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Marina mentioned two things in addition to ‘territorial aggression’ that set set my antennae tingling: the blue heeler is living with an akita and the blue heeler had been given up by his/her previous family because he/she had attacked the other family dog, the chihuaha. Therefore, I am concerned that — above and beyond aggression toward unfamiliar dogs entering the house ( & possibly people too, although Marina didn’t mention it) — the Blue Heeler and the Akita might fight each other if left unsupervised / unkenneled. Is this something Marina should make a priority item in her plan.
Beyond management, and assuming no serious underlying very basic issues like health diet, if both the Akita and the blue heeler live together, wouldn’t the best possible solution teaching the owners to train up each dog, separately and ideally together through Phases 3-4? And then then deal with the stranger-dog issue. Til then management, management, management? (If the two house dogs know stuff like Place or Go To Your Crate, then, I imagine, it will be easier to work with the owners’ kids dogs coming into the house, assuming it’s worth the time and effort required.
