Second WPG

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Bowling's Ragnar
Rank: Just A Pup
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 11:20 am
Location: Williamsburg, VA

Second WPG

Post by Bowling's Ragnar » Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:05 pm

So we got our second WPG about 7 months ago. The first guy is a super kind, happy go lucky guy. He is totally being dominated by the hard driving new pup. Dominated in every sense of the word. The pup is 9 months old now. Almost all last season they were both in quail fields on wild birds.

The issue is the new pup is crushing the other guys spirit. The advice we have been given is to let the dogs sort it out. That isn’t working. They are driving us crazy.

What should I do to stop the behavior? They are truly acting like brothers.

shags
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Posts: 2717
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:57 pm

Re: Second WPG

Post by shags » Wed Jun 20, 2018 6:22 am

More info would be helpful.

Is the younger dog fighting and drawing blood, or is he pestering with play behavior?

If the former, you have a big problem. Check out the Leerburg site for suggestions how to handle fighting dogs.

If it's over doing with playing, let them work it out within reason. At my house, that means unless the older dog is cringing in fear and off his feed, or being bumped and physically knocked around, it's up to him to set the young dog straight and demand some respect. We don't get in the middle of it unless it's way overboard as in the cringing in fear thing. If it comes to that point, we tell the young pest to knock it off. Sometimes it takes some physicality like scruffing or putting ourselves between the dogs, but that is generally only a temporary fix.

IME either the older dog will eventually have enough and settle things, or the young one will outgrow the obnoxious behavior *if you keep a reasonable lid on it*. The instant that play bullying turns to dominance mean bullying, you have to do some serious disciplining.

We had an older setter who was the kindest, most patient dog in the world...like the best grandma ever. Our Jagdterrier puppy hassled her a lot, barking, jumping on her, getting in her face etc. One day Grandma Dog just wouldn't take any more and wheeled around with a growl and snaps, bringing the pest up short. That was the end of the rough stuff on both ends, and those dogs were BFFs intil the old one died. They worked it out themselves. My current older dog was pushed around by my younger dog who thought he was King Dog of the World and Boss of Everybody. At one point it took a serious smackdown from me to remind him that no he isn't the boss, I am. He is still the more dominant dog but isn't rude and obnoxious about it and they get along well.

I suggest not leaving the two dogs alone loose together while you're away. If Old Guy retaliates, and Young Guy escalates, things can get ugly fast and you have to intervene so no one gets hurt. Or the young one might push too far and put the older guy in jeopardy, and you need ro be there to stop that.

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