Odd? Normal? Problematic? Behaviour... - Page 1

Okay, so my little guy is now 4 months old and we spend a great deal of time with my friend’s 6-year-old Golden Retriever (have since the pup was 8 weeks). Usually 2-5 hours a few days a week at the park, and I dog-sit the retriever (at my place) at least once a week for a 24-hour period, sometimes more frequently.

Whenever we are out with the dogs, and the Retriever is standing up, it seems to be fair game for the pup to latch onto the fur on the Retriever’s neck (he often pulls out tufts of hair). Holding on almost seems like an obsession. The Retriever doesn’t appear at all bothered by this, which for me indicates that he allowing this behaviour from the pup. When the retriever lies down, the pup offers a couple of submissive licks around the retriever’s mouth and leaves him be until he stands up again. When the two dogs are in the house together, the pup leaves him alone completely.

The pup does not do this with any of my other friend’s dogs, nor does he chase and try to latch on to humans; just the retriever.

Initially I wasn’t too concerned by this behaviour because I know the retriever could stop it himself. When he doesn’t want to be bothered, a bit of a growl lets the pup know to stay away. The dogs also spend a great deal of time together, so I figured it was some weird bonding thing or they had “some sort of arrangement” worked out between them.

I should also add that, at this point, the pup does not appear to have a very high-drive.

I have never seen this behaviour in any of my other GSDs and am wondering if anyone has any insights into this. Is this normal? Should I stop it or should I trust that the dogs do have something worked out between them?

Thanks,

Karen

I would put out the spark before it become a fire.  The puppy isn't mature enough to be truely dominant , but biting another dogs neck is a dominant gesture.   The puppy is trying his dominance now in a small way, and the retriever is being overly accepting of this, but as the pup gets bigger the retriever at some point will try to stop it, and then the pup that is not so small any more will really challenge the retriever, because the behavior had been allowed for too long.  You will have a mess on your hands.  It could be insecurity on the pups part right now, that when the retriever is laying down, he isn't as intimidating, and when he is standing up, the pup feels internally threatened and it shows outwardly by the neck biting. 

With out seeing what is going on first hand , it is a little hard to really know what is going on. 

Even if this pup is intended for work or pet , this behavior can not be allowed.  If pup is for work and tries to do this to the wrong dog, he could be severely damaged, and or really squash security from his mind.  You want a strong confident mind.  But strong confindence doesn't mean that he is allowed to try to dominate other dog, He needs to Ultimately be obedient to you first.    As a pet, you won't have a true harmoneous and relaxed life , if he is allowed to charge and dominate other dogs all the time.  He needs to think about what your desires are before he thinks about his desires.

I always say that I am the Law and my dogs are the Deputies. 

I would keep a collar and leash on for a while and every time he goes to bite the retriever, I would grab the leash and say "NO LEAVE IT".   You might have to escalate to a pinch collar, depending on how determined he is.  And if the correcting and " no leave it isn't working, I would pinch the flank and also say " no leave it "   In other words, as the alpha of your pack , you need to assert Your Dominance to the situation,and the pinch on the flank simulates a bite from you. 

He needs to think of cost versus Value.   If the cost of biting the retriever yields an undesirable pinch from you, then the value of biting the other dog isn't worth it. 

Good luck !

normal ...just let him learn the hard way if he gets bit then he will learn. no harm in trying to correct it but it sounds like play to me

on the other hand if the older dog is very submissive then you need to take action

to correct this i would use a verbal correction NO! and then put him in another room or crate for a few mins then let him in again and repeat if necessary

good luck