Fighting dogs

somewherenear

Hi guys I need some advice

My dog is a female 5 years old and last year my mom got a female dog she's about a year now.
I am always in and out of my moms with my dog and for most of the time they get on really well playing and going on walks together.

If my moms dog annoys mine she let's her know but it's never too serious. A couple of weeks ago my brother was visiting and the two dogs were there he dropped food on the floor even though I asked him not to. The dogs got in a big scrap over it. There was alot of growling and barking and scrapping but they didn't seem to be hurting eachother. Eventually we got them to stop it was pretty scary. A few minutes later we put them together and they were playing normally.

Yesterday my Mom threw a toy and the exact same thing happened. They got in another scrap but didn't seem to be biting but they were vicious sounding and scrapping . We got them to stop again and they did go back to normal. What do u do to stop this behaviour? My mom minds my dog if I have to do overtime as I won't leave her alone for that long. It's so hard to get them to stop a loud noise distracts them. Any advice on what to do about this? It's only twice this has happened but they never fought over toys before so maybe it's escalating.
Thanks

VonVix

I sometimes think with scenarios like this, prevention is key. You want to prevent either of them from rehearsing the need to guard a valuable resource, the more either of them feel the need to guard something from another dog, the more likely it is to happen again. One of my dogs can be a bit guardy with toys, I simply don't put him in the position where he feels the need to defend himself from other dogs who potentially may take something off him, he has had no issues in a year and a half.

Remove valuable resources like food and toys when they are loose together, be sure that they are also fed separately.

Are either/both of them spayed? Females are typically more inclined to get into tiffs with each other.

somewherenear

Both of the dogs are spayed.
I always make sure they are fed separate as we have seen small rows over food but my brother didn't take us serious. I had never seen them scrap like this before. My moms dog seems to be standing up for herself a bit more my dog has been a bit dominating in the past.

I will definitely make sure to take the toys away when they are together. Make sure everyone else does the same. I really need to bring her to my moms when I work the long hours so would hate for them to keep getting in these scraps.

Thanks for the reply

Knine

I have 2 bitches here who I cannot have food or toys around. Unfortunately when 2 bitches don't get on there is not much you can do. Spayed bitches tend to be the worse culprits.

Your 2 bitches should never ever be left alone together as these fights can often escalate. The poster above was spot on about prevention. You need to make sure that all other family members are on board. A full on fight between bitches makes the males fighting look like a teddy bear picnic.

Bitches can live together happily for years and then suddenly fall out. Now some bitches also never fight. I have an entire mother and daughter here and never a cross word.

somewherenear

Luckily we never leave them alone together got in to the habit of it when my moms dog was a puppy

I will remove all the triggers when are they are together and hopefully they don't scrap again. Even after the scraps they happily play together like nothing happened.

Any tips if it does happen again how to break them up because I just ended up shouting which didn't help obviously and a loud noise which did stop it in the end but probably not the best way to handle it.

Thanks

Ms Doubtfire1

I would also strongly recommend not to throw a toy or food to them - it will only get worse.

somewherenear

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

I would also strongly recommend not to throw a toy or food to them - it will only get worse.

I never give them food together I knew there was an issue think my brother learned his lesson when he saw what happened.

They never had a problem before with toys but from now on IL put them away when they are together

tk123

Half your battle is getting everyone on board! I have the same problem where somebody thinks they know better :mad: and managed the situation 99% of the time by not letting them near the dogs!

somewherenear

Ya most of them in the house understand it even the kids. If the kids go near their stuff they don't mind at all even food they don't mind at all. It's so strange.

Hopefully we can keep it under control and they get on.

Bixy

I had a similar situation with two females, after my mother died and her dog came to live with us and our own dog. Both collies. Lots of scraps at the beginning (usually under the kitchen table) but by keeping calm, and while ensuring neither was really harming the other, they sorted it out over time. There is now a kind-of pecking order (which changes) with an occasional curled lip around feeding time but they co-exist peacefully. Patience!.

somewherenear

Bixy wrote: »

I had a similar situation with two females, after my mother died and her dog came to live with us and our own dog. Both collies. Lots of scraps at the beginning (usually under the kitchen table) but by keeping calm, and while ensuring neither was really harming the other, they sorted it out over time. There is now a kind-of pecking order (which changes) with an occasional curled lip around feeding time but they co-exist peacefully. Patience!.

What did you do while they were scrapping. Did you leave them to it or did you try and break then up?

Thanks

Knine

Always break up fighting dogs where possible. If I left my terriers to fight it out I would have one dead dog. There is no pecking order as such but more of a clash of personalities. Resources are also a bone of contention.

There is a risk of one party getting bitten fatally, more so in some breeds rather then others.

I had a very serious fight recently which was completely my fault. Two adults and we had to physically part the dogs and one was injured. I don't recommend this unless you are well used to handling dogs. Water often works but not always with terriers. The main thing is not to panic and everyone shouting as it can encourage the dogs. There is always a risk of someone getting bitten so prevention is far better. Mostly all mine get on. It is just 2 I have to be careful with. Some bitches have to actually be kept completely separate from each other.

somewherenear

My dog is a Jack Russell and the other dog is a Jack Russell cross with a cairn terrier.

Thankfully they weren't actually attacking each other it was more of a scrap wrestling and snarling. I know it could escalate so I will try keep the triggers away as usually they get on really well.

I must try the water because I know the shouting definitely didn't help it was just a reaction because I panicked.

Thanks

aonb

Its terrible when a fight breaks out. Horrible to watch, and frightening for the humans as theres the fear of being bitten if you try to break up the fight. Never try using bare hands, to split up fighting dogs

Ive seen bitches who, as someone already said, never spark off each other. Ive seen bitches who are absolutely fine 95% of the time, and then suddenly loose the rag - sometimes resource guarding, sometimes no reason. Then back to peace and harmony til the next fight. Like humans I guess, dogs have moods or aches/pains or hormones or just a bad day. They cant get on 100% of the time.

My friend has 3 bitches - mother/daughter/granddaugher - the daughter in the last year or so (shes about 8) suddenly turned into the narkiest, moodiest dog - if her mother even looks at her she'll attack her. The grandaughter, the most timid of dogs, will join the daughter and attack the mother. Its gotten so bad now that the mother has to be seperate from the other two all the time now. Three jack russells. There had never been a heirarchy between the 3 of them. Its always the middle dog that starts the fight. The mother is getting older now and has been injured at least twice. The youngest dog now sleeps in a stable, the middle dog stays in the kitchen, and the older dog sleeps in the bedroom

They have a small bucket of cold water filled at all times - fling it on the fighters, it stops them immediately. A pain to mop up. I know someone who told me he throws a heavy blanket over his fighting pair!! My dad had a sheet of ply that he kept behind the table, and use to insert this between his pair of bitches - the surprise alone used to stop them! Ive also heard but havent used, lifting the dogs back legs off the ground, and moving to the side (with the dog like a wheelbarrow!!!) - obviously if its a small dog.

Keeping toys/food/treats away and everyone being on the same page is very important. You are so lucky that when you are working late you can have your dog at your mums house - keeping the dogs happy so that that arrangement can stay in place is really important, so great that you are all aware and anxious to nip any bad habits in the bud before they become issues. Good luck!

somewherenear

Thanks for your reply. I really am lucky to have my mom's house to bring her too so I really want to hang on to it. I think my dog was dominant for so long and the younger dog is challenging her now. Hopefully keeping these things away will stop any rows. I must tell the others about the water incase it does happen again

Thanks everyone for all the help. Hopefully it doesn't happen again.

Snugglebunnies

If it happens again, throwing a bowl of water over the often breaks it up. If that doesn't work, a mop or sweeping brush is next to try to separate them. Never put your hands between two fighting dogs!

Bixy

Bixy wrote: »

I had a similar situation with two females, after my mother died and her dog came to live with us and our own dog. Both collies. Lots of scraps at the beginning (usually under the kitchen table) but by keeping calm, and while ensuring neither was really harming the other, they sorted it out over time. There is now a kind-of pecking order (which changes) with an occasional curled lip around feeding time but they co-exist peacefully. Patience!.

We left them at it. It does take a bit of nerve and I accept what Knine says - I think there is a difference between "scrap" and fight - I have had experience of two male dogs (labradors) fight resulting (tragically) in the death of one of them. By scrap (in the case of what went on in my kitchen with the two females) it was a lot of noise, bluster, bared teeth, charging at each other and occasionally one dogs getting the other on its back. The serious and fatal fight referred to above (took place years ago so memory hazy) was silent, no posturing and very scary. In that case it was dogs in neighbouring properties and took place outside in a garden.

I hope you get it sorted - it can be very distressing