# Intervening with a bossy puppy



## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

So, I have a 5 month old male Black Lab mix puppy. I also have a 10 year old German Shepherd crossed female. He's growing very confident around her and sometimes enjoys pestering the crap out of her. 

She's a submissive dog and she's started to give up on trying to correct him. Sometimes she'll try and growl/snarl but it is completely ignored by him now, as he knows she's only bluffing. He's pretty much the same height as she is now, which I think is causing the overconfidence.

She keeps turning away and letting him be a ******dog to her. He tends to try and get higher than her, and he sometimes just stands in front of her and barks in her face. Looks like dominance TBH.

I think he's starting to take the dominant role from her, which is not unexpected as she's always been very submissive with males. Since she's given up on trying to correct him, I'm going to intervene to help her and to teach him some better manners. 

Here is an example of what he does to her and how she handles it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZX5I6V_kos WARNING: Turn volume DOWN!!

I've never had to intervene with any of my dogs before as the older dog will usually set pup straight and I believe in letting dogs handle their own pack place issues (I'm always there to supervise, these dogs are not left alone together)... so this is new to me... help?


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Even though it's clear she's not into it, he's just trying to get her to play. Even if his method is irritating.

When he gets too riled up with her, take him away for a few moments to let him calm down.


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## NicoleIsStoked (Aug 31, 2012)

Domesticated dog do not work as a pack. Even though there are definatley some lessons that dogs learn better from other dogs than from people, it is not your shepherds job to train your puppy. That is your job. I agree that he is just trying to play but he is being rude. He should not be allowed to freely bounce on and off the couch and should be seperated on a time out for being too obnoxious. He will learn that being calm and polite = playing with the big dog. Being loud and rude = being removed.


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## Tylerthegiant (Apr 5, 2013)

That bark, the body language-over excited, not dominate. I think there's a difference between pushy and dominance, and dominance is about resources and who gets them-also in packs dominance is fluid, it changes within a pack based on circumstances within pack members-it's not a personality trait like shyness. He's just entering the teenage stage, and like any other teenager can be annoying, and will push boundaries. 

It might take some time before he gets the message, especially if he's been doing this for months, so you'll have to be very consistent. I think you'd agree your docile, senior Shepard should not have to put up with that, she should be enjoying some peace in her golden years. I agree though, calm = interaction, pushy = removal.


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## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

Thanks. He's certainly being annoying.  I don't mind the couch bouncing, but frankly... the yapping is annoying to a degree.


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## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

Exercise him more. He won't do that if he's too busy taking a nap. Both from his behavior and his body, he looks like that could step it up a notch.


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## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

He's not a fat puppy at all. Also, I take him for walks each day and he has time outside to run loose. The older dog is a bit overweight, but not to an extreme degree... which is somewhat normal. He's an athletic, energetic little guy and I don't know how he could possibly get more exercise. He gets tons already...


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

A lab, a young lab especially, needs about 2 hours of focused exercise a day. 45 minute - an hour of brisk walking, then some mind games, then another walk or a hard game of fetch in the yard.


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## seaboxador (Sep 23, 2012)

Has the dog done any obedience training to be properly socialized? If not, start there.


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## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

Hollow, he's some kind of mutt... vet suspects Akita, Newfie, or Great Pyrenees. Because of that, I've been advised to take it easy on the running etc. Since he's also an early neuter puppy, it's double on that. He does get several runs outside and a walk each day, one with the big dog and one without her. He doesn't seem to get tired and he's still always bouncing about.


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

The running is for forced runs with you. I agree a young dog shouldn't be running at a pace set by a human until it's finished growing, but a focused walk won't hurt him. Running after a ball at whatever pace he sets won't hurt him either.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

He is a pest and you need to protect the adult. But to drain his puppy energy, you might find a terrier, a Lab, a Pit, etc. with the same energy, then put them both in the back yard and have at it for an hour or two, at least once a week. 

When my Lab-GSD was 9 mos, we found him a playmate, and they'd wrestle for 45 min every Saturday. I think he is sweet and gentle now, because of those weekly interactions.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

hanksimon said:


> He is a pest and you need to protect the adult. But to drain his puppy energy, you might find a terrier, a Lab, a Pit, etc. with the same energy, then put them both in the back yard and have at it for an hour or two, at least once a week.
> 
> When my Lab-GSD was 9 mos, we found him a playmate, and they'd wrestle for 45 min every Saturday. I think he is sweet and gentle now, because of those weekly interactions.


I think I can live in my house because Kylie and Thud wrestle with each other. HUGE size difference, and I'd be uncomfortable if the dogs didn't live together (because of that size difference), but it is SANITY saving.

Also pretty sure without each other, Jack and Bug would have killed them both by now. Or died from exhaustion.


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