely gave me a run for my money as puppies and sometimes as adults. Even still sometimes they have moments when they are just so moody, stubborn, willful and sometimes neurotic.


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## German Shepherd Lover (Dec 22, 2006)

bornnyygurl I hope you weren't offended by my sarcasm. I think that the little hot dogs are great when they are great and not when they are not. This is true of every breed of dog I can think of and I can sense your frustration. 

I was under the impression that a miniature dashund was under 11 lbs but that shows how smart I am not. My apologizes for the mistake! 

Good luck with the dashund and by the way, do they all pee on the furniture?


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