Snappy!

I mentioned the other day about how i am trying to nip skye's excitement behavior in the bud! .. and i can see SOME progress with what we are doing .. However i wanted to ask if anybody has ever had this same problem with any of there dogs etc and can give me some advice?

Basically we have been doing this for the jumping up
*Pushing her down while saying DOWN! and making her sit
*Turning around and ignoring her
(she will only get fuss if she is sat down calmly)

For the Chasing of Vinnie
*we tell her firmly NO! SIT DOWN!
*If she refuses to stop or calm down she either gets put in her crate or outside for 5mins

She is also snapping at vinnie alot lately WHICH IS THE WORRY I HAVE!! .. i want this sorted out ASAP i do not want her too carry it on because i do not want it to get that bad that they have to be seperated because vinnie has faught back or even worse .. i want this ended NOW before its too late because i love them both dearly and they do really get on, its just when she does this!!.
What happens is she will snap at him usually showing some teeth she hasn't actually ever made contact with him and bitten him but she goes right upto him and snaps .. Usually it can be over food so she eats in her crate, or it can be if they get too excited in play, so i end it if its getting too excitable etc etc, Once or twice she has done it when they are in the kitchen while we are eating and we haven't seen why.
she will stop when we shout OII!! and we have been putting her outside when she does it etc .. the thing is they are all cosy and lovey again with each other moments later and will be snuggled up fast asleep, so its not like they dont like each other because they do, but i dont want it to get too the point where it gets too much and they dont get on! that would crush me.

Does anybody have any idea why she is doing this? and how we can stop it? i am willing to stick at anything to change this behavior for her sake .. Vinnie wont put her in her place so i think skye has made herself more dominant, this has only ever been since her season!! (do i desex her asap feb is earliest as its 3months after) or do i leave her to get her hormones sorted etc.
Any advice will be GREATLY appreciated.

oh i forgot too say they both go on walks twice a day .. once apart when i take them up the field for a run, because i cant hold two 50ft training leads .. and then both together for there normal walk before dinner.

Her snapping could be her hormones (seems like she was recently in season). Also it seems that she snaps over food. Are you able to remove food from her while she is eating?

Personally I believe in the walking together as you are doing as long as they are both 'following' your lead(bonding as pack mates). I also have a ritual for feeding where Tyson has to be calm and laying down about two metres from me while I prepare his food. I then let him smell it and then he sits before I release him to eat. I randomly remove the food and replace it and he is not allowed to growl. I also sometimes practice making him leave his food on command. I have been doing this from day one.

I am sure someone will have some practical excercises to do.

Right gotchya, we can removed food and bowls from her but its if vinnie gets too close etc .. And also when she was little vinnie always took toys of her as he waa bigger etc and i was wondering if because of that she is now protective over toys and food etc he did it with bones too! We would stop it as much as we couls but when eyes arent watching or we were too slow hes have away with her stuff.
So could him doing that be why she is so protective of her stuff now?? .. Working with her the past few days she will now sit on her bed and let vin have fuss and not push him out, its just the snapping we REALLY gotta deal with asap .. She is now been put in her crate too eat her dinner and treats again to prevent snapping.
They was out for a walk together again tonight and were as per usual on walks together good as gold.

I'm not the best person to ask but it sounds to me like she is trying to be the pack leader, above Vinnie. All this snapping at him is trying to tell him she is the boss. Especially the food bit as the lead dog will always eat first, have the best piece of meat etc and I think this is what she is trying with Vinnie. I would have thought her stealing toys, food of him etc is not a way of punishment because it was done to her when she was little, but as a way of telling Vinnie she is bigger now (as he did to her once) and that she wants to be the boss of him.

I would be inclined to leave them sort their issues, but that's propably the completely worng thing to do. Not sure if it is a hormone induced behaviour or just because she is at an age now where she wants to place herself in the pack and her dream position is at the top above Vinnie. I don't think, to me anyway, it sounds like a lack of exercise thing. Or that you are doing anything wrong but more of a natural progression as she ages and matures. Sorry not really helpful as I have no suggestions on how to deal with it.

Thanks for your reply .. If she is trying to be boss would i be making it worse by putting vinnies food down then skyes and by when i take em out on alone walks by taking him out first .. I always thought up untill the point of her doing this that vin was leader but obv heat may have changes that as you say.
Am i right to stop her from snapping at him etc?

I think you are doing all the right things. I would honestly just keep doing what you are doing and keep the seperated if you are out just to be safe.

Thnkyou, so stick at the discipline and firmness .. They are always seperate when we are out etc as she has a crate and he has his bed

I don't really know if this is the cause, just what came in to my head when I first read it. I agree with Jstaff though to keep doing what you are doing. I would be inclined to say yes stop her snapping at him if you can or she might provoke a response.

Il deffo keep at the firmness and discipline going as it is showing differances and hopefully it will sortber behaviour out by the end of if all

I would give them both their food, at the same time, or Vinnie first, so that she knows that you are the boss, not her. There is a risk that she'll end up resenting Vinnie for it though so that may be dud advice. Basically, I would just do whatever it took to make her understand that you are in charge, not her. If she snaps at Vinnie for going near her food, I'd pick it up and not let her have it back until she is lying down calmly, same with toys. I would not let her guard either toys or food cos that can get really nasty. Not sure what the best course of action would be though cos like I said, if you did it the way I would, she might resent him. I'll be interested to know how this pans out though cos we're getting another one this year and I'm sure we'll have a few issues like this at first. Good luck, and sorry, I've written a load of waffle and probably none of it helps! Let us know how it goes.

Haha it ok i appreciate all points of view .. They are both fed seperate so vin outside her crate n skye inside her crate .. I have noticed if she takes something of vinnie lately he wont have a say he will just let her and wonder off .. He is getting like it with toys too thing is with toys they will share for ages n play tug of war but if one gets too excited it needs 2b stopped because thats when the one wants the toy for there own usually skye will warn and vin will leave it .. I have stopped em having things like big balls loke basketballs etc to ply with together because vinnie gets excited with those so i think if skye was to want the ball vin would nof let her without a good telling so staying away from those till sorted.

It's tricky with two. You don't want to let Skye be nasty to Vin, but it does seem as if they have their 'pack order' established. I, like Scuba, would just leave them to it, only intervene if it gets out of hand, and keep them separated when they're home alone. If Skye snaps at vinnie, and Vinnie backs down, that's the way they do things, and if they're friends again 2 minutes later, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Yhh .. Theyre always friends minutes or even seconds later currently skye is asleep on vins bed and vin is asleep on skyes lol but for the last hour or two they have been snuggled up next to each other .. When theyre on my lap they will snuggle up and even check on each other n give each other a kiss etc .. We always tell her enough and no an make her back of etcetc if we see its about to happen etc .. I think like u said she has become higher he has become lower and she is making sure he knows it etc, i just hope with us showing her WE are higher she will cool off .. She is getting the sit for fuss thing fast

They're smart as hell and will learn quickly. I'd let her be above Vin, if that's the way they've worked things out. As long as she understands that you are above her, and she has to listen whether it concerns just her or her and Vin, you're the boss. It obviously works for them and they're both happy with the established pecking order so I would just let them get on with it.

Yeaah just keep them both in place and keep a beady eye on the lil madam lol .. Lets hope it cools down when her hormones calm down .. Untill then its yea u may be above vin but i am above you lady! Lol

I agree with the making sure she knows your above her. But if she wants to come next, above Vinnie, which it sounds like she is trying to do then I would just leave them. With Vinnie backing down it sounds like he is happy to accept his place so leave them to it but just keep an eye incase it does get out of hand, or incase Vinnie changes his mind and responds to Sky. You are doing the right things with her though, so good luck with it and I hope it sorts itself out soon!

My theory is that the humans are always pack leader or keeper of the resources. This includes food and toys and even their beds. If the top spot is already owned by you then surely they would come to realise that they are equal pack members???

I give Tyson toys and I remove them when I choose. I also sit in his bed from time to time much to his consternation but I think he understands. This has proved useful the last 10 days that Endo the bull dog has been with us.