Malamute behavior problem HELP!

[Guest Anonymous]

I have a question. I have a 2/12 year old alaskan malamute and a 3 year old sheltie. Lately, for a couple of months now, my malamute, Journey has been very mean to my sheltie, buster. Journey will turn around and attack him, not playfully. It's alittle scary...Not all the time she does it. but a couple of times a week. Sometimes once a week. If he goes in a spot that she sleeps in normall , or when we let them in from outside, if he goes in first or right behind her, she will and she has left a tooth mark on the side of his neck. Also, when we brought her to get bathed and cleaned, which has been the same place for a while. the people there love her. the were brushing her and then she was getting angry with the other dogs, and the handler was petting her to calm her down and journey turned around and growled where she could see down journey' throat, they had to put a muzzle on her. That was the first time ever that she had done that. She is a mush with the family and anyone that comes.

Very concerned. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS? HELP? HOW CAN I GET HER TRAINED TO NOT DO THIS>>>WHAT"S WRONG?

[atghylin]

My first question is rather obvious... has Journey been spayed? If she hasn't... when was her last heat cycle? Sudden snippiness and bad attitude in general can be a sign of pregnancy, I've been told.

Whether she has or not I'd take her to the vet as soon as possible... something may have become crossed in her brain. This may also be the cause of her snippyness. But that's just my first thought... I've never actually experianced anything like this but I've been on Dogo long enough to learn a few things that I might not have known before.

Hope Journey gets better soon.

Amanda

[Guest Anonymous]

She was spayed. It's just really weird....I don't know , like a said she is a mush to the family and anyone that comes over. She didn't alway get along with strange dogs....but Buster....she did.

There's nothing I can do to train her to stop....Is definately something wrong in her head...or is she just changing.

I don't know!

[atghylin]

Take her to the vet and see if something is physically wrong. Then find a canine behaveriourlist in your area. It sounds to me that she is changing somehow for some reason. I wish I could tell you more. :( Someone else here might be able to help you a bit better then I can.


Good Luck

[KP]

They are establishing pack order. Its actually very common. Your malamute is reaching maturity and its testing the waters. You can let them figure it out...if they are both pretty dominant it may not be a good idea but if you think there is a chance that one of them would be willing to back down I think thats the route you should take.

Otherwise you can step in and let them know its not gonna happen before anything starts. You'll have to watch them like a hawk. Pick up on their signals and you have to correct the instigator every time. make it very clear it isn't going to happen in your home anymore.

ALWAYS separate them if you are not going to be home or able to watch them.

If you need anymore help or want to talk more...I have a website I just opened. There are quite a few professionals on there who deal with aggression and dominance issues regularly. The link is in my signature line. Its always good to get a few views on advice. Hope to see you there.

[Malamum]

Just to let you know, I posted a response to the same thread in the "everything about dogs" forum.

I pretty much said the same think as KP. Journey has now matured and has decided that she comes above Buster and is letting him know.

There is nothing "wrong" with her, you just need to learn how to handle it (see my other post).

[Guest Anonymous]

Thank you again, Everyone for the advice....I am going to go home and tell the household everything everyone has shared. I just want to make sure that she isn't going to really hurt buster...I know she is a very strong dog and is capable of doing alot of damage to another dog.

Thanks!