Here is the situation - a relative of mine lost her husband about a year
ago. When he was dying they got a few beagle puppies to help them both thru
the pain and suffering and bring some joy into their lives. They gave the
beagle puppies away after the husband died but kept one - my relatives son
who took the death of his dad very hard wanted to keep one beagle.

It's been tuff on my relative going with no husband. About six months
after the death she was offered a chance to get a Mastiff/German Shepard
puppy. She took the puppy.

So the household has been her, her adult son, the beagle, and the big
mastiff. This mastiff has grown as big as a horse!

Here is the problem - the mastiff is very protective and jealous. It
will not let anybody pet or love the beagle. If you go into the living room
and pet the beagle, the mastiff comes running and attacks the beagle. My
relative says the mastiff is going to kill the beagle.

My relative wants to know what to do. She is thinking of getting rid of
the beagle or mastiff. She wants to know if the mastiff can be slowed down
some by drugs. Are there any drugs she can get from a vet to calm the
mastiff down?

She has a fenced in yard. If it was up to me, I would keep the mastiff
out all the time and let the beagle live inside.

Anyway, what should she do? The mastiff is the problem. How can she
change the behavior of the mastiff?

Much thanks!

On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:35:12 -0400, Von Fourche wrote:

Here is the situation - a relative of mine lost her husband about a year
ago. When he was dying they got a few beagle puppies to help them both
thru the pain and suffering and bring some joy into their lives. They
gave the beagle puppies away after the husband died but kept one - my
relatives son who took the death of his dad very hard wanted to keep one
beagle.

It's been tuff on my relative going with no husband. About six months
after the death she was offered a chance to get a Mastiff/German Shepard
puppy. She took the puppy.

So the household has been her, her adult son, the beagle, and the big
mastiff. This mastiff has grown as big as a horse!

Here is the problem - the mastiff is very protective and jealous. It
will not let anybody pet or love the beagle. If you go into the living
room and pet the beagle, the mastiff comes running and attacks the
beagle. My relative says the mastiff is going to kill the beagle.

My relative wants to know what to do. She is thinking of getting rid of
the beagle or mastiff. She wants to know if the mastiff can be slowed
down some by drugs. Are there any drugs she can get from a vet to calm
the mastiff down?

She has a fenced in yard. If it was up to me, I would keep the mastiff
out all the time and let the beagle live inside.

Anyway, what should she do? The mastiff is the problem. How can she
change the behavior of the mastiff?

Much thanks!

It sounds to me like the owner is the problem... it seems she's taken on
more dog than she can handle right now. Losing a partner is terribly
hard, but trying to replace a partner with a dependent in a time of grief
rarely works. Losing a spouse and adding on two more creatures to care
for, is a *huge* lifestyle change to go through all at once.

Beagle to Mastiff/Shepard is a huge change as well. Beagles are
smallish, low-maintenance dogs as things go, but Mastiff and Shepard are
both breeds that need lots of exercise and a strong pack leader.

Drugging a dog or locking one outside without a chance to be with its
pack's daily life is a horrible disservice to that animal -- if you are
really considering such things, it's time to give the dog to someone who
*can* care for it. Mistreating an animal is a much greater failure than
realizing the dog needs more than your pack can give it, and finding it a
more fitting home.

If she is committed to keeping both dogs, here are some things she should
know:

Drugs are not the answer! Long-term sedation is not only abusive, but it
doesn't work as a substitute for proper training -- you won't get a less
aggressive, better-behaved dog that way.

The first place to start is *exercise* -- everything else gets just a
little easier when a dog is getting enough exercise. If my aunt's beagle
is any indication, they can be worn out properly just following their
human up and down the stairs a few times while the human does laundry and
whatnot.

A Mastiff/Shepard mix is another story entirely! This dog will need some
serious working out daily. I mean tongue-dragging, heavy-panting, want-
to-drink-a-gallon-of-water-and-collapse-on-my-doggy-bet worked out.
Swimming and fetch seem to be the fastest workouts as most dogs go, but
there are many other great suggestions in the thread I started regarding
exercise suggestions a few days ago. Wear the dog out *every* day,
preferably in the mornings.

Along with exercise, a dog needs boundaries and leadership. Your
relative may need to consult a professional behaviorist for help curbing
the Mastiff's aggression, but I'll offer some info to get her started
(Note: I am *not* a professional, I'm just a farm girl who's helped raise
several large dobes, and helped friends learn to deal with large dogs on
occasion.)

DO NOT do treat training. I know it's the going thing among the big box
pet store crowd, probably because they get to sell lots of treats and
accessories that way, but I haven't seen any willful dog reach high
levels of obedience with this method. It leads to a dog that evaluates a
command vs. whatever else it is more interested in. So, keeping the dog
from chasing an interesting squirrel into a busy road is nearly
impossible, because the squirrel is more interesting than the treat.

Consistency is key. I can't say it enough. You have to be consistent,
all the time. If you fail to correct a bad behavior once or twice, you
can set back your dog's training consistently.

For specifics, start reading up on the experts. I can't say I agree 100%
with any one, but I've found that by reading the work of several, I've
managed to come up with a system that works well for me and my dogs.
I've learned the most from Cesar Milan (he's written a few books and has
a TV show called "The Dog Whisperer") and Don Sullivan (he has some
Canadian TV show related to dog training, in the US he sells training
DVDs on an infomercial called "the perfect dog").

Both Cesar Milan and Don Sullivan have similar approaches, based on
becoming the dog's dominant leader, setting boundaries, and enforcing
them. If you can, read/watch both, as they are slightly different takes
on the same ideas, and very complimentary to one another.

Hope that helps, please follow up here, I'd be interested to know what
happens.

--Susan

"Susan" wrote:

Beagle to Mastiff/Shepard is a huge change as well. Beagles are
smallish, low-maintenance dogs as things go, but Mastiff and Shepard are
both breeds that need lots of exercise and a strong pack leader

Beagles normally have higher exercise requirements than Mastiffs and German
Shepherds. Your aunt's Beagle doesn't sound like any of the Beagles I've
known.

A Mastiff/Shepard mix is another story entirely! This dog will need some
serious working out daily. I mean tongue-dragging, heavy-panting, want-
to-drink-a-gallon-of-water-and-collapse-on-my-doggy-bet worked out.

Depending on the Mastiff breed, this is not necessarily the case.
Additionally, just as with humans, a dog should not be suddenly thrown into
a strenuous workout routine without first being medically evaluated. This is
particularly important with breeds prone to joint issues, and GSDs are one
of those breeds.


DO NOT do treat training. I know it's the going thing among the big box
pet store crowd, probably because they get to sell lots of treats and
accessories that way, but I haven't seen any willful dog reach high
levels of obedience with this method.

I have seen any number of "wilful dogs" reach high levels of accomplishment
with food rewards as a major part of their training. I have personally
trained a Coonhound/Chow cross, a sighthound cross, and a Jack Russell
Terrier - I think we can all agree that those are breeds which tend to be
"willful" - to multiple titles, including 5 Champion titles, with food
rewards as a major component of their training. Two of those dogs, btw,
were shelter adoptees discarded by previous owners as "problem dogs".

It leads to a dog that evaluates a command vs. whatever else it is more
interested in.

BZZZZZZT!!! Wrong. Any sort of training, done incorrectly, can lead to a
dog that behaves that way. Food rewards, used *correctly*, can lead to a dog
who calls off of prey on the level of a conditioned reflex.
Food training is why I had a Jack Russell Terrier who was reliable off
leash.

Food training is also extremely useful in counter-conditioning aggression.

"Von Fourche" wrote: i

She wants to know if the mastiff can be slowed down some by drugs. Are
there any drugs she can get from a vet to calm the mastiff down?

No ethical veterinarian would prescribe drugs to "slow down" the mastiff
for this reason.

She has a fenced in yard. If it was up to me, I would keep the mastiff
out all the time and let the beagle live inside.

That would be cruel, and would also be a recipe for creating a
human-aggressive dog, as odds are very high that a dog of that mix - and
with the temperament you describe - would start guarding the yard.


Anyway, what should she do? The mastiff is the problem. How can she
change the behavior of the mastiff?

With training. And the training needed in this situation is NOT something
that can be handled by asking questions on USENET; this situation requires
in-person evaluation and help. Both your relative and her son need to be
involved, because the Shepherd mix needs to respond to both of them. It will
take time, work, and committment to solving the problem.

I will add, by the way, that I don't think much of your relative's past
actions in getting "a few beagle puppies" as disposable entertainment,
regardless of the situation.

"sionnach" wrote in message
...
I will add, by the way, that I don't think much of your relative's past
actions in getting "a few beagle puppies" as disposable entertainment,
regardless of the situation.

Thank you for addressing this concern. I was dismayed by this description.
It's as if they had bought a bunch of teddy bears for a sick child, and now
that the child no longer requires them, off they go. I am not interested in
helping people who find dogs so disposable.
--
Phyrie
Kiba the Cav's Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phyrie/...758930/detail/

HOWEDY phyrie you pathetic miserable stinkin rotten
vulgar lyin animal an child abusin punk thug coward
active acute chronic life-long INCURABLE DRUNKEN
DRUG ABUSIN MENTAL CASE,

"Phyrie" wrote in message
...

"sionnach" wrote in message
...
I will add, by the way, that I don't think much of your relative's past
actions in getting "a few beagle puppies" as disposable entertainment,
regardless of the situation.

"Don S

PS: Yes, I'm a pet abuser, but you are blocked so I
won't have to see your rants. You know who you are : )"

PERHAPS don s was referrin to phyrie?:

Thank you for addressing this concern. I was dismayed by this
description. It's as if they had bought a bunch of teddy bears for a sick
child, and now that the child no longer requires them, off they go. I am
not interested in helping people who find dogs so disposable.

We're GRATEFUL for all your EXXXPERTEASE, phyrie~!

--
Phyrie

From: Don S
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2006

Subject: Jerry WHOe?

Some of you seem to be obsessed with
fighting the Puppy Wizzard.

Learn to use the kill filters in your news reader & life on this board
will be so much more peaceful. Let the ones who are serious about
helping each other understand our dogs be the only ones you have
to see.

Fellow dog lover,


Don S

JUST LIKE HOWE don s DONE, eh, phyrie??:
"we have had her in 4 - 8 week group classes and
5 individual dog behaviorist visits since she was
3 months old. "

BWEEEAAAHAAAHAAA~!~!~!

Here is the problem - the mastiff is very protective and jealous. It
will not let anybody pet or love the beagle. If you go into the
living room
and pet the beagle, the mastiff comes running and attacks the beagle.
My
relative says the mastiff is going to kill the beagle.

My relative wants to know what to do. She is thinking of getting
rid of
the beagle or mastiff. She wants to know if the mastiff can be slowed
down
some by drugs. Are there any drugs she can get from a vet to calm the
mastiff down?

..
Quick introduction. I used to post here years ago. I'm a dog trainer
in SoCal.

Drugging the dog isn't the answer!!

Training is the answer. First, hire a trainer and it needed to be done
yesterday! This dog isn't protective or jealous. This dog runs the
house and is in charge. And yes, the Beagle will end up dead if this
continues. There needs to be much better management, these two dogs
should never be loose in the house together until some very serious
training is done and the trainer deems it safe (which it may never be
safe to have both dogs loose in the house).

The dogs need to be put on strict NILIF k9deb.com/nilif.htm . The dogs
get nothing unless they earn it first, not even a simple pet on the
head. The owner needs to start being in charge in here. Simply
punishing the mastiff will only makes things worse. By the time he
attacks it's too late anyway.

If the owner isn't up to do some serious training then the mastiff
needs to be put down. Do not dump this dog on rescue and do not dump
this dog into a shelter for some unsuspecting person to adopt.

Lauralyn

In article ,
LL wrote:
Drugging the dog isn't the answer!!
Training is the answer. First, hire a trainer and it needed to be done
yesterday! This dog isn't protective or jealous. This dog runs the
house and is in charge. And yes, the Beagle will end up dead if this
continues.

What? You don't know any of this - you haven't seen the
dogs yourself and all you've got to go on is the
observations of someone who's not experienced dealing with
this sort of thing. I'd ask a professional behaviorist, not
a trainer, to suss things out, but in the meantime I think
you're being pretty irresponsible in making absolute
statements and not hedging at all.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On Apr 2, 11:09*am, (Melinda Shore) wrote:
In article ,

LL wrote:
Drugging the dog isn't the answer!!
Training is the answer. First, hire a trainer and it needed to be done
yesterday! This dog isn't protective or jealous. This dog runs the
house and is in charge. And yes, the Beagle will end up dead if this
continues.

What? *You don't know any of this - you haven't seen the
dogs yourself and all you've got to go on is the
observations of someone who's not experienced dealing with
this sort of thing. *I'd ask a professional behaviorist, not
a trainer, to suss things out, but in the meantime I think
you're being pretty irresponsible in making absolute
statements and not hedging at all. *
--
* * *Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

* * * Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

The main point of my whole reply was to hire a professional. And no, I
do not believe for one minute that dogs are jealous. That, in my
opinion, is a human emotion. I do not believe dogs attack or plot
because they are jealous. There's little doubt here that the dog is in
charge.

Lauralyn

In article ,
LL wrote:
The main point of my whole reply was to hire a professional. And no, I
do not believe for one minute that dogs are jealous. That, in my
opinion, is a human emotion. I do not believe dogs attack or plot
because they are jealous. There's little doubt here that the dog is in
charge.

There probably should be some doubt. Doubt's what separates
thinking and analysis from kneejerk stupidity. I don't
think dogs feel jealousy the way humans do, either, but just
because you've eliminated some guesses about what's going on
doesn't mean you've isolated what's actually happening.
What you posted was extremely irresponsible.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community