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Permalink Reply by Sarah Westwell on February 5, 2012 at 8:51pm

Hi, I had a bigger high energy dog with my corgi and they got along great for the first year or so and then mika my corgi just got frusterated and tired with all the energy that the other was giving off to the point that mika was snapping and such. I had to give them seperate rooms through out the day just so they wouldnt be always in each others face. It seemed to work out alot better and they were happier with each other. If that doesnt work I would let them outside each at different times.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on February 5, 2012 at 9:03pm

Sounds like Butters is trying to control him with inappropriate herding-type behavior.   Does the golden sometimes run over Butters or knock into him while running?  Anything happen that might have made Butters feel like he needs to keep the golden from moving?

It does need to be stopped, but sometimes if you can remove the trigger you can go a long way towards fixing the problem.

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Permalink Reply by Adrienne Spessard on February 5, 2012 at 9:33pm

Normally Roscoe just goes outside & does his business then proceeds to go lay down and sunbath. He gave up on playing with Butters :( I've never seem him knock over Butters or play aggresively. Making Butters sit and stay has stopped most of the barking but when I let them out today, before they even made it off the porch, Butters jumped in Roscoes face and alligator snapped at him a few times. Also, Butters WON'T go outside unless Roscoe does :(

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on February 5, 2012 at 10:52pm

If you have NO AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR INDOORS, you may be looking at (inappropriate) cattle dog behavior rather than aggression. In that case, making him sit and stay while the golden goes out first may actually be "priming" him to chase the  golden.  Try taking them out together with the corgi on a long leash.  When all seems calm, quietly unhook the leash.  Stay with them so you can immediately stop any unwanted behavior, if he does not listen to  you, put him back on leash. By observing what sets him off, you'll be able to set up a routine that works.  It may  take a little while, since he now has to break a habit that he's gotten into.

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on February 6, 2012 at 8:28am

Anna,  good advice, my corgi, Izzy, started doing this with our doberman and that is how I stopped it. She was responding to the dobes very high energy when going out and trying to control it.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Losacco on February 6, 2012 at 9:16am

Austin does this occasionally too.  It is not so much aggressive as controlling.  I think it happens when there is some mole activity in the back yard and he needs to be the first one out to get it.  If he is excited and in a rush to get out,  I make him back up and wait.  He must be sitting calmly before he gets the okay to go out. And he is never allowed to go out first.  Keep the excitement level low and do not let things escalate. This seems to help a lot.  My big dog just turns and looks at me with a sigh and a roll of her eyes, like "see what I have to put up with".  Otherwise, they get along great.

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Permalink Reply by Adrienne Spessard on February 6, 2012 at 11:36am

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I will deffiently try your suggestion Anna :) maybe it'll help with the horses around the barn too since Butters has a tendancy to try to herd them ( I know it's the Corgis natural instinct it's just extremely dangerous with most horses.)

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Markley on February 6, 2012 at 1:24pm

I'd like to take another approach...what behavior is your golden exhibiting?  Butters might be correcting for unwanted behavior he is picking up on.  For example, my german shepherd mix is an emotional wreck.  Severe separation anxiety, severe anxiety with new situations.  When I take her to agility, the other dogs are "mean" to her.  Growl, bark, lunge, etc.  And it isn't their fault per-se, they are correcting her for her extremely nervous behavior and energy she is putting off.  She isn't doing any behaviors back, she doesn't invite this by any physical behavior, but they can pick up on her psychological issues.  So maybe it could be something you can't see?  Look into this too...

When Seanna gets a little bossy I revert her to the NILF program and spend extra alone time with her.  We have to do this probably every couple of months when she gets too big for her britches...works pretty well.

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