I have a Great Dane who is coming up to 10 years old - he is lovely, soppy, very arthritic, going blind and is a little bit senile. I also have a cocker spaniel, coming up to 8 years old. They've lived together since the cocker was a pup.

The cocker has always been the boss, but now he is getting downright horrible! He has decided the Great Dane shouldn't be in the sitting room in the evening, and goes for him something chronic when he tried to come in. Mostly its just verbal abuse, but he has drawn blood, and we keep a muzzle for when it looks like it is getting nasty!

The Dane gets confused, and tries to come in anyway, and the noise stops us watching TV! Okay, so that isn't the be all and end all of life, but it sure gets annoying night after night! The Dane will never turn on the cocker - think he thinks he is still a pup!

If we smack the cocker he turns on the dane as if its his fault, and the whole situation gets worse!

any ideas would be welcomed! They're called Darcy and Bingley 'cos I thought they were going to be best of friends! I just want Darcy's last days to be happy ones, not total misery!

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Aww bless the poor fella...no idea really, new to dogs. but what about a training cage....as a kind of time out thing that you do for kids???

Just a thought!

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What i would do is take the cocker out of the room and let the other dog in everytime he does this.Keep the cocker out of the room at night or any other time he does it.

Actually the cage is a good idea - we've still got one somewhere in the back of the garage from when he was a pup (and silly us, we thought the Great Dane might hurt him as he was so tiny!

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Hi, I know how upsetting this is.

First off there don't seem to be any social rules in nature for old dogs - a really old wolf would just die so this problem isn't that unusual. Your dane is being viewed as the omega pack member - the bottom of the pack and this means that he is the whipping boy.

Sadly you have to allow the cocker to be the boss and support the role. Telling off or smacking the cocker will make the situation worse.

The muzzle is a good idea if things get too nasty but make sure that you allow your cocker to feel secure in his position.

Because your old dog is going blind, senile and probably a bit of deafness, he will be missing the subtle signs of body language and vocalisation which the cocker will be giving him therefore he doesn't respond as he should which leads to conflict. Also because he is arthritic he may be struggling to keep out of the way/communicate.

I have had several old dogs in this position over the years and it is horrible. Have a word with your vet - there is a treatment for senility in dogs - can't remember what it's called, but it works by widening the blood vessels to the brain. It made a big difference to one of my oldies.

Sadly apart from managing things the best you can, I don't think you can do much to stop the behaviour completely, although it might be worthwhile contacting a dog behaviourist for more detailed advice. Maybe by understanding why it is happening you will be able to manage things better.

Good luck with them.

I don't agree with this. You should be the pack leader, not your cocker spaniel! You've had both for a long time and by the way you're talking it sounds like the cocker has always been the pack leader. Watch Dog Whisperer and take action !

The pecking order is leader, everyone else is a follower. Get your energy in the right place and keep thinking this is MY house! See the stage one of the cocker's behaviour, the signs that the Dane keeps missing as evie said, but you can recognise them. Prolongued eye contact, the stiffening of the chest, redirect the cocker's thoughts so he doesn't attack your dane! Ceser on Dog whisperer is amazing and I suggest you watch a few episodes to see what I'm talkin about.

I know I'm sounding quite aggressive in this post, I'm sorry. It's just I don't believe in letting one dog pick on another to the point on drawing blood, because it's "nature's way". be the boss!

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I agree with Kimmy.

I also think its a good idea to either put the cocker in a cage or take him out the room as soon as he starts doing it.

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I am glad you posted that Kimmy because I agree entirely.The owner is pack leader and should show the cocker that you are not going to tolerate this behaviour.Remove the cocker from the room and tell him No firmly.Let the other dog into the room and do this as long as it takes for him to get the message.Make him stay out of the room too,he doesn't own it,you do.

I have kept multiple dogs all my life and have seen very similar situations many times.
What i find works is, physicly pick up the agresive dog and move it to a different room or outside and ignore it. let the other, older dog in and get settled (half hour maybe) then return the agresive dog once it has settled down. If it carries on being a shit then just take it away again and repeat for longer periods of time until it learns. Make sure you are putting it somewhere where it will be bored i.e no toys or food etc.
It obviously values your company highly or it wouldnt be so protective over you.
Once it learns that it loses out on the thing it values so highly it will soon stop.
Hope this helps, dont hesitate to pm me if you need any more help.

Dan

"Littlefoot"
Spot on my friend!