# my gsd is bullied by a cocker spaniel



## Kobe12 (Mar 9, 2011)

My 10 month gsd allows my sisters cocker spaniel to steal his toys or anything he has in his possesion. The cocker spaniel sometimes just bites my gsd face for no reason and my gsd will not do anything besides walk away he wont defend himself in no way at all. What should i do?


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Just be happy he don't kill the cocker! As it is your dog is just a pup and is to young to be definding his self, don't let the cocker around your dog and vice versa.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Are these real bites to the face or more of a play behavior type bite to the face?


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## Kobe12 (Mar 9, 2011)

Its aggresive he growls and snatches fur of off my gsd cheeks


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

I would not let them together, for at least a while till your GSD becomes more of an adult - then watch them very carefully as he may then decide not to take the stuff any more.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

:thumbup:



codmaster said:


> I would not let them together, for at least a while till your GSD becomes more of an adult - then watch them very carefully as he may then decide not to take the stuff any more.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Would you rather your dog try and kill the cocker? Your dog is still a pup and is being polite; nothing wrong with that. I would be getting after the cocker for being too nasty in playing or just plain not letting them play together as I wouldn't want my dog's attitude getting affected by it.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

You need to protect your dog from that cocker. Stop letting them play together if the cocker is costantly going to attack your puppy. 

It's your responsibility as an owner to protect your dog from anything that can hurt or harm him. Putting him in situations where dogs are going to bite his face is not a good situation.

Eventually, if this happens enough, your puppy is going to turn into an adult and he's going to fight back and then there's going to be serious problems... possibly a seriously hurt or dead cocker spaniel. 

If I were you, i would not let my dog be around a dog like that cocker or any dog aggressive dog in general.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Lucy Dog said:


> You need to protect your dog from that cocker. Stop letting them play together if the cocker is costantly going to attack your puppy.
> 
> It's your responsibility as an owner to protect your dog from anything that can hurt or harm him. Putting him in situations where dogs are going to bite his face is not a good situation.
> 
> ...


Dogs don't change their nature just because they are adults. It is more likely that this cocker will remain dominant and the GSD will let him continue to get away with it. Size of the dog doesn't determine who is dominant. Some GSDs never come to realize their potential to respond aggressively because they have a 'softer' nature. My dog is 20 months and she would let a 3 month old puppy push her around....... however, she's always ready to play when the other dog is ready to behave. Remember the expression: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog".


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

I agree with those that said to keep these two apart. No way would I allow my puppy to get beat up on. Maybe your puppy won't grow up to want to eat the spaniel, but maybe he will. I wouldn't chance it. 

Find some well balanced dogs that your pup can play with. Give him "good" experiences with other dogs.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

Definitely seperate them or when the cocker goes for your pup step between them and correct the cocker and remove him so your dog sees your going to protect him (great way of showing leadership for him) Also it's not that they change their personality but once they hit maturity they do start challenging things more and yeah your pup may be 20 months but alot of little puppies (especially a 3 month old) get whats known as the puppy pass and dogs are more tolerant of them and their ill behavior.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

PaddyD said:


> Dogs don't change their nature just because they are adults. It is more likely that this cocker will remain dominant and the GSD will let him continue to get away with it. Size of the dog doesn't determine who is dominant. Some GSDs never come to realize their potential to respond aggressively because they have a 'softer' nature. My dog is 20 months and she would let a 3 month old puppy push her around....... however, she's always ready to play when the other dog is ready to behave. Remember the expression: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog".


So you're saying a puppy will react to an aggressive dog the same way an adult dog will? I'll definitely have to disagree with that.

I agree with what you're saying about size not determining dominance and all, but a puppy still has the mind like a small child. It's all play at that age. 

Once they get older, they can get more serious and the way they react to a pushy or aggressive dog can completely change.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

I would agree - many if not most dogs will change their personality as they mature - esp. in their relationship with other dogs. the vast majority of puppies will be very submissive to any adult dog if the adults are serious. many of these same puppies will not submit to the adult as they get to be an adult. (sort of like many teenagers! Heh! Heh!)

Certainly my male GSD has changed in his relationship with a few adult dogs as he matured.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

BTW, size very often does matter! Again just like with many people!


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

codmaster said:


> BTW, size very often does matter! Again just like with many people!


Size matters in this situation because once the GSD decides he's done being bit in the face, there's probably going to be a seriously hurt cocker spaniel with no doggie manners. 

By this point, you're probably going to have one seriously hurt cocker and a GSD with dog aggression/fear issues.


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

I think I would keep them away from each other. Somehow I don't think that this tolerance will last forever especially since you have indicated that the cocker is not playing. Once your puppy decides that enough is enough it might not be too good for the cocker!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Lucy Dog said:


> ............
> By this point, you're probably going to have one seriously hurt cocker and a GSD with dog aggression/*fear* issues.


 
Why would you think it would be a fear issue in the GSD? (I am assuming that you are talking about the GSD). 

Aggression I could see, but I wouldn't think it would be fear in the GSD once the dog does react to the smaller dog being aggressive (also assuming that he does react).


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

codmaster said:


> Why would you think it would be a fear issue in the GSD? (I am assuming that you are talking about the GSD).
> 
> Aggression I could see, but I wouldn't think it would be fear in the GSD once the dog does react to the smaller dog being aggressive (also assuming that he does react).


If the GSD is constantly being attacked by the GSD, fear issues with other dogs can develop. 

I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen, but it definitely doesn't help the GSD think of other dogs in a positive way.

At the age the GSD is right now, I'd only like to keep the puppy around stable dogs so he always has positive experiences with other dogs.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Lucy Dog said:


> If the GSD is constantly being attacked by the GSD, fear issues with other dogs can develop.........


I assume you mean "attacked by the Cocker" and not the *GSD*?

The main reason I asked was that I have been told by a trainer that I used for awhile, and it seems to be a common belief by many people,
that just about everything that a dog does semed to be motivated by fear/anxiety. She even told me that my dog's sniffing while on a "down-stay" was "because he is anxious!" so I shouldn't correct him for that sniffing. 

I told her that I thought he was sniffing because there was something that smelled good to him on the floor mat!


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## Kobe12 (Mar 9, 2011)

kobe finally stood up to the cocker spaniel ANd their are no longer any probs.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Kobe12 said:


> kobe finally stood up to the cocker spaniel ANd their are no longer any probs.


Congrats to Kobe! Hopefully with no harm to either dog!


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