An introduction and a plea for help.

[BKLD]

Hello, my name is Bridget, and I have three dogs, Calamity Jane (5 year old Great Pyrenees/Golden Retriever mix), Pippi (7 year old Collie/Shepherd mix), and Link (6-7 month old Border Collie/Newfoundland mix). We've had Jane since she was a year old, Pippi we've had for about nine months, and Link we've had for about one month. They're all rescues, Jane from an organization, Pippi from a contact of mine, and Link from a craigslist ad directly from his former owner.

Now the part where I need help. First, there's Pippi and Jane. Since bringing Pippi home, she and Jane have had a rocky relationship. It is partially my fault, since I failed to introduce them properly. They have had several fights, and they're becoming more and more infrequent, but the last fight was bad enough that blood was drawn on both dogs. I will be moving out with Pippi and Link eventually, but in the meantime, I need some way to keep the peace.

My other problems are with Link. First problem, Link is very much afraid of my dad and brother, and he barks and growls whenever he sees them. He went so far as to bite my dad when cornered one day, drawing blood. My dad is, well, rather old-school in his views on training dogs, and proceeded to hit Link after the bite, which if anything, only made things worse. I'm worried that he'll bite again, because I feel like my dad is going about things the wrong way, and he won't listen to a word I say on the matter. Link's other problem is with other dogs. Jane and Pippi, he's fine with aside from annoying them with his puppy behaviors. But, when he sees a dog outside of the family, he whines and pulls trying to get to them. If he gets too close, he turns aggressive, and starts showing teeth and growling and lunging.

I am looking for a local trainer who can help with these issues. But, I don't know where to start, and even if I did, money and time are becoming an issue for me. Until I can get everything together enough to hire a trainer, I need to know what I can do to manage the situation. Thanks.

[JudyN]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I'm not an expert so don't think I can offer any advice... But could you repost in the Training Advice section, please, where more experienced people will see your post? When you do so, please give a run-down of your dogs' daily routine - walks, feeding, training, play, time left alone, and so on. Also, what are they fed, and are they neutered or not?

Also,I assume you live with your dad & brother. Is there anyone else in the household?

[BKLD]

Alright, thanks. I actually have a very full household, my mom, my dad, two sisters, my brother, myself, and the three dogs. I'll elaborate more in the Training Advice section.