# Now Aiden's the Issue



## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Aiden isn't liking Gracie's prolonged stay in our home. He's getting VERY defensive over my mom when she's around and tries picking fights with Gracie. (For those who don't know, Aiden is our French bulldog and Gracie is our Foster pit bull). 

So far, Gracie has pretty much shrunk back from him, but sometimes she growls and looks like she's going to attack back. These moments don't last for more than a second, but I know how fast a fight could break out. 

How can we try and get Aiden to accept Gracie, at least while she's here? We're doing NILIF with her. I think my mom should train him and spend more time with him (because he is being left out of Mom's ring of attention now that Gracie is here). Should we do NILIF with him too, or would that make it worse? Help me out. I just pray Gracie doesn't fight him back.


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## Kola_2010 (Jan 22, 2011)

Hmm.. maybe a good idea to have your mom spend more time with him. Maybe treat them together at the same time when they are both being good. Gracie eventually will get sick of Aidens attitude, if not caught in time, could be a bad situation.

Isnt there anywhere else that could foster Gracie?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I pretty much know the answer to this... But does your mom reinforce the pack order with the dogs? That could be an issue going on. 

For example... I wasn't thinking and caused an issue between my girl Tessa and my foster dog Chaos. Chaos came extremely emaciated.. And so I was giving him frequent tiny meals throughout the day... In front of my dogs... While only feeding my dogs once a day. Durrr... Anyway, that and a few other things made it seem as if Chaos was top of the pack. But Tessa is top of the pack... So Chaos would act out to Tessa, and then get put back into place by her. He would try to resource guard, and pee where she lay to cover her smell. Tessa had to keep fixing my mess and remind Chaos she was ahead of him. As soon as I realized it was all my fault and changed things, they've been getting along swimmingly! 

Another important piece of the puzzle though is them all knowing that I am top and all things belong to me not them. So I definitely think NILF should help.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Aiden thinks he owns Mom. (Not the other way around). He could pretty much care less if Gracie comes near me, but if she goes near my mom, he goes after her. It's not protective, it's territorial. (For lack of better words). 

No, Mom doesn't enforce pack order. She allows Gracie to steal Aiden's time from her (she demands attention, and Mom always gives it to her).


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

I think your mom needs to re-enforce pack behavior, spend more time with Adien, and keep Gracie away from the other dogs, especially Adien, having them both out at the same time will be a disaster waiting to happen,especially since she's showing aggressive behavior (I believe in another thread You said Gracie grabbed Adien by the head) weither you and/or your mom are standing right next to her. not a good situation for either dog Adien could get hurt or worse and Garcie will be pts.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Why is Gracie still in the house?


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

DCluver33 said:


> I think your mom needs to re-enforce pack behavior, spend more time with Adien, and keep Gracie away from the other dogs, especially Adien, having them both out at the same time will be a disaster waiting to happen,especially since she's showing aggressive behavior (I believe in another thread You said Gracie grabbed Adien by the head) weither you and/or your mom are standing right next to her. not a good situation for either dog Adien could get hurt or worse and Garcie will be pts.


if Gracie isn't on a strict crate and rotate system put her on one ( I can not stress this enough) it's pretty much the only way you can keep all the dogs safe, plus it'll help Adiens territorial issues which can start a fight he won't be able to finish, until you can either find another foster for her, give her back to the shelter, find a home for her, OR find a rescue that's willing to take her now.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I've been trying to reinforce the crate rotations, but Mom insists that she spend the nights out of her crate and while we're upstairs. The only time Gracie is in her crate now is when nobody is home. She doesn't want Gracie to spend too much time in her crate, and it's infuriating. 

We're trying to find a new home for her, but we can't. And Mom refuses to take her back to the shelter.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Leash both in the house and keep them on it. 

Aiden's guarding your mom, from what I understand?

YOU hold Aiden's leash anytime he's near your mom. If Gracie comes near and he growls, etc. it's a quick correction (pop) and you move him away. Crate if he's crated, or just take him 5 or 7 yards away and make him lay down. Him staying near your mom while he's doing this is just reinforcing it. Let your mom play with Gracie while he's with you across the room. Reintroduce and repeat. Keep a leg handy in case Gracie decides to strike back to kick her with. Sounds crappy, but what else do you expect to do, you know? 

DEFINITELY enforce NILIF with Aiden, the lack of it is probably what caused the behavior in the first place. My new little dog Bailey guards me from Frag when she's on my lap and she gets immediately put on the ground and ignored or crated while I dote on Frag. It's working so far.


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## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

I wouldn't even begin integrating Gracie with the others. Isn't this the foster you have been trying to get the rescue to take back and re-foster?

Your personal dogs should continue to live the same lifestyle they are accustomed to. If you have issues among them deal with them. Not with the foster in the mix.

The foster should be on a strict crate and rotate schedule. Never allowed unsupervised contact with your personal dogs and always on a leash even in the house. 

I am just waiting for the next post to be the foster killed one of the little dogs and everyone is up in arms about how could that possibly happen. And if it does, Gracie is just another statistic. Do her an favor and make SURE she is not allowed access to the little dogs and really GET HER OUT OF THERE.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

valreegrl said:


> I wouldn't even begin integrating Gracie with the others. Isn't this the foster you have been trying to get the rescue to take back and re-foster?
> 
> Your personal dogs should continue to live the same lifestyle they are accustomed to. If you have issues among them deal with them. Not with the foster in the mix.
> 
> ...


Honestly, you're all beating a dead horse now. OP is doing the best she can under the circumstances, but SHE is not the one fostering and it is not her house. She cannot control what her mom does when she is not there no matter how hard she tries. She's seeking advice to help the situation as much as possible while she TRIES to get the dog out of there. It would be nice if people here would actually :help: instead of rant and rave and make the OP feel worse. She KNOWS what can and might happen and she's doing the best she can to deal with it under the circumstances.


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## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

DJEtzel said:


> Honestly, you're all beating a dead horse now. OP is doing the best she can under the circumstances, but SHE is not the one fostering and it is not her house. She cannot control what her mom does when she is not there no matter how hard she tries. She's seeking advice to help the situation as much as possible while she TRIES to get the dog out of there. It would be nice if people here would actually :help: instead of rant and rave and make the OP feel worse. She KNOWS what can and might happen and she's doing the best she can to deal with it under the circumstances.


I was definitely not trying "to make the OP feel worse" just stating a fact. 
There really isn't an answer to her question, it cannot be fixed. The mother is NOT on board with the training. 
The only "fix" is to remove the potential threat and move on.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

There are definitely ways to manage it better than is happening right now, which people could help with. I never said there was an easy fix.


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