Help! We have a dominance issue...

[Daves Mum]

Dave is 12wks old and we have an 8wk old Border Terrier called Brendan, We have had Dave almost two weeks and Brendan just 4 days, They do get along most of the time but Dave really had a go at him today, they both had a chewy and everytime Brendan went near his, Dave would run over and take possession of it, then in a flash Dave pinned him down and was having a proper go at him! Dave also went and pee'd in Brendans crate!

Do you have any advice for me?

Thanks
Mandy x

 

[Pope]

I'm really interested in what advice people give! We are worried about a the same issue with Pope, dominance. We don't have another dog, so we don't see those exact issues in the home, he will let us take away his food and toys without fight. The problem happens when we let him play with another frenchie of the same age in our building. He plays much more roughly than she does and he bites and pulls her cheeks and neck to the point where myself and her owner start nervously laughing and pull them apart. The other frenchie seems interested in playing and attempts to get some bites in, but he just seems like a big bully! Do you guys think that socialization with older dogs will put him in his place? I don't know how much more he'll get to play with his frenchie pal because we feel so uncomfortable watching him dominate her. Maybe Dave would benefit from the same thing?

 

[Alice Kable]

My boy Buster is blended, his mom is an Olde English Bulldogge and his dad is a very sneaky Frenchie. Buster and his litter are an "accident". That said, he is very playful, plays rough, and is bossy. We have a 7 & 1/2 year old English Bulldog who was "Mr. Mom" to Buster when we got him at 8 weeks old. Buster and Ruggles play rough, but when Ruggles has had enough he growls and Buster submits right away.
As Dave and Brenden grow up together the playing field will level and they should become BFF.

 

[davidh]

Frenchies can be a little bossy, but it can be fixed, just tell him "NO" and make him sit down for a little while when he gets like that. They will always want the others chew toy. Even our English will do that. He is trying to be top dog, and you need to show him you are top dog. He will learn if you just keep after him and be consistent.

 

[2bullymama]

There is a training technique "nothing in Life is Free' start using it and get Dave to understand you are the alpha and also follow Davidh advice in how to correct the behavior. Thing is you have to stay on top of it and all humans in the house have to be on the same page with the training.

I have a 9 yr old Bulldog that will push her dominance every chance she gets, so she is still 'in training' and we have had her since she was 11 weeks old.

 

[Daves Mum]

Thanks for the advice, everyone in the house knows to stop it if it gets too rough, but today i put Brendan in the garden for some time out because he teases Dave and winds him up then ends up getting his butt kicked and i feel awful cos im constantly telling Dave off and most of the time its not his fault, its just thats he is bigger and stronger.

To be honest, Dave is my dog and Brendan is my husbands, for the two weeks Dave was here on his own life was peachy, now its almost constant rough and tumble when they are both awake.