Friendly dogs can cause fights

As we work with Rocky and Colby more, we are seeing a common trend. Colby, the older dog, really doesn't want trouble and finds Rocky, the younger dog, annoying and makes him unsettled. The reason he is uncomfortable around Rocky is because the young guy gets in his space, is pushy, and is constantly pestering him. For Colby, Rocky' s pushiness is stressful and unchecked Colby will eventually correct Rocky (which in the end developed into fights). After a couple fights where you got chewed up, you'd feel pretty tense around a dog who doesn't take the hint without fighting back and always comes back to get in your space. 

Many folks look at young playful dogs interacting with older dogs (that snap) and say the older dog is the aggressor, where in the end it was the obnoxious youngster that upset the apple cart. When a pushy dog ignores the signals and body language cues from another dog too much, eventually the pushed around dog acts out...and if that happens too much, it can lead to a fight and to a grudge :/ People often miss the signs because they think one dog is being playful, and one is being cranky where in the end...one is being overbearing and one is being tolerant. For Rocky and Colby's owners it is going to be their job to step in and correct Rocky's pushy advances so Colby doesn't have too. When Colby sees them have control, with solid household management and Rocky on "speedial" of calm behavior, Colby will trust his family can take care of things. On the flip side, Colby will not be allowed to go out of his way to correct Rocky either - things must be in balance, so that starts with existence and acceptance, through human leadership advocating for each dog.

Here is an amazing video from our friend Christina at Balanced Life K9 Training that breaks down the "overly friendly, pushy dog" problem. P.S. this is why most fights happen in dog parks, and is one of the main reasons for reactivity and aggressive tendencies to develop...bad energy, too much pressure, no human advocating, and the dogs have to take it into their own paws! This stuff sneaks up on you too, as it is not always obvious what is fair play/positive interaction if you arn't familar with dog behavior or looking for warning signs. Things can shift quickly within a pack when one dog feels too pressured by the other too often: https://youtu.be/kGlb6iCtc7o

Stay tuned as we continue working on helping these boys build a new and more comfortable relationship together and teach their owners how to be the advocate and leader they need!