It's always something...

[Sharon]

I'm pretty experienced with Jack Russell Terrier rescue - many dogs over the years. Never had to deal with this.The JRT now is 4 and the setter is 11 1/2.

All of a sudden the JRT is attacking the setter at every opportunity.
No food involved , no changes.
All I can put it down to is jealousy.
The poor setter is hiding around , crawling into my lap .( I told her I have her back. )

What I've done:
I don't want to use the e collar on the JRT as it may make the situation worse - think the shock is coming from the setter.
When the attack starts , I grab the JRT by the collar, hold him off his feet for 15 seconds , give him "bleep" and put him in the crate. Even then he is growling from the crate. This eventually passes.

He could spend his life in the crate and getting exercise alone but .............
I have had to put rescue JRts down , but not prepared to do that in this case yet.

Input??

[shags]

IIRC someone on the now-defunct setter forum on Delphi had that problem. She posted this, said treatment was successful http://www.dogs4dogs.com/JR_Articles/do ... havior.htm

Any chance the old dog can open a can of WhoopArse on the jrt? My little Jagdterrier thought she was pretty tough, bullying our old rescue setter until one day the old gal had enough. It was only a little skirmish, but ended the problem.

Good luck to you. I hope you figure out a solution. Tough predicament

[Sharon]

Thanks Shags. The setter fights back but is no match for that little bugger.
Very interesting article. I'm going to get his thyroid checked - can't hurt.

[gonehuntin']

I've got nothing for you. I have been at this a long time and I have never been able to CURE two dog's from fighting. If a rescue hurt an old hunting partner of mine, he'd need rescuing.

[Timewise65]

I don't believe that dogs get "jealous"! I think we all try to put human emotions into our pets, in fact ,as I recall, there is actually a word for doing this, but I'll be danged if I can recall it now....

Anyway, I have seen this before and usually it is about pack dominance. Usually, if you let them go one dog will establish dominance and that will be the end of it. Usually, it does not result in any major damage, problem is that sometimes it could. If the one dog is truly aggressive he could take an effort to establish dominance to the point of injury of killing, although I believe this is extremely unusual and you would have probably seen his aggressiveness in other areas, like food guarding with you or other family members, growling or threatening you or other family members, etc.

Regardless, from what I have read and experienced with dogs like this... as a dominance thing or aggression, you cannot train it away. It will either run its natural course, if dominance, or you will have to keep the animals separated. I wish you luck as I fear this is a tough one...! I had one male Golden that I took to a dog behaviorist. Within a few minutes he evoked an aggressive behavior with our dog. He advised us that the dog was aggressive by nature and could become a threat to people at anytime. (I had been bitten by him twice). He was a very good waterfowl dog well trained and obedient in the field, so we kept him isolated away from people and our other dogs. He did fine, as both my wife and I knew how to handle him and avoid his aggressiveness. He lead a short but fun filled life. We ran him in hunt tests and hunted with him frequently. We had to put him down at 5 1/2 do to a reoccurring cancer. He never bit anyone or one of our dogs once I understood what triggered his aggression....

Good Luck

[Sharon]

Thanks for all the good advice.
I agree Timewise : dominance issue , not jealousy probably , except when I'm not around, there is no fighting. I muzzle him when he is out of the house always. As you said, that aggressive nature is not going to go away.
I hear you GH ; hate to see my old girl upset.

I may have hit on a lucky thought.
When the JRT has tried to bite at the heels of the setter etc.in the field , I watch for it, and timing it exactly, give the JRT a high correction on the e collar. He backs off immediately and there is no other problem for the day.
So... I have put the e collar on the JRT in the house for 2 days, but not used any correction ..yet. Seems he knows what will happen if he goes aggressive ,because of what has happened in the field. ( I do keep the transmitter handy .) No one said he was stupid.

Let's give him a break here; he does back. Lousy tail set though.

[polmaise]

Always amazed me 'Not' . How over 50 hounds in one kennel yard all got along even at feeding time.
Not saying Nothing about pack dominance or hierarchy within a pack or pavlovs bell or even 'flipper's clicker' .
If two dogs don't get along then they don't get along and that's a management issue.
Never leave them to '''Sort it out'' . (That's like old school and Old ..well anyway) .
Fix ?
Change the environment and you change the dog in that environment.
The environmental change may not be acceptable for the keeper,so that's where often the issue is un resolved .

[Sharon]

"The environmental change may not be acceptable for the keeper,so that's where often the issue is un resolved ." quote Polmaise

Exactly , and that is what I am sorting out now.

[polmaise]

Glad to hear it ,sounds like you have it all sorted .
Great news .

[rinker]

I have a jack russell terrier and she is a great dog but can be a pain in the butt. She can be rough with other dogs and with other animals. I have pigs and she likes to chase them around and bite them. When she starts to have issues, I put an electric collar on her and keep it on the highest setting. The moment she snaps or I hear a pig squeal etc... I push the button and hold it down for a while. This treatment is usually good for several months and then has to be repeated.

[MNTonester]

Jack Russell Terrier rescue - many dogs over the years. Never had to deal with this.The JRT now is 4 and the setter is 11 1/2.

All of a sudden the JRT is attacking the setter at every opportunity.

Same story only my 11 1/2 yo lab is the victim of my 2 yo poodle (a poodle!?). the last time this happened I picked the poodle up by the scruff of his neck and gave him what for. he continued to growl at the old dog. If the old fellow wasn't arthritic, I might be inclined to let the two of them sort it out, but I decided I'll establish the pecking order around here and the poodle is not at the top. the old lab would keep his distance and almost seemed to be hiding from the poodle; was reluctant to go near him or cross his path. The last time this happened was three days ago. yesterday and today, they seem to be doing just fine. maybe the poodle came to his senses.

[birddogger2]

\

Change the environment and you change the dog in that environment.
The environmental change may not be acceptable for the keeper,so that's where often the issue is un resolved .

Sharon -

Seems to me that changing the environment is not always possible or even desirable...especially if there are other residents who are perfectly comfortable with the existing environment.


If you have a bunch of round holes and a bunch of round pegs and then come up with a square peg... it is not better to "round" the edges on that square peg until it fits into one or more of the round holes?

If one of the dogs is exhibiting aberrant behavior...why change things around to fit the aberrant behavior? Modification of the aerrant behavior would be far more logical, IMO.

RayG

[Sharon]

Success so far. Terrier attacked, anti bark collar went off (high setting),terrier ran for the crate, setter smiled.
Using an anti - bark collar rather than an e collar operated by me , as correction comes even when I am not in the room. JRT doesn't think it's coming from me as would be usual in the field.

Very interesting Rinker and Tonester. Glad I'm not the only one.
Until one has had a JRT they wouldn't understand the expression, "She's a great dog but can be a pain in the butt." quote Rinker

Ray : Changing the environment for me meant changing only the JRTs environment.

[marysburg]

Sharon, it sounds like the situation is under control now, and using the bark limiter on high is a great idea. Good thing those JRTs are vocal when they go after something, as it sets things up so he delivers his own correction instantaneously. Bravo for you. Lucky for him that he lives with you, or he wouldn't be around long.

[Timewise65]

Sharon....

Good stuff, and sounds like a really good solution.....

[Sharon]

Thanks . Funny to watch him now. I see him giving the attack body language and then thinking about it and lying down. Old girl is much more at peace.

If you get bored sometime read that longish research study Shags posted. Fascinating and something I am going to pursue with this dog.