Ok I was reading on how to break up a dog fight on this forum. I have had several dog fights between 2 of my females in the past few years. The last one a few months ago or so, I was bitten trying to break it up. My black and tan GSD latched onto my leg, not knowing it was me. Very deep punture on one side and not so deep on the other. I'm sure the scare from the one will be there the rest of my life. These fights didn't start until I brought in my 3rd female almost 5 years ago. The 2 had been the best of friends. And it's only the one going after the other all the time, not the other way around. It mostly happens when you ask the dogs if they want to go out side! Princess, the aggressor goes into this mode of where is sheeeeeeeee and gets this crazed look in her eyes! We have to crate her, let the others out and then open the door for her and let her out with them. When they are all outside together they are fine. It's getting them out is the problem. Also, when it's time to come inside, Princess blocks it so Downy cannot get in. If Downy tries, Princess goes after her! Any suggestions on this problem?

If you have had several fights between two females, why are you not keeping them seperated?

Seriously.

They get along great in the house, and great out side. They even play with one another. The only time a fight attempts to break out is when it's time to go outside! Quite a while ago we started putting Princess in a crate, letting the other 3 out and then letting Princess out with them. Her herding instinct I believe it is, only takes over when you say do you want to go out! If we had to totally keep them seperated, I believe I would get rid of one of them. Probably Princess. Our house is small, and it would be very hard to even attempt to keep them apart. We considered that a few months ago when she bit me on finding her a new home. But I told my husband we were going to deal with it, because it would be like giving up one of my kids. Things are getting better and we are dealing with it better than before, I think. Knock on wood though, so far so good, no fights since the last one. I hope it stays like that too.

I'm curiuos do your dogs fight because one of them try to go outside the door first? Do you know what trigger the fight between your two females?

They can both be sleeping when we ask the other 2 if they want out. The minute Princess hears anything she is rushing to find Downy! It's weird.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. Yes, when Princess bit me, she did get a serious correction then went in the crate until I got home from work and the doctor. Now when I do think that something is going to happen just by looking at their body movements etc. I do intervene immediatly. Princess now wears a collar full time. If we feel that she is going to cause something, we get ahold of her right away and put her in the crate until she calms down. Downy of course has been playing this nanner nanner game! You can tell she is making fun of Princess for getting into trouble. We are also putting a stop to that too. Things seem to be going much better than they did a few months ago. I think we are finally starting to get a hold on things and the dogs are realizing that we won't put up with it.

My first impression was a rank drive issue.

Hi Anna,
Just my 2 cents...don't forget that sometimes a prong collar correction when a dog is in aggression mode can actually spur them into higher aggression...so watch that.
You said that when you ask Princess if she wants to go out you believe her herding instinct takes over? Do you mean thats when you think she gets worked up, when she know's she's about to go out? I would remove that from your routine of letting them out. Don't ask them if they want to go out, especially if thats what gets her going. Say nothing to them/her that is going to get that response from her. For all you know that may now be a verbal cue to her to get ready to rumble (for lack of a better word)
Like everyone else suggested, keep her on a long line outside and keep watching for the body language that says she is going to go off and get the correction in then. But again, be careful using that prong if she's already in that mode.
I would also be a bit cautious about putting her in her crate when she misbehaves ( you said you do that when you see that she is going to cause trouble) The crate should always be a reward and never be associated with someone negative. Dogs don't think the way we do so its not like she knows she's in there because she did something wrong. If i am taking what you're writing the wrong way I apologize, sometimes its hard to get the jist of things through a post.
Definately put down a rule about entering and exiting the house, you first then who you want to go through next goes through.
Have you tried letting Princess out first? Maybe the problem is she is alpha and since she can see that the other dogs got out ahead of her first, she feels the need to re-iterate to them that although she wasn't out the door first, as every alpha should be, it doesn't mean she's not above them in rank.
Just a thought.