April 26, 2011
Are my female dogs fighting because one is fixed and the other is not? Is this a lost cause? Do we need to find a new home for one of them?
Full Question:
I have searched the web site for specifics regarding our dilemma and could not find any similar. Please read and give me direction...We have a 3 year old boxer (female, fixed) and a 2 year old bulldog (female, not fixed) both have aggressive personalities and it use to be that everytime the bulldog goes into heat the two fight. Lately they are out of control and fighting constantly and our bulldog is not going into heat for 3 months, so we can't blame hormones. Our boxer attacks the bulldog if she even gets to close, and each fight is getting worse, it seems like the boxer is out to kill and does more damage with each attack. We are going to breed our bulldog, and do not plan to fix for a few years.
They are fighting so much for dominant roll that when they are outside together, one will urinate and the other will go over and urinate on top and then first one will come over and have bowl movement on top of it. I am scared to have two together if husband is not home. When they fight we put them in their kennels for discipline. We have trained them both in the sit stay command when we get their food out etc. They are obedient in may ways, but lack obedience when other people/animals are around. Both have terrible aggression towards other animals as well.
Please tell me, do you feel they fight because both are females, and having one fixed and one not fixed causes problems, plus both appear to be aggressive breeds. Is this a lost cause? Do we need to find a new home for our boxer? We have them separated right now, but that seems to make the aggression even worse, each wants to know what the other is getting that they are not. Should we muzzle both and allow them to be together? Please give me direction.
Sincerely,
Teri
Grand Island, NE
Cindy's Answer:
We have an entire section of the website on dog fights. I'll warn you that some of the photos are graphic but we want people to realize how dangerous this is.
I don't believe getting one or even both of these dogs will do anything to curb the aggression. Female fights are the worst.
We have another section with dvd recommendations for training these dogs and giving them the structure and discipline they need.
You may want to use muzzles, but only while you are training them. Muzzles don't solve the problem; they merely keep you and the other dog from being bitten. The aggression needs to be addressed or it will continue to escalate.
You need to have a crate or kennel for both dogs and start our Groundwork program.
I will list the dvds we recommend. The fact that your dogs only listen when they want to tells me they have very few rules and structure.
Pack Structure for the Family Pet is the dvd that picks up where the article leaves off.
I believe that this DVD could really help you. It's titled DEALING WITH DOMINANT AND AGGRESSIVE DOGS and was a 5 year project.
Basic Obedience
Electric Collar Training for the Pet Owner
I hope this helps.
Cindy
I don't believe getting one or even both of these dogs will do anything to curb the aggression. Female fights are the worst.
We have another section with dvd recommendations for training these dogs and giving them the structure and discipline they need.
You may want to use muzzles, but only while you are training them. Muzzles don't solve the problem; they merely keep you and the other dog from being bitten. The aggression needs to be addressed or it will continue to escalate.
You need to have a crate or kennel for both dogs and start our Groundwork program.
I will list the dvds we recommend. The fact that your dogs only listen when they want to tells me they have very few rules and structure.
Pack Structure for the Family Pet is the dvd that picks up where the article leaves off.
I believe that this DVD could really help you. It's titled DEALING WITH DOMINANT AND AGGRESSIVE DOGS and was a 5 year project.
Basic Obedience
Electric Collar Training for the Pet Owner
I hope this helps.
Cindy
User Response:
Thank you for emailing back so quickly... I have read thru dog fights and plan on ordering a couple videos, but what I need advice on is wether a strong willed boxer and bull dog is a bad combination and this is a lost cause... can two strong willed types live in harmony if we are strong leaders?Thanks again,
Teri
Cindy's Answer:
It depends on your definition of harmony. If you think you can spend a few weeks training and then it's done then the answer is no.
Dogs need structure and management every day, all day, and some dogs are more labor intensive. You may never be able to have them loose together without supervision. It will depend on how good you are at training, how well the dogs respond to training and how consistent you are. Dogs usually take to this idea quite readily, it's usually the people that have a problem changing their routine. I will say that from your email description of these 2 dogs, no matter how well they do in training if they lived with me I would NEVER let them interact with each other unless I was present AND I could keep my attention on them. I wouldn't want them interacting when I couldn't be there to assert myself and I would not want them doing things I was not aware of. That really can slow down your training progress.
Think of this as a permanent lifestyle change, for everyone in your household. The way you have been living with your dogs isn't working so the only way to resolve it is to change it, every day from now on.
You can always rehome one of the dogs, but due to the fact that they both have terrible animal aggression I would recommend the same training even if you only keep one. Placing an animal aggressive dog in a new home is a huge legal liability. I have gotten emails from customers who have rehomed their aggressive dog and it's hurt someone or another animal and they have been sued. Just something to think about.
Cindy
Dogs need structure and management every day, all day, and some dogs are more labor intensive. You may never be able to have them loose together without supervision. It will depend on how good you are at training, how well the dogs respond to training and how consistent you are. Dogs usually take to this idea quite readily, it's usually the people that have a problem changing their routine. I will say that from your email description of these 2 dogs, no matter how well they do in training if they lived with me I would NEVER let them interact with each other unless I was present AND I could keep my attention on them. I wouldn't want them interacting when I couldn't be there to assert myself and I would not want them doing things I was not aware of. That really can slow down your training progress.
Think of this as a permanent lifestyle change, for everyone in your household. The way you have been living with your dogs isn't working so the only way to resolve it is to change it, every day from now on.
You can always rehome one of the dogs, but due to the fact that they both have terrible animal aggression I would recommend the same training even if you only keep one. Placing an animal aggressive dog in a new home is a huge legal liability. I have gotten emails from customers who have rehomed their aggressive dog and it's hurt someone or another animal and they have been sued. Just something to think about.
Cindy
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