Help Needed To Control 2 Male Whippets

[joannemcmullan]

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I have two male whippets, Ringo is nearly 4 years old and Blu is 2 1/2 years old, both are not neutured.

Over the past year they have become increasingly aggressive towards other dogs and as they can't get near the other dogs they would turn on each other and try to fight with one another. This has now became a regular occurrance and has took the enjoyment out of walking them, I would even say that I now dread walking them by myself and I also find it embarressing when they fight!!

Ringo has never been like this in the past, before I got Blu he was a very placid dog who enjoyed other dogs, but now appears to be copying Blu's recent change of behaviour, unknown to me why it has changed. Blu has started over the past 2-3 months to bark at people and jump up at them, which scares me that he might bite someone some day, which I dread to think!

When I visited the local ringcraft classes with Blu, he was aggressive towards other dogs when I lead him but if another person leads him he was ok. The organiser of the class stated that I was to blame - that Blu was trying to protect me. No one gave me any tips or guidance on how to control the situation and change his behaviour.

I try every night when out walking Ringo and Blu to control them when other dogs appear but without fail and much heartache.

I would very much appreciate any suggestions or tips so I can start to enjoy them again!!

Thanks Joanne

 

[liverpoolmitch]

Hi joanne Welcome to the forum sorry your having problems , Why dont you contact your vet and ask if they can put you in contact with a dog behaviourist. They can see at first hand and assess, why your dogs are behaving in this manner.

Sorry I cant be of more help, Good luck with your dogs :luck:

 

[FeeFee]

It sounds as though you have a typical case of redirected aggression - the dogs are frustrated in their attempt to see off another dog so turn on one another. There's quite a lot of information around about this if you google it.

The first thing I would do is to immediately stop walking them together for the time being - one dog is much more controllable than two, and you need to be be confident and calm when you meet other dogs. That's pretty impossible if you have two of them going ballistic and then attacking each other. It sounds as though Blu is the aggressor and Ringo is following his lead, but they will wind each other up to the point where neither are controllable.

It's hard to know without seeing them what is causing Blu's behaviour, it could be over-protection of you, and it's extremely easy to get into a downward spiral where you become nervous about meeting dogs because you feel your dogs are aggressive, they sense your nervousness and become more protective and the whole situation gets worse. It really needs someone on the spot who can see their behaviour first hand, though, and it would be well worth considering a behaviourist. Also worth considering getting them neutered, it isn't a magic cure but taking hormones out of the equation can make male dogs much more manageable and responsive to other training.

 

[Whippets Rule]

I would definitely walk them seperately for a while to break the behaviour before it becomes habit. I would also get the main instigator of the problem neutered if it was my dog. it may also be worth muzzling one or other whilst out so that nothing can happen if another dog gets too close, both for the sake of your own dog and any other.

also it may be worth taking a favourite toy or food treat with you and as soon as you see another dog in the distance start to redirect your own dogs attention on you and the toy/treat, talking firmly and calmly to your dog and getting it's concentration directed firmly on yourself and what you have. Obviously you can only do this whilst walking the dogs individually then build up to this when walking them together.

we had a similar issue where if we walked our boxer bitch with the whippets she was evil if she saw another dog so we started to walk her alone and re-established control by focusing her on a favourite toy and some firm handling and she is good when walked with the others now but it needs consistency and firm control....our dog now knows there is no reward in bad behaviour but plenty of fun for being calm and non reactive....it will just take patience on your part.

 

[joannemcmullan]

Thanks everyone for replying. I have been given good tips and advice and will start using these straight away. I'll keep you's posted!

Joanne

 

[louiejoe]

Hi Joanne, sorry to hear you are having a few problems with the boys Hope to see you all out and about again some time soon :thumbsup:

Tracy

P.S. Thats a great photo of you with Ringo & Blu in the snow!

 

[wild whippies]

Some good advice posted, just to add when out with the dominant dog, shorten the leash and put yourself infront of your own dog and the approaching threat, it tells your dog you will handle the situation and your the dominant one, not them. The same goes for general behaviour at home, you go through the door first, they eat after you, don't let them push themselves onto you for attention over the other dog etc.

 

[Macha]

I've had some similar problems with my dogs when walking them together past other dogs (especially if the other dogs also show territorial/protective/aggressive behaviour). The main instigator among my dogs is the one who is neutered (and was indeed neutered young as he was at a rescue centre since early puppyhood). That dog also goes ballistic when he sees cats and will sometimes snap at my other dogs if they crowd him in his frenzy. So I would favour the behavioural and training approach but wouldn't hold much in store by neutering for this type of problem. I don't make much time for taking the dogs out for individual training, but I do find that getting the problem dog the other side of me and keeping him held tight (he's walked on a halti-harness) keeps him under control when necessary.