Hi Everyone, so glad forum is open again as I need advice. I have little 3 girl kennel. One girl is hopefully in the early stages of pregnancy. She currently gets the role of house dog as they rotate inside. The other two go out into a play yard for a few hours every morning. I took pregnant mom out to the play yard with me to give the others fresh water this morning. Pregnant mom, who is the pack leader, gave little barely audible growls when the others sniffed her. One of the others kept bouncing around, other took a bow stance. Pregnant mom just stared at the bowing one, she took a rather stiff pose.

Pregnant mom has never been a fighter - great out at shows and with others, but her mom was a terrible fighter when hormones were on board - (mom is still owned by us but lives with a friend). I am so afraid of a fight, am I being hypersensitive to a few low growls? Pregnant mom obeyed right away when I said,"Knock it off!" But I had wanted to leave her out with the others in the 1 acre play yard for some exercise but didn't dare to. Thoughts? Advice? Thanks!

I never reprimand my alpha bitch. If she even gives a glance at one of the silly puppies headed her way , I tell her "GOOD GIRL". It's her job, don't scold her for doing it. She is teaching them, allow her to do it.
She is telling them that she is pregnant and she won't tolerate being bounced about. They hear her, and they learn from it. They have their own language , you need to learn it. You are interfering with pack order, big mistake.

I agree that at least to a certain point, do not interfer with the pack order. My alpha bitch, while pregnant, gave many, many warnings to an obnoxious six month old boarding at the time, and finally let him have it. He had the utmost of respect after that.

I only would interfer if you think they could get into a serious fight. Your pregnant bitch may well be more snotty for quite awhile, and the rest of your pack needs to learn that. The behavior signals will be the same, just be elicited more easily

Breeder please be careful. When you praise your bitch for growling or "eyeing" another dog, you are in fact teaching her to attack other dogs.

A true alpha animal does not need our praise to put the rest of the pack in their place. It comes naturally. Just their presence is enough to control others - even puppies.

An alpha animal does not have to growl or attack another animal in their pack. They just have to look at them. The only time an alpha attacks another animal is when their leadership is being challenged.

I had an alpha bitch that was just amazing. I never heard her growl and she never bite another dog. I had an obedience class inside a fair building. One night as I walked toward the building, I could hear dogs barking. We walked into the room and every dog stopped barking. Several of them even sat or downed. I turned around and left the building. The barking started as I got a little ways from the building. I then went back in and the barking stopped. That is an alpha animal.

People have trouble with their dogs when there is no true alpha animal. The dogs have no leader and they do not have a set place in the pack. So they are in constant turmoil. That is when the owner has to step in and be pack leader.

Jan:

I couldn't agree with you more. A co-worker has a small rottie cross, spayed female, extremely confused about her order in the family. Hubby is away, working. My co-worker was telling me about some of her dog's anxious and confusing behaviour while she's walking her. I gave her some training tips on establishing firm control. Low and behold, the dog is no longer anxious. It's clear that with "Dad" gone, the dog was experiencing some anxiety about her perceived position of alpha. "Mom" is quite pleased with their new relationship, after only a few basic sessions. The dog no doubt, feels far more secure.