Help ... Please Dogs Fighting

[peppermint lady]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

my dogs are always pinning each other down in play.....and i doubt its to kill each other!, i dont really think a domestic dog can be looked at on the same lines as a wild wolf.

i think people are always going to disagree on the do's and dont's of situations like this with dominant dogs....

im happy with how things work in my pack and since taking Smudge in hand, and being dominant over her i have seen all the plus sides to it, and no negatives.. she is a more settled dog and Roma is very relaxed, they even cuddle up to sleep together now.

however like us all dogs are all different and what works for mine may not work for others (but this does not make it wrong)

Ann i really hope you fine a method that works for you and your's

 

[jayp]

Sorry i dont agree either, my dogs will very occasionally " hold" one of the others, it dosnt have to be on the ground, but is a hold that prevents the dog from moving, you need to control your dogs especially in a pack situation and it is done very calmly but in a determinned way, it does teach who is in control, if you are not then the dogs are, a fighting dog pack are subject to stress every single day, on every walk at every meal its not a good situation to allow to continue and if a single control exercise works quickly and dosnt need to be repeated then i will use it Jan

 

[mousehole]

I would definitely try the water pistol trick as Jinnyfizz suggested - it worked on my brothers terriers when they went through a spate of fighting. (and it stopped my cat climbing the curtains!)

 

[~Annie~]

Thank you folks for your varied and interesting replies. I asked for as many ideas as possible so I'm certainly not going to pass judgement on the 'to alpha roll or not' debate, although when the aggressor is a 14lb, 6 inches to the shoulder dachshund it's not really a very practical solution ... you've put your back out before you've a chance of getting a grip lol.

I have a water spray which I have used but I think the water pistol sounds a very good idea, more of a splash will probably work much better than the delicate misting he's had on occasion so far.

Something I would appreciate further opinions on ... I'm getting conflicting advice on whether neutering Finn would make things better or worse. Tolly, the agressor, is neutered and I'm not convinced that the entire Finn is the lower ranking dog ... Finn is only just reaching full maturity at 18 mths with Tolly, at 2 yrs 3 mths, a few months ahead of him, and I feel that maybe what's happening here is that Finn is overtaking Tolly and Tols is not best pleased about it. Finn chooses not to fight with Tols but I've been watching them closely and he certainly doesn't defer to him. And of course Tyg is coming along behind, but at 6 1/2 mths still has plenty of maturing to do and it's possibly not a good idea for him to be the only entire male, which would be the case if Finn were neutered as 18 mths is the earliest I would contemplate neutering a running dog (well any dog really) so Tyg still has a year to wait. Thoughts anyone?

Annie

 

[meddling]

I personally wouldn't have finn neutered.

In my opinion, Tolly is the natural top dog, but you are giving Finn an unnaturally high status by him being your slight favourite, probably without even realising it, but he may spend more time up with you on the furniture, or the like, so maybe upping Tollys status by putting him first (feeding him firsdt, putting his lead on first etc etc...) may make him feel less threatened.

This is just what jumped out at me while reading your post...

 

[jakers]

I personally wouldn't have finn neutered.
In my opinion, Tolly is the natural top dog, but you are giving Finn an unnaturally high status by him being your slight favourite, probably without even realising it, but he may spend more time up with you on the furniture, or the like, so maybe upping Tollys status by putting him first (feeding him firsdt, putting his lead on first etc etc...) may make him feel less threatened.

This is just what jumped out at me while reading your post...

I agree with Clair ( meddling) in not having him neutered, cant see that it'll actually acheive anything at all. Personally I would employ the clamp down approach with all of them - our pack ( 2 gsds 2 whippets) certainly benefit from the clamp down approach and it certainly works. What I mean by clamp down is don't cut em any slack for a while, if you tell em to do some thing eg: go to their beds they go to their beds - if they don't guide em there, if they stay then treat them for it. If they want to get on the sofa they must ask to get on the sofa, any growling or agression promots them only to the floor, but consitency is the key you can't favour in this situation. It's the best piece of advice I ever received from my gsds breeder, it's tough for a while but they soon learn. We have a strong doggy pack leader (our female gsd) and are lucky that she then 'backs us up' in some gentle discipline of her own!! I also agree with the previous poster can't remember who arorry - but get them to do things to 'earn' their rewards be it a sit, down even a stand, a few days it'll be sorted.

I have had to use the pin down method but that is with my strong willed male gsd (45 kgs) - which was quite a struggle - it stopped the immediate behaviour can I say it will ever stop him doing that behaviour again - well he didn't up to now but then anything is possible. Have never had to use this with any of the others but then with the other just a raise of my voice and they are all shaking - and no I'm not an agreesive or physical person with my dogs!

Good Luck

Liz

 

[uggybugs]

Sorry to hear about your problems with your dogs. I had a really similar problem but with 2 bitches. I was advised by a very wise dog man that i could never be pack leader in my house as i wasnt a dog! He suggested that my dogs view me differently ie they dont sniff my butt etc etc they probably dont know im a human but they certainly know im not a dog. He suggested that i side with the dominant bitch ie feed her first and for me to treat her as the pack leader. I have done that ever since and have never had any problems of aggression in my house because the dominant dog keeps everyone in order with just a look, but she still gets off the sofa for me with no hesitation. I believe i was adding to the problem of aggression in my house by confusing the issue of pack leader, i actually thought the other dog should be the boss...shows what i know!! I have 2 male entire dogs and 4 unspayed bitches who live together with no problems at all. Hope you manage to get your problem sorted.