Jack Russel and Doberman at War

Hi classic ridge and thanks for your post. I find the case of your two dogs very interesting and hope I can help you reduce the tension between them.

It sounds like your dogs are having trouble deciding who is the more dominant in the pack. There may be several factors confusing this such as their differing size and age. It is likely that the JR considers himself dominant due to having been with the family longer and because he is older, while the doberman may feel dominant because he is larger. As the dogs seem unable to decide on their relative order in the pack it should help if you decide. Choosing which dog should be dominant can be difficult but once it is decided it must not be changed. In order to reduce the regression in your household I would strongly suggest making the doberman dominant as the JR may be too aggressive as the more dominant member.

In order to instate the dobermans higher position it is important to remember that in a wild dog pack the dominant pack member controls :
-access to food
-access to favoured sleeping areas
-any interactions with lower pack members
-access to favoured items such as toys

Obviously you yourself want to remain leader of the pack you just want the JR to know that he is lowest in the pack while the doberman is second to lowest. This means that while you control access to food, sleeping areas, toys and interactions you allow the doberman access next. For example

1) Both dogs must eat after you at every meal, however the doberman should be feed before the JR

2) You should walk through doors first followed by the doberman. The doberman should also be let in and out of the car or the backyard first.

3) Allow the doberman first access to new toys. Also consider allowing it first or only access to special areas such as beds or couches.

4) When you arrive home give first attention to the doberman. After this go to the JR and give it some quiet attention only as long as it is relaxed and calm.

It can be hard to undertake this sort of training with both dogs so aggressive towards one another. I would start simple, feeding the doberman first and giving it first attention as well as putting it on the lead first for walks etc. Remember to instantly reward any non-aggressive behavior by either of the dogs while ignoring (unless dangerous) any aggressive behavior. Also if you can enlist the help of another person you may be able to build on their good leash behavior together by having each person do on leash obedience training with one of the dogs, with both dogs in the same room. This will help distract the dogs from their aggression towards each other as they will be focused on doing their tricks and getting their treats. Reward all non-aggressive behavior to each other especially total disinterest. If the dogs show little aggression slowly bring the two training sessions closer together in the room. Make the sessions short and regular. As they progress you may consider training them off leash but with muzzles on for safety. If at any stage aggression starts go back a step putting them back on leashes or further apart in the room. To further instate the dobermans dominance you should train the doberman while someone else trains the JR because as the dominant dog the doberman should have best access to your attention.

You may also find that following the previous outline is difficult because it feels unfair and like favoritism, especially as you have had the JR longer. However it is important to remember that dogs understand this system and actually feel much more comfortable knowing their place in the pack. Also remember that as your pack becomes sorted your dogs should be able to spend a lot more time out of their crates because they won't need to be separated all the time, so it is in the best interests of both dogs.

This training may be a slow process or may work very quickly depending on how both your dogs react. The fact that both dogs are highly obedient to you suggests that both dogs accept you well as leader so they may also quickly accept the new adjustments to the lower pack order. Please don't hesitate to contact me again with any questions you have about the dogs progress or anything you need clarification on.