A few questions about my puppy!

[Zero]

Hello! I urgantly need help! Well i own 2 german shepherds, One is 23% Wolf, The other is pure breed german shepherd. Well, My older dog Jefe(Pure breed, About 8 Yearsold.)Wont let my younger dog Buck eat, We will have 2 bowls atleest 6 feet away, And Jefe wont let my 8 month old pup Buck eat, Jefe will go back and forward eating out of each bowl and will scare Buck away from his bowl. If anyone has any idea how i can get my dog Jefe to let Buck eat, PLEASE post a reply on how you could help.

Another Problem, My dog buck has alot of problems with Behavior, He will nip and bite at me when he wants to play. I'm not very interested in taking him to Obediant school, I believe myself its to expensive. (Btw Buck has not been newdered yet, Im wondering if i did it would help any?)

I Would "LOVE" Help if you have any ideas on eithor of these questions PLEASE tell me!

-Collin

[wolf_Q]

Why can't you just feed them separately? Feed them in different rooms, or in their crates.

Also, obedience class is WORTH the money, believe me. Please consider it. And get your dogs NEUTERED! Yes, it *will* help. When he tries to nip at you, either ignore him, or yelp "ouch!" that usually works. Don't reward him by playing with him when he nips you.

[binka_nugget]

yep listen to wolf_q...Even if you don't think it's worth the money for obedience, they get ALOT of socialization at classes which is what you want to expose your pup to. I think for now, feed them seperately. Do you have a crate? or maybe a sliding glass door? I think that if you feed them seperately, but with them able to see each other...maybe it'll work. And eventually bring the dishes closer and closer when they are comfertable with eating their own food.

With the nipping, try ignoring it. Bad attention is still attention for the pup. No attention is best. If it doesn't work...(like if he hurts you like my pup did when he wanted to play), do what wolf_q suggested. Make an "OUCH!" sound or some sort of sound that you know he won't like. My pup was also a nipper, although I think it's the herding instinct. To control his nipping, I did the ignoring technique. Eventually, I'd run around with him chasing me to get his herding instincts up a running. We'd just jump around the backyard..and he'd try jumping on me and trying to nip. When he nipped, I stopped jumping. No more playing till he stops nipping. He learnt that nipping mommy=no play. He continues to nip my brother and sister though. They're not consistant with him...so be very consistant with your pup and in no time he'll be an angel around the house.

[Pam]

Your first problem is relatively easy to solve. As others have said, just feed them separately. I had two dogs once whom I had to separate. One would finish more quickly than the other and would go to the other one's bowl. That dog would let out a little growl and, although there were no fights, I wasn't taking a chance. One ate in the kitchen and one ate in the bathroom.

Regarding the nipping, etc. I would encourage you to take Buck to obedience school. It really is not very expensive at all and you will enjoy your dogs so much more. Ask your vet for a recommendation for a good school. Oh and yes, Buck needs to be neutered!

[lovemyshiba]

I have 3 dogs, all of whom have to be fed separately--Riley goes in his crate, Abbey goes in her pen, and Kito eats upstairs. That one is easy to solve, as long as you have another room or a pen or crate to feed one of them in.
As for the behavior, you should try obedience classes--they probably will cost a lot less than a behaviorist will--if you need one down the road.
Nipping--you could work on that in obedience school too--but at home, just say "ouch" or ignore him, any attention, even negative (like yelling at him) will encourage him--he's a pup, and all they want to do is play--make sure he has a lot of toys and stuff to chew on--Kongs are great!!!
I strongly encourage you to neuter these dogs--it may calm them down a bit, and it's also important for a ton of other reasons

[KYS]

Welcome Zero to Pet Talk.

As everyone said, feed them separately.
Neutering also helps calm down male dogs.
I would neuter and look into group obedience.

IF you can not afford it, look into
vouchers for spay and neuter at your local shelters.
Some shelters have vouchers programs available etc.
and they might have information on low cost
group obedience classes.
Worth a try.

[clara4457]

When I got Leo from the SPCA - we also had major problems with the nipping or play biting. It took us about 3 months to solve it. I used the no such thing as a free lunch system. If he started biting I would say NO BITE. If he continued to do it I would either walk into another room and end the play session, or would give him a time out in his crate. He soon realized that play biting was not going to get attention. I also used chew toys for him to direct him to acceptable chewing such as a kong filled with kibble and peanut butter or a hollow steralized bone with cheese filled in the middle. A couple of great books that I found helpful in training dogs was Brian Kilcommons' "Good Owner, Great Pets" and Carol Lea Benjamin's "Mother Knows Best, the Natural Way to Train Your Dog". Both books have great advice and techniques for training.

And yes - get your dogs neutered. That is imperative.

[wolfsoul]

I agree with everyone else - Feed him in a different room

Getting him neutered would help too - It will may make your older dog see the pup as less of a threat. Getting neutered is best in any case anyway, it's much healthier for the dog. Also, he will be less likely to run away (wolfdogs are escape artists lol.. When we got my dog fixed, she rarely jumped the fence after that

I don't believe that onedience classes are nessecary in most cases. But it might be a good idea to get him socialized with other dogs in a group obedience class. And by the sounds of it, it may also be healthy for your other dog to get out, it may calm him if he is around other dogs alot, and he may stop bothering the pup

I liked to squeal like a puppy when my dog bit me. She soon realized that she was hurting me Ok, I was a bit dramatic...Sometimes I'd fall and lie on the ground whimpering...hehe, I can get a little carried away when roll-playing..

Is your older dog neutered yet? I would get him neutered immediatly! It will calm him down, and most likely make him less aggressive

[anna_66]

Looks like everyone has given you great advice, so I have nothing to add...just wanted to welcome you to PT!
I'd love to see some pictures of Jefe & Buck

[Zero]

Thank you ALL for the help, Buck can now eat by himself, Jefe is only about 6 feet away from him through a screen door, so they can see eachother fine. The squeeling and saying Ouch is working. Jefe is nuetered, Buck is not yet neutered but will soon be. Yet again, Thank you all.

Here buck is

[wolfsoul]

Wow! He's gorgeous! A silver sable shepherd My GSD is a silver gold and black shepherd

[Zero]

Thanks, The reason he looks like that is Hes a Wolf/German Shepherd, His mother was 83% Wolf.

[Zero]

HERE Jefe is

[GoldenRetrLuver]

They are both GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!

[Zero]

Thanks. Ill post those pictures up on its own forum soon.