pole aggression

Does anyone else notice their dog/s becoming aggresive at the spring pole and flirt pole?I just started working Izzy on both and while she is normally very laid back she goes insane if any other dog gets near her while she's playing on the poles.Of course i just stoped letting the other dogs out while she's doing it,but,i'm wondering with the aggression if i should stop letting her play with them.The other dogs have no interest at all so i have nothing to compare her too in this area.Would it be encouraging her to be aggressive if i continue to let her at the poles ?,or is this normal?

 

Thats her basic natural instinct coming out.

 

my dog shows some agression to, but only if the other dog tries to grab the spring, or bumps into him while jumping for the spring. otherwise, he is just interested in the game, and has no intentions for the other dog. i don't really know what to say, but when does your dog show agression? does he/she try to bite the other dog while he is just passing by? like he doesn't stand the presence of the other dog?

 

She will attack the others if they do jump for the pole or bump into her,besides the pole problem she is very tolerant with the others,she's never been involved in fights with the other dogs.Do the poles have to do with her prey drive?She does love killing small animals.I have never had any other dogs show the slightest interest in poles,so its pretty new to me.Izzy loves it though,She gets completly fixated on it when i pring the flirt pole out like she doesnt notice anything else except if the others come near it.She also is not like that with other toys in the yard,she will share anything else but those poles .

 

Queen will become growlly when working the spring pole but we just setted up another one for the other dogs to play with.

 

I never allow 2 dogs to play with the same toy at the same time whether it be a tire, a Kong, or springpole or flirtpole. In addition to the natural dog aggression issues by our dogs, you venture into the whole other world of resource guarding which is the main reason we stitch up dogs at the clinic.

 

yeah, Tess gets a little aggressive when she is playing with the flirt pole.

 

I work ONE dog at a time, why some dogs can handle the stress and competiton (even if there is none from the other dog, dog number 1 could still feel competitive) of multiple dogs.
Some will redirect their excitement on the impending object (the other dog) ...some will want ALL the tug time and will "chase away" or "bite away" the other dog.. like a 5 year old with a favorite toy MINE MINE MINE -SHOVE! MINE MINE!
Some dogs go into a zone , I do shut down if a dog gets over blown in biting.
And tell them to OUT , SIT and let them simmer down a bit.
If you see the dog literally tune out in biting shut the dog down! Frenzined chomping and thrashing is not a good pulling fair tug. (pits do tend to thrash a bit no matter..but really thrashing, eyes rolled back..yanno too into the bite and not the moment.. then they get startled out of it- think of someone interupting you right at the HIGH point of sex.. shoot I would bite too.. l o l!!)

We have to maintain control of all the situation , and not let the dog go frenzied as it is more at risk of biting something else or even a hand by accident. I know I know, a pit should never bite the handler, but a spastic bite could easily miss the target.

So.. one dog at a time ESPECIALLY as the dog and you are new at this.

You are building the dog as high as it can go.
And really in a dog high excitement is the same as high aggression.
(not in action) but in DRIVE and "go".

does that make any sense at all?

Remember if you have more than one dog, you really have a number of dog that many times.

"3 dogs = 1 dog THREE times"

:0 )

ps..see below? That is Scooter waiting for me to say GET IT in tug work.. she bites so hard her lips get stuck... l o l .

 

Thanks,good info.I thought it might be ok to have them all out because the other dogs dont care about the poles.Now I just take Iz out alone to let her play.I dont know ,its kind of weird but ill try to explain.If Izzy is playing with any toy alone she doesnt act like that,she will play with the dogs and even let them steal her toys.Its only with the poles she acts like that.I am interested in finding out why she does this but i mostly want to know if i should stop with the poles because of the behavior ,or if its normal.It seems pretty common from what ive read so far ,so i think ill keep it up ,just no other dogs around!And she does seem to "get into a zone"its crazy like she's obsessed with getting the bait.She loves to latch on and hang,sometimes i hold her up until my arms get tired.

 

The flirtpole and springpole excite a dog's prey drive like few other things. That's why your dog is "in a zone" while playing with them. I used to let my two girls play together like that, because they're littermates they were okay with it for a while. I won't do it anymore because it would be a full on fight within seconds. When I work one dog like that, the others can't be anywhere close. It is completely normal and to be expected.

 

When she works the pole it is HER prey. Then every other dog is a competitor . This can degenerate into a very serious situation. Especially bitches tend to this behaviour .