And isn't it wonderful to watch them become a part of a pack and relax, because they're doing what they're supposed to do?
My terrier for whatever reason has never really been a part of a pack. she even had trouble adjusting to multiple people...she continues to be inappropriately aggressive at times with other dogs, but it's so nice to see her be able to relax and act like a dog. My son visited with his two dogs as well this T-day, and her thing is getting up on the couch with us and then getting really (REALLY) territorial. He said "don't let her up there. Make her hang out down here with the dogs" and when she starts to growl, she gets the boot.
You'd think it would result in complete mayhem, death and destruction...but oddly, it worked like a charm. She'd mind her manners on teh ground with the other dogs. Up on the couch, she seems to think she's the head honcho and anything goes.
She did lay into another dog over treats, and my son went the route of trying to get her to submit...not in a mean or cruel or even angry way, just by taking ahold of her and putting her down on her side. It doesn't work. She bites and snarls adn will fight (in this case, him) to the death. She's too hardwired, once she takes that stance, to submit, even if it's a human. ANYWAY we've found the best way to keep her from getting into that mode is just not to let her up on the couch or wherever people are sitting, make her hang out with the other dogs, and focus really closely on her when you're feeding her treats in a group. You cant' take her for granted, you have to focus on her and make sure she knows you're watching her and expect her to behave. I need to practice hand feeding her more. I got out of the habit of doing it (and they were great about it) and she's completely reverting to take -your-finger-off-attack-anyone-else-that-moves mode.
