Aggressive behavior to ONE person

Hi there,

It seems as though Lincoln has also become very attached to you, and so is quite distressed when Melissa comes to stay, whom he sees as having replaced you. It is possible that he may feel the need to take over as alpha dog when you are gone, and shoulder the responsibility of being the leader, protecting the pack against intruders. To overcome this, you will have to get Melissa to carry out some alpha dog training with him, so that he realizes that when you are gone, she is the top dog and needs to be obeyed. There are a few things that she could incorporate into her daily routine to help establish herself as the alpha dog. These include insisting that she walks ahead of him through doorways and when walking on the leash, and feeding him after she has finished her own meal. If she are playing a game with him, make sure it is she who chooses the toy and when she decides that she has had enough, take the toy away with her so that he realizes that it is she that controls playtime. When you first come home, you should greet her first before the rest of the dogs, which will help him realize his place in the hierarchy. All these things can be incorporated relatively easily into Melissa’s normal routine, although it will require some patience and perseverance from her. He may struggle initially as he sees himself as the alpha dog when you are not around, and therefore being in the submissive position to her, whom he sees as a subordinate, is distressing. Soon, though, he will settle into his new place in the hierarchy and should become a more relaxed dog, as he has been relieved of the stressful role of protector.

Initially, he may continue to nip at her to try to put her in her place, as he will see her as a challenger for his position in the pack. If he does this, Melissa should lead him away to a 'time-out zone' without speaking to him or making eye contact, so that he is getting absolutely no attention at all. This place should be quiet and free of distractions, away from other people and dogs so that he can be left completely alone. She should leave him there until he calms down and then make him obey a command, such as 'sit-stay', before releasing him from the 'time-out zone'. If he misbehaves again, do exactly the same. In this way, she is not only telling him that biting is unacceptable, but also that she as leader controls his movement, which will reinforce to him his place below hers in the pack.

I hope this helps and all the best with the training!