Freckles Agressive move toward Dukesmom

This morning before leaving for work I wanted the boys to go outside. As usual when I opened the back door Duke went out but Freckles was lying in the den giving me his 'I don't think so" look. Dukesmom went over to him to give him a nudge on his behind and when she did he lunged up at her. He did not bite or snap but the move was very agressive.
I immediately went over and grabbed his muzzle firmly and told him to SIT . Still holding his muzzle I then told him NO. Releasing his muzzle I then said OUTSIDE and he followed me without any further "comment" and went out to join Duke.
Dukesmom couldn't figure out why he reacted that way but I am sure it's a dominance issue. I feed the boys in the evening but she feeds them in the morning. We both make them sit before placing the bowls down.
Dukesmom is also the one who crates them before she leaves for work. She told me that Freckles will growl at her when she closes the door. He does not growl at me when I crate him.
I believe Dukesmom thinks Freckles has a screw loose, and she is right, and she is a bit affaid he will nip her. This of course adds to the problem as Freckles probably senses he has the upper hand.
What else might we try to get control of this situation. I'm not sure she is willing to try grabbing his muzzle and right now I don't think that is a good idea either.

 

ouch, wonder what set him off, sorry, I dont know how to help.

hmmm, sounds like he may be playing the upper hand, I think you did the right thing

 

Nothing in life is free!

I have a dog that bit me badly last year because of a dominance issue.

What I was told is to begin NILIF. Also, you may want to have your wife try some obedience training one on one with freckles. Making him work for all his rewards. Start slow about 5 min per day. Do obedience training making him sit, stay, down, down stay and reward him instantly each time he does a command. Do not reward for no command. Try to work your way towards rewarding him every other command and keep weaning him off the treats until he just works for positive praise. This will build a stronger relationship with your wife and your dog.

It helped me a lot and I still have my dog.
Below is the link to Nothing in Life is free!


Nothing in Life is Free
Copyright 2000. Dumb Friends League. All rights reserved.

Does your dog: Get on the furniture and refuse to get off? Nudge your hand, insisting on being petted or played with? Refuse to come when called? Defend its food bowl or toys from you? "Nothing in life is free" can help. "Nothing in life is free" is not a magic pill that will solve a specific behavior problem; rather it’s a way of living with your dog that will help it behave better because it trusts and accepts you as its leader and is confident knowing its place in your family.

How To Practice "Nothing In Life Is Free:"
Using positive reinforcement methods, teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks. "Sit," "Down" and "Stay" are useful commands and "Shake," "Speak" and "Rollover" are fun tricks to teach your dog.Once your dog knows a few commands, you can begin to practice "nothing in life is free." Before you give your dog anything (food, a treat, a walk, a pat on the head) it must first perform one of the commands it has learned. For example:


YOU: Put your dog’s leash on to go for a walk
YOUR DOG: Must sit until you’ve put the leash on

YOU: Feed your dog
YOUR DOG: Must lie down and stay until you’ve put the bowl down

YOU: Play a game of fetch after work
YOUR DOG: Must sit and shake hands each time you throw the toy

YOU: Rub your dog’s belly while watching TV
YOUR DOG: Must lie down and rollover before being petted

Once you’ve given the command, don’t give your dog what it wants until it does what you want. If it refuses to perform the command, walk away, come back a few minutes later and start again. If your dog refuses to obey the command, be patient and remember that eventually it will have to obey your command in order to get what it wants.
Make sure your dog knows the command well and understands what you want before you begin practicing "nothing in life is free."
The Benefits Of This Technique
Most dogs assume a neutral or submissive role toward people, but some dogs will challenge their owners for dominance. Requiring a dominant dog to work for everything it wants is a safe and non-confrontational way to establish control.
Dogs who may never display aggressive behavior such as growling, snarling, or snapping, may still manage to manipulate you. These dogs may display affectionate, though "pushy" behavior, such as nudging your hand to be petted or "worming" its way on to the furniture in order to be close to you. This technique gently reminds the "pushy" dog that it must abide by your rules.
Obeying commands helps build a fearful dog’s confidence; having a strong leader and knowing its place in the hierarchy helps to make the submissive dog feel more secure.
Why This Technique Works
Animals that live in groups, like dogs, establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves to maintain order, reduce conflict and promote cooperation among pack members. In order for your home to be a safe and happy place for pets and people, it’s best that the humans in the household assume the highest positions in the dominance hierarchy. Practicing "nothing in life is free" effectively and gently communicates to your dog that its position in the hierarchy is subordinate to yours. From your dog’s point of view, children also have a place in this hierarchy. Because children are small and can get down on the dog’s level to play, dogs often consider them to be playmates, rather than superiors. With the supervision of an adult, it’s a good idea to encourage children in the household (aged eight and over) to also practice "nothing in life is free" with your dog.

 

I am glad you posted this, bc Luther has been acting weird towards my husband lately. One day last week my husband went to pick up Luther and he said did this roll up in a ball and go limp thing (that he does all the time), but he still picked him up, but when he did Luther started peeing.
Then last night, Luther sat at the bedroom door barking to be let in. Christian opened the door to say no, but Luther slipped in and acted really sneaky about that, so my husband went to pick him up, which by this time luther was under the bed. Luther started yelping like my husband was killing him (Luther will yelp even if he knows he isn't getting hurt) then started growling. What do you think the deal is with Luther lately?

 

Hi Lil:

It sounds like your dog may be acting submissively not aggressively?

Submissive postures:

Sometimes a dog will lie on its belly with its ears flattened and the fur along its back flat and smooth. It looks away and may roll over onto its back. Is it afraid--a coward, a wimp? In most cases not--it may well only be showing submission. It is probably saying, “I am recognizing that you are the boss (pack leader).” Or it could be telling the other dog, “I’m not into power--I don’t want to fight.”

Signs of fear:

A frightened dog lowers its body, with its tail hanging low or tucked between its legs. Its head is down, its ears are laid back, and its hackles are usually raised. The dog may instinctively crouch close to the ground to protect its belly, and it may approach you in circles. Because a scared dog can quickly become a fear-biter, the best course is to stand still with your hands by your sides and refrain from looking the animal in the eye. Don’t corner it or turn your back on it, but speak to it in a soothing voice. Unless it gets over its fear, relaxes, and shows friendliness or submission, move away quietly.

Check out this great web site for learning body posturing in dogs:

http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/bodylang1.html

Sue

 

Could Dukesmom have surprised Freckles when she nudged him? If he didn't see her coming, it could have startled him.

I agree with the NILIF and the training suggestions. Have her work with him. Perhaps have her use even yummier treats than you give him, so that he associates the best treats with her. And have her try really hard to not be afraid of him - as you know, this just makes the situation more difficult.