[EvaNoel]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Absolutely. There is trouble in the pack and a dog with a tendency to nerves or lack of self-confidence can get very unsettled during the struggles for hierarchy. Read all you can about pack dynamics and how dogs settle things naturally and with 3 terriers, you can have quite a struggle. An unsure dog watching all this happen is unsure what to do if no clear leader steps forward to calm things, dispense order and put the members in their place. You might try distracting her with treats and some training in another room, a good walk, when the spats start but the best way to help her is to either take over leadership of the pack for her sake and stop the whole thing. Step up and back the disagreeing dogs off one another and send them to each's assigned spot or place until you give the release word. I don't know if little Doc is a puppy or young but if he is, Eva is likely holding back until he's older or been there longer and then she may flex up hard on him or vice versa and Bella probably senses trouble's a comin'! Normally I believe in letting the dogs settle these things if there is no strong leader in the family but because it's likely stressing Bella, if you want and are a strong leader, take over and disagree, stop that type behavior. Soon the dogs will know that you are going to step in and will start to catch themselves before they begin to do what you dislike or stop it once you point a finger. Other times they will plain forget or not care and just do it. Stop them and get Bella playing and otherwise engaged, take her for a walk while the other two are in their crates if you can't walk all 3 at once.

Until things are settled down and structured better, you might put her in an airline crate at night and put it beside the bed on a chair or right on one side of the bed with the back of a chair holding it in place so Bella can sleep with you or near but can't keep up her stress/protest/frustration pee/poo.

These are just some thoughts about what you might try in handling your little pack but if I were you, I would just read all I could about how to handle pack troubles from some respected websites about dog behavior regarding a new pack member is causing some upheavals and handle it the way it seems best for you and your babies. But I would also work in obedience and NILIF to give Bella some work to do and keep her focused a bit on working and learning and gaining self-confidence so she can handle pack changes with more aplomb.

I think you just nailed it! All three of them are puppies. Eva was our first puppy, she is almost 7 months old, Bella came next and she is now over 6 months. Little Doc just turned 17 weeks, he's the baby. Eva has her adult teeth and when she play fights with Doc, he will squeal at times when she gets too rough, and if she doesn't stop I step in. I mean I literally step in the room and they immediately stop what they're doing and run to me.

I read what I could find online about "Pack Dynamics", makes perfect sense. Thank you so much, you've been a tremendous help!