Expert: Have4Paws - 6/22/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi

I have two beagles, one male 8 years old(stubborn) and female beagle 5 years - we have recently bought a labrador puppy which the female beagle is attacking, not all the time, only sometimes if we allow the puppy to get to close.
When the puppy was introduced, the female beagle was fine, wagged tail and played a bit, the following day my male beagle and female beagle had a fight, since then the female beagle does not enjoy the puppy, this is very stressful as we have to watch them all the time.
Do beagles fight to the death? How do I deal with female beagle?
Will this sort it self out and get better?

ANSWER: Hi Rachel, thanks for writing to me and sorry to hear you are having this stressful situation. Not sure what went wrong here but based on you telling me the male is stubborn I would venture to say there was some tension between the two beagles to begin with, and now the puppy has exaccerbated that. If allowed, any dog will escalate to fighting and causing damage, I don't know about the "fight to the death" comment... When two dogs are fighting there are very distinct reasons, it is always about dominance.... it can be ranking related, food related or can be triggered by a submissive dog who is fearful and strikes out to maintain a  picture of strength (altho they really are not). You have some very strong dynamics going on here and I am going to tell you what I tell anyone with an aggression issue, you MUST seek outside intervention from a hands on trainer, someone must come into your home for a few sessions to ascertain what is going on and how to solve it. Aggression does not just go away, it only escalates, as I said I have a feeling the puppy is not the reason, just the catalyst for escalating it to this level. In the meantime you need  to be intensely and acutely aware of body language and stop fights before they happen for safety reasons. You can sense it if you tune in, there is a change in the body language of the dogs, they might raise their hackles (the line of hair along their back), avert their eyes from one another or conversely look straight at each other (altho at this point it is usually just ready to take off), their body posture changes, their tails and ears may lower, and/or you might hear a deep low sort of chesty sounding growl.......... all of these are signals it is about to take off. I would suggest that until you can get a trainer in the home you make up a bunch of shake cans to avert and/or stop any fights and have them stationed around the house as well as keep the puppy separate from the beagles as much as possible for now. Also DO NOT FEED THEM TOGETHER and always stand between the 3 dogs to control anyone who goes for the other ones food. When you move up to three dogs, pack dynamics kick in and it is a different ball game, some dogs adjust easily and others do not,

To make a shake can you take empty soda or beer cans and put about ten pennies in each one, tape over the top with some duct tape and keep them stationed everywhere so if you sense something coming on you can shake the can (which will startle them) and can also pitch them at them if they begin to engage. If they do engage NEVER stick your hand in the middle of it if you arent skilled, you will get bit by accident. If it is possible to grab a collar and lift one away from the other from the outside of it do so and remove that dog to another room or they may go right back at it, if they are outside you can turn the hose on them (after having it set up by the door or whatever to make it quick and easy)if you havent been able to get them apart.

Something is going on in the dynamics of your pack and while it is often said leave them alone, they will figure it out, this is ONLY true if there is no real damage being done and no real fights, like if they snap at another one, say the puppy or make one submit by a look that is one thing but if they are actually engaging this is not good and someone is going to get really hurt. The unfortunate thing is that without even knowing it you are most likely inadvertently reinforcing the behavior which is why a trainer is absolutely needed immediately. Without knowing it we can often make things worse by how we respond to the fights.

I hope this is helpful in some way if nothing else to get you to CALL A TRAINER IMMEDIATELY

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi

I will do that, I will enquire about a good behaviourist, the male beagle is very stubborn however he is not agressive to the puppy at all.
We are going away for a few days and the three dogs are going to kennels and the puppy is going back to the breeder for a few days. When we introduce them again, what do you suggest is the best way?
Also when the puppy gets over excited, I say TIME OUT and put him in a safe room, is this ok?
My female beagle does not like a newspaper and if you bang it she backs off, will this break our bond or does the affirm that I am in charge?
We do feed the adult dogs first and the puppy last.
I hope we can get this matter sorted out quickly.

Thanks

Answer
Hi again, doing a time out with the puppy is a good thing, it also gives him some alone time to settle and might be a good time for you to spend some one on one time with him. I dont personally like the newspaper because they can see it is connected to you, with the cans you want to be covert about when you shake it or pitch it at them. You dont want them to know it is from you or it will make them fear you instead of just the noise. The other thing is that unless you put newspapers all over the house at the ready you are unlikely to have one and instead will yell which is not the way to discipline, in fact they may see yelling as joining in if it is that they are barking or making other loud noises.

Dont know how you introduced the three to start but ideally it should have been on neutral ground like a park or something and let them sniff and play for a couple hours if possible untilt hey got to the point where they didnt really care about each other and then put in the car together and enter the home together, you would usually allow the dog that is the lead to enter first (after you of course)but I am not sure you really know yet who the Alpha is under you. The behaviorist can help sort this out and then show you how to encourage and validate that dog while keeping yourself always as the ulmitate Alpha.