Dogs fighting

223vmax

I have 2 dogs and every month they get into a big fight and the dominated one gets fairly ripped last month costs me a few quid in stitches and antibiotics! It can start from anything really but don't know how to handle it. Any idea's appreciated.

They are kept in different pens as they don't settle at all together in the same one. They are fed in their own pens so I'm not sure what is starting it.

deerhunter1

223vmax wrote: »

I have 2 dogs and every month they get into a big fight and the dominated one gets fairly ripped last month costs me a few quid in stitches and antibiotics! It can start from anything really but don't know how to handle it. Any idea's appreciated.

They are kept in different pens as they don't settle at all together in the same one. They are fed in their own pens so I'm not sure what is starting it.

What breed/sex age etc

223vmax

1 Female - Lab - 2.5yr old - had for 8 months.
1 Female - Springer x Fox terrier 1.5 yrs old had since pup. Doninant one

garyc007

the newer lab must be challenging the other dog for dominance. hopefully she will give up as it will only lead to a bad ending as there can only be one dominant dog. do you walk them together?

runawaybishop

garyc007 wrote: »

the newer lab must be challenging the other dog for dominance. hopefully she will give up as it will only lead to a bad ending as there can only be one dominant dog. do you walk them together?

There should be 0 dominant dogs, the owner should be the dominant one.

223vmax

runawaybishop wrote: »

There should be 0 dominant dogs, the owner should be the dominant one.

There is a pecking order in dog world. :rolleyes:

runawaybishop

223vmax wrote: »

There is a pecking order in dog world. :rolleyes:

Yes, this can be controlled by the leader. That should be the owner.

garyc007

runawaybishop wrote: »

There should be 0 dominant dogs, the owner should be the dominant one.

well thats obvious yes. but there will always and should always be a dominant dog, or you will have the problem he has!

223vmax

garyc007 wrote: »

the newer lab must be challenging the other dog for dominance. hopefully she will give up as it will only lead to a bad ending as there can only be one dominant dog. do you walk them together?

Yes dominant one is always in front of lab - both behind me.

223vmax

runawaybishop wrote: »

Yes, this can be controlled by the leader. That should be the owner.

So the owner/human can decide who is the dominant dog in a pack of hounds? Surely they sort that themselves?

runawaybishop

223vmax wrote: »

So the owner/human can decide who is the dominant dog in a pack of hounds? Surely they sort that themselves?

None of the dogs should be dominant though. The only dominant one is the leader, which is you (i didn't realise you were the OP earlier). Dogs tussle and pr1ck about to establish pecking order, they don't open each other up unless its an actual fight to become the leader.

As far as your dogs are concerned you should be the boss. You tell them when they can eat, where they can go, what they can do and importantly how they are allowed to react. Usually the other dogs look to the leader for guidance when they are unsure, fearful, angry, nervous etc. If one of you dogs is laying into the other - not just messing but causing damage - then this is because they believe they are allowed to do this (either giving out discipline or answering what they consider a challenge on their leadership). That's where you should be stepping in, pack members don't dole out discipline, you do. Similarly they certainly do not challenge another dog for leadership - none of the dogs should have leadership.

garyc007

i disagree, fair enough they should know you are the boss and should stop fighting if you stop them, but what happens if you are not there to stop them. there will always be challenges between dogs for leadership, (just the same as humans ) but there should be a leader, they just need to know they cant tear bits out of the others!

223vmax

garyc007 wrote: »

i disagree, fair enough they should know you are the boss and should stop fighting if you stop them, but what happens if you are not there to stop them. there will always be challenges between dogs for leadership, (just the same as humans ) but there should be a leader, they just need to know they cant tear bits out of the others!

That's exactly the problem. While I am there they don't fight so much as I nip it in the bud when the dominant one shows aggression. Its when I'm not there they do it. They have a spacious yard to run about in and they cant be closely supervised at all times.

garyc007

do u know which one usually causes the problem? the lab challenging or the springer defending? can they be sperated into two runs until they settle?

223vmax

It's the springer that starts it every time. I can go a few weeks no problems with them together then they go for it and when they do its not just a nip but full on ripping.

Deerspotter

Two bitches will always fight

deerhunter1

Deerspotter wrote: »

Two bitches will always fight

never really known two bitches to fight, two dogs yes

Deerspotter

I've been around dogs a very long time and would never keep two bitches any more. They always fight.
I'd say if you cannot keep them seperate all the time, get rid of one.

garyc007

I have 5 bitches and there has never been a fight. theres the odd little tiff but the terrier thats about 11 (there the longest) is the smallest but the boss. my 2.5 year old springer likes to try and challenge her a bit sometimes but she gets put back in the pen if she does and wont try it again for a while