[pyrnet] Dominance issue

[Renilda Van Aerden <rvanaerd@ucalgary.ca>]

Dear Pam,

It is great that you have recognized that Olympia has become the top dog
of the two.  There is no need to feel sorry for Eliza.  In a dogs world,
there are no 'equals'; everyone, including humans, fit on a strung of a
ladder.  Not all dogs want to be the top dog in a pack and easily give
this 'job' to another one if a stronger dog appears.  So there is
nothing 'unfair' in their ranking.  It is nice that both Eliza and
Olympia settled this without any fights.  Eliza picked up Olympia's body
language and accepted her rank with no problems.  Now, so should you.
Start treating Olympia first in everything.  Even if you sometimes treat
or pet Eliza first, if the dogs are easy going, there should not be
trouble, since you are the 'pack of the leader', and they should respect
this.   Just watch their body language.

When we introduced Claude, an 8 week old pyr, to the household, we had
an 11 yr. old Yorkie X and a 4.5 yr. old German Shepherd.  (I wrote to
Tony who posted earlier, and TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT OUR LITTLE 'WEBSTER',
THE YORKIE X - he passed away a year ago, sorry Tony!)  As long as
Claude was a puppy, Webster was the dominant dog.  Ebony, the GSD, was
always at the bottom.  One day, when Claude was an adolescent, all three
dogs sat in a row for a treat.  As usual, I offered a treat to Webster
first, who, all of a sudden, turned his head away for his favourite
treat; I didn't get it.  I then gave it to Ebony, then Claude.  And then
he wanted his.  He clearly showed me he was no longer the top dog.  Then
Claude also took over from Ebony (easily), so that eventually, he, the
youngest was the top dog, followed by Webster and Ebony.

Hope this helps.

Renilda, Ebony (GSD) and Claude (pyr)