Help! My 6 month old rescue pit mix attacked my older dog

[SUSAN DOBIE]

I've had Betsy 2 months. She came into a home with two older male dogs (mixes) and a two year old Black Mouth Cur mix (female).  The two younger dogs are pretty close.  One of the older male rescue dogs, Buddy, (short and overweight, don't know what breed) is fairly controlling about feeding. He bullies the other older male if the said dog is eating out of his own dish. That being said, Betsy has skin allergies and I gave her Salmon Oil with her food. I usually guard when she eats to keep the bully away. But, I stepped away and Buddy was trying to steal her food. I walked in and saw the posturing and tried to distract. Then they started fighting. I was able to slip the leash on Betsy and put her in her crate. Shortly after my spouse came home and suggested I let her out to "let them work it out". Big mistake. Betsy immediately attacked Buddy injuring his ear (hematoma now). I was feeling fatalistic thinking I could not keep Betsy if this happened. I don't want to give up, but the older dog's bullying is one part of the equation and then there was Betsy wailing on him. I fed the two younger ones separately today and things seemed calmer, but when my spouse came home Betsy and Buddy were next to each other. I was very anxious about it. I then heard Buddy doing the low growl that started  all this the day prior. I was able to get Betsy to come to me and averted a new disaster. I have been beside myself the last 24 hours trying to figure out what to do and what to do first. 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there, welcome to the forums,

Sorry to hear there has been tension in your household. 

Fights among several dogs sharing the household can be quite complex, we need to pay close attention the potential triggers and figure out which dogs is the instigator and then carefully manage the situation and have some plans in place in cases fights are about to erupt. Working on these cases often requires a mix of management, training and behavior modification carried out with the help of a professional (ideally, a veterinary behaviorist) for safety and correct implementation.

"Letting dogs work things out" can be a recipe for disaster considering the high risks. 

To  better understand your situation, I have some questions:

You mentioned that you have had Betsy for 2 months. Did these fights just start now? 

If not, how has their relationship been until now?

In the episode where you were trying to let them "work things out" was there still food involved?

What happened before Betsy attacked Buddy causing the ear hematoma? 

How bad was the bite on the ear? Did Betsy break the skin? Did Buddy need stitches?

When your husband came home was there a particular trigger? What happened just prior? Were they trying to greet your husband?

Have your dogs received any training? It was great that you were able to call Betsy away from Buddy before things exacerbated. 

Has Buddy ever seen a vet for the behavior? Does he have any medical conditions? Sometimes, excess food guarding can stem from medical causes. 

Are you  sure Betsy is 6 months and not older? If possible, post a picture. 

It would be best keeping her separated for now for safety as the situation sounds pretty tense. 

[SUSAN DOBIE]

Buddy growls low when any of the dogs eat. He seems to want to control who and when the dogs eat. It was absolutely about the food. I usually guard so Buddy can't pull his growling but I had to use the bathroom. I saw the tension between them and tried to distract and that's when it happened. I know now it was a horrible idea to let Betsy out of the crate after their first kerfuffle, but I did it.  When Betsy attacked Buddy after I let her out of the crate, food was not involved, but my husband came home. The fight  was the first. When I let Betsy out of the crate, her ears were back and I knew it was "going down". I honestly thought Betsy was going to kill Buddy. Betsy did break the skin. Buddy's ear looked pretty bad. He was taken to the vet this morning. Vet said it was not a hematoma but it was infected. He did not need stitches. The vet also prescribed Prozac for Buddy. I really feel that the food growling/growling is a big part of the issue and I'm not sure Prozac will help. Buddy has limited training. He does know "no" and sit but in the fight nothing worked. Betsy and Buddy co-existed prior to this event but didn't interact much. Since the incident, Betsy has been fairly well behaved but I hear Buddy doing his growl thing any time Betsy is anywhere near. And at times, it seems that he is trying to get near her. I move quickly to reassure Betsy so she is not triggered.  I'm starting to feel resentment toward Buddy. That's not good. Buddy is always at the door when I bring the younger dogs home from the dog park. I tried to come through the back and he went there too. I don't take him because he gets car sick. It's been a challenge. What is a veterinary behavioralist?

Betsy had zero training when I got her. I house trained her and taught her to sit as well as reliable call which is somewhat iffy right now but getting better. I have been feeding Betsy and Bailey (the two year old) completely separate and it has reduced the tension a little. When I was able to call Betsy away food was not involved but my husband was coming home. It occurred to me that Buddy  may be a little jealous of Betsy as she and the two year old play together a lot and Bailey does not play with Buddy as much.  I think there is a jealousy about my husband's attention as well. I am trying to keep the dogs away from each other, but they live in the same house . We're doing what we can to keep them apart. I'm not positive how old Betsy is, but it fairly close to 7 months now. I don't think Buddy  has an underlying medical condition but he really likes food. I had to keep him away from the puppy food when I fed Betsy previously. I am pretty stressed out about the situation and I know that doesn't help either.

[JMFS]

The prozac will basically take the edge off while you work through the issues.  It's definitely not a do-all-be-all solution, but rather a tool.

Hang in there!  My Momo was a resource guarder, too, and a behaviorist helped get us to a better place.  I lived with it for 8 years before getting help so you're already well ahead of where I was.  The husband's dog, Brownie, is the Only dog to ever bite me.  He was an ornery old dog with back issues.  He bit my finger when I tried to get a dryer sheet from him.  He bit my toes twice when I stepped between him and the dishwasher.  I often think Esther's "doggy body language" is maybe her 3rd or 4th language, and she's not fluent.  😆  It's easy to project feelings of resentment on stressors, and Buddy's behavior is certainly stressful to you, to him, and to Betsy.  To this day I get upset with Esther because she's just so "extra" as the kids say these days.  It can be overwhelming, exhausting, soul sucking . . ..

When you take the young ones out, is it possible to limit Buddy to one section of the house via a baby gate or some such so you can make it in one door or the other?  For us the large box from my office chair serves that purpose.  Esther and Gertie can move the box, but they generally leave it alone.  They also get fed in separate areas.  We've had a few fights between Gertie and Esther.  Gertie corrects Esther (because Esther is extra), Esther is a punk-nosed kid and talks back, and then the fight ensues.  We practice a Lot of management.  That is to say, we manage the environment to foster peace and good manners.  If the girls get treats on the bed, a human stands between them and feeds them facing away from the other one.  Abbi is kept behind a gate.  She doesn't mind - her digs are quite posh with a small couch, a donut bed, and a waterproof pillow bed.  All the girls are fed in their separate enclosures, but you could do a bathroom for one, a bedroom for another, etc . . . to avoid them seeing one another eat.  Brownie?  He was no longer allowed in the kitchen after the second toe nip.  We also ensured he could no longer get the dryer sheets.  Things like that are management.  In time it becomes routine.

Esther attacked our elderly dog on her first day home - bruised neck and puncture wounds on Abbi.  Abbi is 10 lbs, Esther was 32 - yet, Abbi started it.  Old dogs get grumpy with their set ways and aches, especially small Dachshunds.  Here we are, 15 months later, and we haven't given up, yet.  Well, okay - I've given up a handful of times, but then I pick up the mantle again and give it a try.  She's getting better with time and maturity.  I say she's a late bloomer.

So there you go, a little of my dirty laundry to show you I'm not blowing smoke when I say, I understand!

[SUSAN DOBIE]

Thank you. It's been much better now that I feed Betsy and Bailey away for Buddy, But now Buddy will  hang out nearby. Buddy wasn't at the door today (yeah). Right now, I can't figure out where I could limit Buddy's location when we come home. It's an old house, but I guess it is fairly open so it would take a bunch of barricades. I'm sort of feeling like I need a behavioralist for Betsy and Buddy. But alas, I am not made out of money.

I must be living right or my stars are aligned or something, because my dog park friend just gifted me a paid program with one. So, I can pretty much swing paying for Buddy. I swear, I had fed Betsy and Bailey and Betsy  later went to the communal water bowl. Buddy pulled his growl on her. She wasn't even close. It irks me to no end. Extra and soul sucking! Luckily Betsy ignored him.

Buddy wandered up to our house several years ago and was not a resource guarder until years later. Betsy was abandoned with her siblings at a park and was skin and bones when she was rescued. I get why she has not tolerated Buddy's antics. Clearly something has to change.

Here's Bailey and Betsy, the two younger dogs. 

[JMFS]

You aren't in Marion County, Florida, are you?  Holy cow, Betsy looks like Esther, but redder. 

I'm with you, it irritates me when they're guarding for what we perceive to be no reason.  As dogs get older they're less able to physically defend or to retreat so they may turn to vocalization.  Buddy is doing well to "use his words," as Adrienne says.  Betsy isn't giving him the space he wants so he's telling her, "don't get any closer."  Being that he got the brunt of it in their tussle, the next county over might be too close at this point.

Our house is fairly well open, too.  We use the taller version of this gate because of the bigger dogs, but for Buddy the shorter version might work - he doesn't look like he's very tall.  It's a bit costly, and there are other options, including ex-pens (exercise pens) that completely enclose the dog while offering room to move around  https://www.chewy.com/unipaws-3-panel-arched-dog-gate/dp/268085

I understand well not being made of money!  That's why it took 8 years to get a trainer for Momo.  Sometimes if you reach out to local shelters they'll have names of people who can offer a discount.  I was able to find someone for $500 for 5 sessions, one per week.  It made all the difference in the world.  Group classes are less expensive than one-on-one, but when dealing with a dog who's fearful or aggressive towards others group classes aren't always great.  With Esther we trained at a store where each of us had our own aisle, so her dog reactivity didn't much matter unless she saw the other dogs.  We put her in "boot camp" for 5 weeks and then had 5 group classes after that and they put us next to the door and windows so we could work through her reactivity.  It was not fun, but it was necessary.  We also discovered I'm reactive to people when they mess with my training by waving at my dog, haha. 

If you have the time, and I mean a Lot of time, you can read our saga on "Esther Shares, Gertie Doesn't."  Esther is still reactive, but it's becoming more manageable.  The husband swears that once Abbi passes he'll spend all his extra time training Esther (I keep saying, and I mean it, that if the right person comes along and would take her I would absolutely seal that deal).  He's not home with them 24/7 like I am, so I'm more open to rehoming.  I know it would be the best long-term thing for our entire family, Esther included.  There's no doubt we love her, and we're using every resource we can to help her, but she would do so much better as an only dog and with someone who is super active.  We don't get many chances to train through her reactivity because we're always working (I kid you not - it's not unusual for me to send business emails at 3 am . . .).  We're pushing hard for early retirement.

So, if you ever feel like you're overwhelmed and need to vent, it's okay.  You're human and we have emotions.  Those emotions are often influenced by our surroundings, and trying to work with a being who speaks a completely different language than us can be beyond frustrating.

[JMFS]

Abbi's set up.

Gertie (left) and Esther.  I need to put those beds back.  Esther struggles with incontinence and she defiled one of the beds so now they sleep on a larger bed together.  Having those bumps together helped keep the peace.  Esther has no personal boundaries, nor does she comprehend them.  She will squeeze into the tightest of spots just to snuggle up to Gerts.  I now have a donut bed in Gertie's kennel so she can get some alone time.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Susan, thanks for the extra details, they are very helpful! (And thank you Jennifer for providing support and awesome management tips!)

I will be posting some general observations in non-bold. 

Buddy growls low when any of the dogs eat. He seems to want to control who and when the dogs eat. It was absolutely about the food. I usually guard so Buddy can't pull his growling but I had to use the bathroom. I saw the tension between them and tried to distract and that's when it happened. Then they started fighting. I was able to slip the leash on Betsy and put her in her crate.

OK, so we clearly know that food is a trigger.  I always like to tell clients that if they can describe their dog's triggers such as "My dog growls every time when.... (fill in the blanks) we have the advantage of knowing what contexts or circumstances trigger the behavior and that gives us better control over the situation. 

You mention Buddy does this growling with any of the dogs, so it sounds like he's not picking on her in particular because he doesn't like her. He simply doesn't like ANY dog near food. However, being that Betsy is the youngest of the crew, and a new addition, she may cross boundaries, and he may feel more like she needs to learn "her place." On top of this, the salmon oil on her food could have made her meal appear to him as extra appetizing. 

Being that Buddy is elderly, overweight and is so controlling about the other dogs' food bowls, to the point of trying to steal other dogs' foods, I would think it would be helpful having him see the vet to rule out any medical issues. You mentioned he wasn't always this way, but this behavior started at a certain point. There are several medical conditions that can cause dogs to be hungry and want to eat more (polyphagia) to the point of them developing a ravenous appetite. This can sometimes cause resource guarding tendencies over food. 

For sake of example, possible causes for polyphagia are poor absorption of nutrients, Cushing's diseases and diabetes (which can cause increased drinking as well), side effect of certain medications, in particular prednisone.

Of course, dogs don't need to have any of these medical issues to resource guard, but most behavior professionals would want to start with a thorough medical screening on any dogs exhibiting conflict-triggering behaviors, considering that they can't be treated efficiently from a behavior modification standpoint, when there's a medical issue as the root cause. 

I know now it was a horrible idea to let Betsy out of the crate after their first kerfuffle, but I did it.  When Betsy attacked Buddy after I let her out of the crate, food was not involved, but my husband came home. The fight  was the first.

OK, this is where I was hoping that food was involved because it would have made things easier to manage. It could be that food was the initial trigger, but now Betsy is stressed and feels intimidated by Buddy and is therefore now taking the "offense is the best defense" strategy. Being that she is fairly young though, there may be also genetic components at play.

However, you mentioned that this was shortly after the initial episode of Buddy growling over the food. Here's the thing: when dogs have fights, they need a "cool down" period. If we get them out and together shortly thereafter, there are chances that they may resume to where they were before because they are still tense, shaky and those stress hormones are still in high gear. Giving them a cool down period where they are separated for some time can help them go back to baseline. 

When I let Betsy out of the crate, her ears were back and I knew it was "going down". I honestly thought Betsy was going to kill Buddy. Betsy did break the skin. Buddy's ear looked pretty bad. He was taken to the vet this morning. Vet said it was not a hematoma but it was infected. He did not need stitches. The vet also prescribed Prozac for Buddy. I really feel that the food growling/growling is a big part of the issue and I'm not sure Prozac will help.

That must have been very scary to endure, but glad to hear that Buddy didn't need stitches. I wonder if she left a puncture wound or whether her tooth may have "snagged' and caused some type of laceration. It sounds more like some puncture wound as these can get easily infected.  In any case, we know that Betsy, in these situations, is likely to react, rather than back down and avoid a confrontation-unless she was cornered or body blocked by Buddy or in a tight place, meaning that she had no way out. giving her no other choice than defend herself and confront him. 

Prozac, (generic name fluoxetine), is an antidepressant which works by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain. Because of this, it's classified as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, commonly abbreviated as SSRIs.

When serotonin levels increase, the chemical transmission of messages among brain cells is facilitated. This makes Prozac a good drug to use along with the implementation of a good behavior modification plan. When this drug is used, there are better chances that the dog can relax enough to cognitively function, opening the lines of learning.

However, as other SSRIs, Prozac is not a drug that works immediately. It takes about about 4 to 6 weeks to fully see the very first effects. This is because it takes some for this drug to induce noticeable changes at serotonergic receptor levels. In general, this drug needs to be given for at least 6 to 8 weeks before evaluating its efficacy. 

The good news is that significant improvement of behavior issues (like over 60 percent) can be expected when the drug Prozac is used along with a behavior modification plan. Also according to a study, the best responses to Prozac where seen in dogs who received trazodone (a shorter acting drug) or clonidine in addition to fluoxetine. I would suggest discussing with the vet more in depth on what his/her plans are going forward. More and more vets are also suggesting medications to the dogs who are victims of fights since they can be deeply emotionally impacted and may benefit as well reaching baseline levels.

Buddy has limited training. He does know "no" and sit but in the fight nothing worked. Betsy and Buddy co-existed prior to this event but didn't interact much. Since the incident, Betsy has been fairly well behaved but I hear Buddy doing his growl thing any time Betsy is anywhere near. And at times, it seems that he is trying to get near her. I move quickly to reassure Betsy so she is not triggered.  I'm starting to feel resentment toward Buddy. That's not good. Buddy is always at the door when I bring the younger dogs home from the dog park. I tried to come through the back and he went there too. I don't take him because he gets car sick. It's been a challenge.

When dogs are in a super-aroused state, as when they feel threatened and ready to fight, they go "over threshold." You can read more about threshold levels here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

This makes it difficult for them to focus on us and follow cues. This is where a drug like Prozac can come handy. When this drug is used, there are better chances that the dog can relax enough to cognitively function, opening the lines of learning. However, while Prozac can help calm dogs down, making them more laid back and manageable, as mentioned, it's not really meant to be used alone. 

Once the dog is weaned off this drug, there are good chances that behavior issues will quickly resurface and attain the same intensity as before. Prozac is therefore not a miracle pill meant to magically wipe behavior problems away. 

It works for cases where a dogs' levels of anxiety, aggression and reactivity are so high at baseline that they are unable to cope and focus. Once on the drug, they are more amenable to training and behavior modification. 

Prozac can also help dogs who are prone to the effect of trigger stacking, which takes place when dogs are constantly triggered by things in their environment, never allowing them time to recover. 

What is a veterinary behavioralist?

Veterinary behaviorists are licensed veterinarians who have received board-certification in Veterinary Behavior. In other words, on top of graduating from a veterinary college, they have undergone additional training lasting at least 3 years under the close supervision of an established behaviorist. 

During this time, attendants conduct behavior research, publishing in peer-reviewed journals and authoring case reports. The title of veterinary behaviorist is obtained after passing rigorous Board Examination. After passing the exam, board-certified professionals are referred to as "diplomates" and the title of DACVB is placed after their name. The title stands for Diplomat American College Veterinary Behavior. 

There are several other advantages of working along with veterinary behaviorists. Because a veterinary behaviorist, on top of specializing in behavior, has also a veterinary degree, he or she can turn very helpful in ruling out medical problems. Medical problems should always be ruled out when dogs present with behavior issues. This is because many medical conditions can trigger anxiety and lower a dog's threshold for aggression. 

Veterinary behaviorists can also prescribe drugs. Behavior issues in dogs can sometimes stem from a neurochemical imbalance. Drugs may help lower a dog's threshold so to open more up the lines for learning, making them more receptive to training and behavior modification. 

And last but not least, veterinary behaviorists can get to the root cause of the problem and create a custom-tailored plan based on their observations and always keeping safety in mind. 

Betsy had zero training when I got her. I house trained her and taught her to sit as well as reliable call which is somewhat iffy right now but getting better. I have been feeding Betsy and Bailey (the two year old) completely separate and it has reduced the tension a little.

Once medical issues in the dogs displaying aggressive behaviors have been ruled out, if food is the main trigger, then management options to prevent the dogs from rehearsing problematic behaviors (the more dogs fight, the more tension is created and more stress hormones, putting them more on edge) will need to be in place.

In dogs who fight over food bowls, this may therefore entail feeding them in different areas, preferably out of sight.

Since Buddy seems to the be main instigator, this could entail feeding him in a crate, behind a baby gate or ex-pen or in the yard if you have a safely fenced one, with the door closed and away from the other dogs. When your other dogs are then done eating (always allow sufficient space from each other and closely supervise), pick up the food bowls (I like to give a treat/extra kibble to each dog when I do that) and ensure there's no food on the ground so there's nothing to fight over. However, it sounds like you may need more involved management, considering there have been fights even in absence of food (more about this is discussed further down).

When I was able to call Betsy away food was not involved but my husband was coming home. It occurred to me that Buddy  may be a little jealous of Betsy as she and the two year old play together a lot and Bailey does not play with Buddy as much.  I think there is a jealousy about my husband's attention as well.

I am trying to keep the dogs away from each other, but they live in the same house . We're doing what we can to keep them apart. I'm not positive how old Betsy is, but it fairly close to 7 months now. I don't think Buddy  has an underlying medical condition but he really likes food. I had to keep him away from the puppy food when I fed Betsy previously. I am pretty stressed out about the situation and I know that doesn't help either.

OK, this can compound things. As mentioned earlier, this could have been because they were re-introduced too shortly after the fight, but if it's true what you suspect, then things get much more involved. And this would mean more stringent management (not giving attention to Betsy in his presence, and not letting him see her play with your other dog and more separation time). 

If you wish to proceed beyond management/ avoidance, a full behavior consultation with a professional like a veterinary behaviorist or Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist for an evaluation and implementation of dog behavior modification would be important. This is for safety and for correct implementation of behavior modification.

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

 It's been much better now that I feed Betsy and Bailey away for Buddy, But now Buddy will  hang out nearby.

It would be best if they are completely out of sight/sound from each other. Fortunately, feedings are short (most dogs wolf down their meals in under a minute) so that can allow you to have the dogs eat in different areas (bathrooms with doors closed come to mind, yard, taking Buddy on a brief walk while all the others eat). Make sure to pick up all food bowls (I like to give a treat/extra kibble to each dog when I do that) and ensure there's no food on the ground so there's nothing to fight over.

However, as mentioned, it sounds like you may need more involved management, considering there have been fights even in absence of food. 

Buddy wasn't at the door today (yeah). Right now, I can't figure out where I could limit Buddy's location when we come home. It's an old house, but I guess it is fairly open so it would take a bunch of barricades.

There are several options for open homes such as crates, exercise pens, pet extendible gates, baby gates, a bathroom. However, if Buddy was never confined for most of his life, it can cause stress on him and he may try to escape.  It may take some time to get him comfortable to being confined, although the Prozac can help in that too once it kicks in.

Have all your three dogs always been kept loose together when you're away without any sign of conflict when you come home? Is Betsy crate trained?

I'm sort of feeling like I need a behavioralist for Betsy and Buddy. But alas, I am not made out of money.

Veterinary behaviorists can be costly, but they're the top experts in the field as they're  the specialists. They can prescribe meds and then carry out a behavior modification plan simultaneously so to make things work out in synergy. Not to mention, they are the go-to professionals for ruling out medical problems that may cause behavior changes. They may find things, vets may miss. 

Next in line are Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (CAABs). They may cost less, but have obtained specialized training too. These animal behaviorists are certified by the Animal Behavior Society and have obtained graduate degrees in the science of animal behavior. Some CAABs though are actually licensed veterinarians who have expanded their knowledge by completing a residency in animal behavior. 

CAABs can also work closely with veterinarians, recommending physical exams and other tests prior to their consultation, and providing vets with ongoing updates on the dog’s behavioral diagnosis with a summary of the treatment plan. 

To sum things up, dog behaviorists have attained higher degrees and have studied all aspects of animal behavior. In order to remain up-to-date on research, they are required to continue their education and stay on top of the most recent scientific findings. 

Then, we have dog trainers/behavior consultants. While dog trainers/behavior consultants can be very knowledgeable about dog behavior, with many attending continuing education courses and obtaining specialized certifications on dog behavior and titles, they lack the depth and breath of the specialized training, behaviorists obtain.

They also cannot prescribe medications or make medical diagnosis, but can suggest seeing a vet/veterinary behaviorist if there are suspicious behaviors that may point to a medical issue or if dogs present with challenging behaviors such as aggression or deep anxiety to licensed behaviorists. 

Now, caution is needed. Anybody can call themselves a behaviorist. This means that you'll need to dig deeply on their credentials. What are their qualifications? How and where did they obtain such title? What are their degrees?

Also important is "What methods do they use? You want to ensure your dogs are in good hands and that no further stress is added by "behaviorists" or trainers using outdated and harsh methods.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) advocates using professionals that stray away from the alpha, dominance models. https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dominance_Position_Statement_download-10-3-14.pdf

Ideally, according to AVSAB, professionals should use principles based on the following: animal training, behavior prevention strategies, and behavior modification programs should follow the scientifically based guidelines of positive reinforcement, operant conditioning, classical conditioning, desensitization, and counter conditioning. I will briefly provide some examples:

Animal training: anything that involves operant conditioning, like training dogs to lie down on a mat or come when called at the first signs of conflict. The focus should be on "what do I want my dogs to do, rather than not to do?" This can be difficult though when dogs are too over threshold to listen and it takes time to train them toa fluent level. If one dog is prone to guarding food from other dogs, they should be trained in separate areas from one another to prevent fighting.

Behavior prevention strategies: anything that prevents the dogs from getting into conflict, in other words, management. This prevents dogs from rehearsing problematic behaviors (using aggressive displays can become habit forming), is a safety measure (with nothing left to fight over, or with dogs away from each other, dogs are safer), helps reduce levels of stress.  Management may be a long-term, permanent solution, although dog owners often often struggle with it (rotating dogs, separations, removing access to triggers like removing food bowls, toys etc. if sources of conflict), however, there are more options for those who want to work directly on the problem. In those cases, management is used strictly, until the dogs have been trained fluent responses to cues and behavior modification has attained desired results. At that point it can be marginally reduced, although it may still be needed for those times when we can't supervise/train or when there are risks for triggers presenting unexpectedly.

Behavior modification: that's  getting to the root of the problem. Often entails carrying out a functional assessment to find out the root cause of the behavior, (after having ruled out medical causes, taken behavior history, testing theories when safe to do so etc.) and implementing with the in-person help of a professional. Behavior modification often entails desensitization, and counter conditioning combined. 

Desensitization entails taking small baby steps in the direction we wish to attain, but in a way that doesn't cause the dog to go over threshold and therefore causing minimal stress. For example, if a dog is scared of bikes, bikes are presented initially at a far distance that the dog can tolerate.

This is covered more in depth here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

Counterconditioning entails creating positive associations, changing the dogs mindset of he he or she perceives something. For example, if a dog doesn't like another dog to approach when he's sitting by the owner, he can be fed treats as the other dog is walked by at a distance. Rep after rep, the approach of the other dog comes to predict treats, forming a positive conditioned emotional response.  https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/

This is covered more in depth here: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

I must be living right or my stars are aligned or something, because my dog park friend just gifted me a paid program with one. So, I can pretty much swing paying for Buddy.

Caution with dog parks, they are frowned upon by many behavior professionals due to risks for squabbles and major fights. For dogs who guard stuff, toys, food, treats, bowls, attention can be triggers. Don't want to  be a party pooper, but not all dogs are great dog park candidates. Ideally, we want at a very minimum a great, fluent response to a come cue (recall) and dogs with great social skills.

I swear, I had fed Betsy and Bailey and Betsy  later went to the communal water bowl. Buddy pulled his growl on her. She wasn't even close. It irks me to no end. Extra and soul sucking! Luckily Betsy ignored him.

Do you feel he was guarding the water bowl too? Has he ever guarded the water bowl before towards your other dogs? Or is this a totally new behavior he's showing towards Betsy? 

It sounds like Buddy is stressed in her presence and he feels threatened. He is an older dog and is set in his own ways, any changes in their lives (like the addition of a dog) can be major disrupters. It could be Betsy has been suppressing herself a bit initially (the honeymoon period) and/or now that she's a teenager stage in full swing, she may be opening herself up more and more, and Buddy doesn't like that. 

Has you vet suggested any behavior modification/referral to a behaviorist to accompany the Prozac? I find it a bit odd it was prescribed as a stand-alone solution. 

[JMFS]

I can speak to the stand-alone.  When Gertie first came home, and I showed our vet a picture of the bed Gerts had gutted.  They prescribed Prozac and Xanax, with the advice to titrate the Xanax up or down until I found the right dose.  This is the same vet who recommended alpha rolling . . . you know, that thing that got Momo and I into a lot of hot water with one another.  Not all vets are created equal.  They never mentioned training, and when I asked about force free training they had no suggestions.  So I found trainers on my own and fed their names to the vet.

Having the elderly dog who bristles at Esther, I highly recommend finding Buddy a comfortable spot where he can feel secure, while allowing the other girls some freedom - or a place of their own.  It made a big difference in our lives, and restored some order.

When I needed to do that training with Momo I set aside $50 from each pay check until I had enough to pay for the lessons, which took about 5 months, but after 8 years that was a drop in the bucket time-wise.  In the meantime I managed the situation the best I could, and ensured I didn't add work for the trainer.  I don't know if that would work for you, but it's one more bit of anecdotal advice I can give.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

20 hours ago, JMFS said:

I can speak to the stand-alone.  When Gertie first came home, and I showed our vet a picture of the bed Gerts had gutted.  They prescribed Prozac and Xanax, with the advice to titrate the Xanax up or down until I found the right dose.  This is the same vet who recommended alpha rolling . . . you know, that thing that got Momo and I into a lot of hot water with one another.  Not all vets are created equal.  They never mentioned training, and when I asked about force free training they had no suggestions.  So I found trainers on my own and fed their names to the vet.

Having the elderly dog who bristles at Esther, I highly recommend finding Buddy a comfortable spot where he can feel secure, while allowing the other girls some freedom - or a place of their own.  It made a big difference in our lives, and restored some order.

When I needed to do that training with Momo I set aside $50 from each pay check until I had enough to pay for the lessons, which took about 5 months, but after 8 years that was a drop in the bucket time-wise.  In the meantime I managed the situation the best I could, and ensured I didn't add work for the trainer.  I don't know if that would work for you, but it's one more bit of anecdotal advice I can give.

Just chiming in to say that it's great that you followed up and provided the list of force-free trainers to your vet. As the saying goes "Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime".