URGETNLY NEED HELP WITH AGGRESSIVE DAINIFF PUP

[jessiheadley]

My husband and I got out two puppies from a "breeder" who actually just let the puppies loose on her farm. Now, we're having all sorts of issues trying to train them.

First, we got one who was a runt named Verney. Samus, the bigger one, literally won't allow Verney to go potty anywhere in our yard. Verney has to sneak into the garden to do her business.

Second, Samus has some tough domination issues. She repeatedly tests me, even though I've tried multiple domination techniques, from making her eat after Verney to pinning her on her back until she stops struggling, to no avail. This could get a little dangerous, as I just found out I'm pregnant. If I don't establish the dominance soon, Samus could do all sorts of damage from jumping on my belly to (heaven forbid) attacking my new baby when he comes!

Any advice on how to bring Samus down would be greatly appreciated, along with any advice on how to train puppies that came from a barn into a house.

[Sara]

Are the dogs intact? IF so, the first thing to do is spay and neuter. This often takes domination issues down a notch.

I would seek some professional training with the dogs right away...you need to learn how to dominate without causing fear or anxiety which is what can happen often when people use the "alpha roll" to establish dominance if dominance wasn't the root issue. This kind of activity can be dangerous if the dog isn't acting in a dominant manner, which is possible. Definately seek professional help in your area from a trainer experienced in large dogs and issues that come with them.

Sara