Ok, I've been keeping 2 of my dogs separated now for over 2 weeks-they started have issues with each other (fero-3yrs) & (sampson 1.5yrs). Major (8yrs) is not having problems with each of them. I came home tonight with Fero on leash from walking and thought well lets see how they do together-they only have had a couple squabbles so for the most part they've been ok- Major and Sampson were outside-I opened the back door and instant growl and try to fight by Fero and growling by Sampson to protect himself. I pulled Fero over to his cage and got him in without it escalating. It just seems now that since I've crated them from each other it is worse -I'm sure opening the door and doing it the way I did was not very smart on my part-I'm just frustrated-I don't know if I can see myself keeping them separated for the next 8 yrs or so- I've never had to do that with any dogs-my family is "what are you going to do" "I've never known anybody who had to keep their dogs separated" so that makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong- and then I think maybe I should get rid of one - and I just cant stand the thought of that- maybe I'm PMS'ing and having a meltdown (haha)
any words of encouragement or likewise??? Maybe I should check into a dog behaviorist and consult with them -closest place would probably be Denver,co or maybe I just need to take a deep breath and deal with it....

 Quote: Kathy West

....I came home tonight with Fero on leash from walking and thought well lets see how they do together...

Why? What work have you done and what has happened to indicate that they no longer needed separation?

 Quote: Kathy West

It just seems now that since I've crated them from each other it is worse...

In what way?

Well, I started separation because I thought they didnt see me as the leader and thought after a couple weeks they might be changing their mind about that and settle down some. Also, Before I would beable to have them loose in the house at night with me and had no problem except for a couple squabbles and I think those were due to me 1. making their food and 2. over a shoe(they thought was a toy) so I guess I thought it would be ok since neither of those things was happening. So to me it seems worse since there was no normal triggers happening for them to try to fight, if that makes sense

Kathy,

Other than the crating what else have you been doing to build your leadership? Have you been working each of them in obedience? Though Major is fine with both of them I would still include him in the crating and obedience work.

Two weeks is a short time to expect changes in adult dogs with established behaviors; so don't be discouraged. When the dogs are crated do the other dogs have access to them?

I'm glad you were able to get Fero into his cage without an incident. I have very limited multi-dog experience but doorways and entrances are often trigger points of aggression. I would not try another get together until you have some rock solid obedience commands for both of them. Also I think enlisting the help of a professional is a great idea; objective eyes may catch something you are missing. Goodluck.

Kathy, IMO, your problems are going to get worse, not better. You need to decide now if you want to separate these dogs or rehome them. Sorry to be blunt, but at their ages (3 and 1.5), this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Don't listen to your family; their comments tell me enough about their experience level that I can safely say "disregard!" If they don't know ANYONE who has to keep their dogs separated...well, then they don't know very many people.

I have said it a hundred times, but I find 3 dogs to be very tricky to pull off. Two is different. Three is a pack, and too much for one average human being to watch closely enough to know when to intervene and not miss those very subtle cues before an attack.

Your other 2 saw Fero coming through the doorway as an invasion. You put Fero in a position to get hurt by 2 dogs defending what they have deemed their territory.

I sympathize with you; you are single, right? It's just you and the dogs, right? Same here. I have 6. If I had help, I might be able to work on a few of them more, but it's not worth the risk to take chances by myself. No way could I get my dog in a cage during an altercation. Consider yourself very, very lucky in this situation that it wasn't much worse. You could've ended up w/your other 2 killing Fero. I am not exaggerating. This stuff happens.

i have had to seperate my gsd from my yorkies so i know what you are going through. im positive i will have to do this for the rest of their lives. im looking into getting my gsd a muzzle but that would be the only way they could be in the same area together. ive gotten used to the way it is.

I have not really been doing any obedience right now with them-per the Pack Structure DVD Ed says not to worry about that until I establish respect with them- I'm thinking I should go ahead and start though because my feeling is that they will have to be separated for a long time if not for life because even if they do respect me they just may not beable to get along with each other-I've been hesitant to crate Major because of his hip problems-the extra crate I got is kinda small for him to spread out-I could either buy bigger crate or just crate him for shorter periods of time- the other dogs wont go by Feros cage when hes crated-he has some cage aggression and I dont let Fero into Sampsons room, he has tried, not to sniff sampsons cage but to sniff around the bird cages in there. Thanks for your input- Its just a big downer whats happened- I may look into a behaviorist but I'm leary about that only because I'm sure its hard to find one that really knows what they are doing.

Hi Jenni- I dont mind you being blunt-it is a serious thing and I realize that, I guess that is why its so upsetting. I don't really take what my family says too serious but it still has an impact to a point for awhile. Yes I'm single and just me and the dogs,2 birds and 2 chins. I moved here from California 2 years ago from a divorce. I was involved in a dog club for years and obedience competition in AKC, I actually bought fero and then sampson to work in obedience but since I've been here that hasn't happened. Maybe this is a good thing that I have to keep them separated, now I can concentrate on working them separately because I have too.
If I can ask, what is your schedule like with 6 dogs? How do you handle keeping them separately- maybe if I could hear from some people who do have to separate it will give me some hope. I think it bothers me too because I feel like they are in the crates too much, I think its just a big change in my life and I have to get used to it just like they do. I do appreciate your responses.

Here's my schedule:

5:30am- get up, let out dogs in pairs, play w/each pair for about half an hour, then feed (separately-one outside, one inside, one in a crate, one in the garage, etc.) This changes constantly; there is no set routine, b/c I don't want them ever to get to the point where they predict my next move and expect it, then demand it. I like to keep them from becoming neurotic as much as possible. They know that they all get food, love, and outside run time every morning.

I usually walk at least 2 dogs in the morning. Who gets walked rotates as well. Whoever does not get walked is loose in the back yard while we're out walking, unless it's Caleb or Simon b/c either of them will jump the fence and track me down to join me on my walk.

Then I feed the dogs I was just walking unless it's very hot or we ran; in either case, I'd feed those dogs at night instead. Not all my dogs eat twice per day.

At about 8:00 I start getting myself ready for work, and 2 who do not jump the fence will be out in the backyard, typically Qira and Xander or the 2 little ones. I frequently look out the window at them in about 5 minute intervals to make sure they're not getting into any trouble. At 8:30 I go outside and kennel whoever will be outside but not loose, and leave the other loose. Again, of course this is different every day, so no one is anticipating anything and consequently they don't object to being locked up when someone else is loose.

I have several kennels/runs. I have a 30x7 and four 15x5. Only one dog is loose at a time in my 6' privacy-fenced yard, w/padlocked gate.

My 2 little ones are usually loose in the house, and sometimes I will leave Simon in my bedroom instead of the garage kennel if it's very cold. He has never had an issue w/the cats or my small dogs, but they can tend to be nasty to him, so I don't ever leave him in a situation where he would feel he needed to defend himself.

When I come home, everyone gets a short potty break, then some get locked back up and fed while I take the ones who got the least time/exercise in the a.m. out for a walk or to play ball, etc. I spend typically another hour and a half or two hours w/them before bed.

My dogs do spend a fair amount of time crated, but I think I spend enough quality time with them that they actually suffer less than a dog who is never crated, but also never mentally and physically exercised.

Summers are easier; I get up even earlier and take a few swimming, usually separately, and of course I have more daylight, but this is my winter schedule.

That's my life, in a nutshell.

Jenni
thanks for sharing your schedule - I feel better about it, I think I get so consumed sometimes with worrying about them and if i;m doing this right, are they getting enough exercise, is it ok to be in a crate, etc. that I make it worse and like I said it is a change for me and the dogs but I'm going to keep on at it and quit worrying. I'm gonna start their obedience training which will keep them mentally stimulated and I cant wait for the warm weather since it will give me more time with them and I really hate the cold- Thanks again.