Help! My dogs have recently started fighting each other!

[Nicole]

Oh, and just so everyone knows, all of these boys are neutered.

[Binky]

you[/i] have somehow disturbed the pack order through your behavior.  One of the biggest problems in multiple dog households is the humans.  When one dog asserts his dominance over the other, possibly even injuring the more submissive dog, our gut reaction is to fawn over the "underdog" and to scold the aggressor.  What happens when we do this is the dogs are saying to themselves, "Oh crap!  I thought we had this worked out with that scuffle, but now we're going to have to go at it again!"

Holly

This is so true!  I kept butting in with McDougal and Binky b/c I felt so bad for McD always being picked on and having to be last for everything.  I finally just let things take their course and things have settled down quite a bit!
Good luck with having everyone get along.  I also think these little "issues" go in cycles.  Sometimes Binky and McD are fighting all the time, then it stops, starts again, etc.

[Gypsy Jazmine]

you[/i] have somehow disturbed the pack order through your behavior.  One of the biggest problems in multiple dog households is the humans.  When one dog asserts his dominance over the other, possibly even injuring the more submissive dog, our gut reaction is to fawn over the "underdog" and to scold the aggressor.  What happens when we do this is the dogs are saying to themselves, "Oh crap!  I thought we had this worked out with that scuffle, but now we're going to have to go at it again!"

Holly

This is so true!  I kept butting in with McDougal and Binky b/c I felt so bad for McD always being picked on and having to be last for everything.  I finally just let things take their course and things have settled down quite a bit!
Good luck with having everyone get along.  I also think these little "issues" go in cycles.  Sometimes Binky and McD are fighting all the time, then it stops, starts again, etc.

I agree totally...It is very difficult not to let emotions role though!...I hesitated to even chime in on this thread because alot of people think I am barbaric or uncaring (which those of you who know me know it far from the truth)...I let Sam & Pippin work it out within MY tolerance level...Like there is no fighting allowed in the house...The two fights I did break up were completely out of my tolerence level as neither of them were going to give & not only was I worried for their well being...Honest ly, I had visions of an emergency vet visit running through my  head...I went through a nasty fight stage with Sam & Pippin & it did work out but I do expect it again oneday when there might be a challenge for dominate position between the dogs...I am pack leader yes...but they establish pecking order from there...Same as it happens in nature...I believe that continuos interuption of the dogs trying to work out their place will lead to pent up frustration & a doozy of a fight when I am not here to interviene...O nly my humble opinion of coarse but right now we have tranquility in the zoo!...Good luck with your pack!

[doggylover]

I've been looking into this very issue lately for a friend, and I've learned some interesting stuff.  Here are a few of the highlights . . .

One thing to consider is whether you have somehow disturbed the pack order through your behavior.  One of the biggest problems in multiple dog households is the humans.  When one dog asserts his dominance over the other, possibly even injuring the more submissive dog, our gut reaction is to fawn over the "underdog" and to scold the aggressor.  What happens when we do this is the dogs are saying to themselves, "Oh crap!  I thought we had this worked out with that scuffle, but now we're going to have to go at it again!"

Assuming that you are the "alpha"--the controller of resources that all of the dogs look to for guidance--your actions do a lot to help affirm the rest of the pack order, as well.  It is in our human nature to feel bad about giving one dog more attention or lovin' than the others, but this actually helps keep pack order straight. 

In your case, you might have a case of Zero's position faltering because of his age and his bad hips.  Watson may see this as his chance to seize a higher position and may be testing the waters.  Zero's aggression may simply be in response to Watson's advances.  If you think this might be the case, be careful not to inadvertently reinforce Watson's attempts.  If Zero shows dominance, you can scold inappropriate behavior (biting or growling), but as soon as he backs down, praise him and ignore Watson.

While you are doing the NILF stuff that Melissa described, make sure that you reinforce the pack order, as well.  You are alpha, but the top real dog should get fed first, get let out first, and get recognized first when you get home.  Your affirmation of pack order helps keep things straight amongst the critters.

I hope this helps.

Holly

This is very helpful, thank you Holly, I'm sure I'll be referring to this soon too.

[Softhug]

Ok, so what about in our situation?  I don't want to let the dogs "argue it out" because Tsu is 12 and weighs 30#.  Boudreaux would pummel her at his whopping 73#.  They do "argue" with teeth barred and snarling, but no real contact.  Do I start treating Boudreaux as the alpha of the two or do I still let them work it out? I have been treating Tsu as the alpha.   

[ed kiplinger]

I'm having a similar issue with my two 4 month old aussies, both male, scheduled for neutering tomorrow.
Found this 8 page article at veterinary.com under the subheadings 
  Home » Dogs » Canine Behavior Series » Fighting Dogs
For some reason I can't get the URL to post properly

~Ed
 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Really I think everyone's personal experience warrants looking at and discussing. What works for my dogs may be disaterous for someone else's dogs. I love all the suggestions! Keep 'em coming

How old is Tsu? Is she okay with not being alpha? To describe Mowglie and what worked with him is this: He didn't seem to WANT to be alpha. But he felt like something needed to give so he stood up and asserted himself and was immediately corrected and not allowed to repeat the incident. In fact, we've not let him and Bava be with one another or touch one another since then. He and Sophie play together fine, but Bava is such a pushover, I'd be afraid Mowglie would try to play big dog on the block with him again and I don't think Bava would "get it". One of them might get hurt. We let Bava and Sophie play and Mowglie and Sophie play. We can walk all three of them together with one of us taking the two Newfs and the other person taking the Mowglie

For male on male...I'd neuter one or both if your dogs weren't going to be breeding or showing, female on female the same, female/male the same.

I admit when Bava gets ganged up on by Sophie who does it SO well, I feel bad for him and eventually do get up and stop her advances to give him a break. He obviously likes it though because he'll get up after I move away and go up to her for some more. Both of them are relentless (this is just play btw, no fighting) They too show a LOT of teeth, there's a lot of growling, moaning, yipping, woofing and body slamming going on.

Lisa said something to me one afternoon that clicked....whe n Sugar Bear and Dixie get going, she'll get up and walk out of the room. I turn my back on them and do something else. It seems to me they act worse if I'm watching them or somewhere close by.

All of mine are "fixed" btw.

Yup,me leaving the area tends to downsize the attitudes with my guys too...& I agree that you ahve to find what works with your dogs...take the advise you can use & leave the rest...Obvious ly we can't let an old dog get hurt by a younger & stronger dog becuae even if we follow what happens in nature....this is not nature...these aren't wolfs...& we don't want any of our fur friends getting hurt!...I have a friend that gives a low voiced "knock it off" when her dogs are posturing ateach other...She lets them know by doing this that it is not acceptble to ehr & she's had good luck with it...She doesn't make a big deal of it just lets them know it's not o.k. with her while keeping an eye on things.
You know, I always felt so bad for sam because Pippin would bully him around & I'd get all "oh poor Sammy...bad Pippin"!...Ya' know?...Until the day I noticed that sam was, beyond any doubt, pushing Pippin's buttons...That's when I said, "well you're on your own then butthead!" Funny, things calmed down alot after that.

[krismark]

In your case, you might have a case of Zero's position faltering because of his age and his bad hips.  Watson may see this as his chance to seize a higher position and may be testing the waters.  Zero's aggression may simply be in response to Watson's advances.  If you think this might be the case, be careful not to inadvertently reinforce Watson's attempts.  If Zero shows dominance, you can scold inappropriate behavior (biting or growling), but as soon as he backs down, praise him and ignore Watson.

Holly

I actually think it might be the exact opposite of that. Zero used to get very little attention, but has been getting more recently. I think we have made him think that he can push his way to the top. I have been pretty much ignoring him the last few days This morning they were play fighting and everything seemed fine.

It is very hard to tell what the "order" is in my house, but as far as attention goes, Gabriel is first, then Watson, and Zero last. Watson is a daddy's boy, and he gets a lot of attention from him, but all of the dogs are "under" me. If I am not feeling well and go sleep on the couch for example...Mark ends up with the entire king sized bed to himself and I will have dogs piled around me near the couch.

[Softhug]

How old is Tsu? Is she okay with not being alpha? To describe Mowglie and what worked with him is this: He didn't seem to WANT to be alpha. But he felt like something needed to give so he stood up and asserted himself and was immediately corrected and not allowed to repeat the incident. In fact, we've not let him and Bava be with one another or touch one another since then. He and Sophie play together fine, but Bava is such a pushover, I'd be afraid Mowglie would try to play big dog on the block with him again and I don't think Bava would "get it". One of them might get hurt. We let Bava and Sophie play and Mowglie and Sophie play. We can walk all three of them together with one of us taking the two Newfs and the other person taking the Mowglie

Well it only seems to happen when one of two things is going on.
1.  Boudreaux is acting like an idiot younger brother and is yapping and jumping in her face.
2.  There is food in the area.  I don't feed B people food at all and Tsu only gets it in her food bowl because she is becoming totally picky in her older age.  When Zac is eating in his high chair or after he is done, if there are any crumbs there can be trouble.  Even if we are eating and Boudreaux is near one of us it is like Tsu is afraid B will get some and she gets snotty. 

Like I said, there is no damage done, I try to watch and make sure that, while teeth are barred and snarling, there is no actual biting going on.  I yell at them but try my best not to physically intervene since there isn't actual biting.  When this happens DH will put B down and call Tsu over to stand by him...I know it is so he will see she is dominate...is this the right thing to do?   
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[Nicole]

Melissa,
 Just fixing your link!
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/