New to your group. Joined because I have 3 rescue dogs. I have a soft place for dogs in need of homes. Trouble is My two males shep X 20 months and 6yr old samoyde have taken to fighting when ever I am in the same space as they. I have just been bitten on the right hand, now I realize we are all in trouble. I have read great articles from Mr. Leerburg on this site, ordered training books, cds, waiting for them to arrive. Would an E collar help me when the dogs are just starting to posture and getting ready to fight? I was alone and could not use the correct procedure. I am really afraid of beeing in the same room or area with the 2 males least they go again and kill one or the other. How do I make it clear that I am the dominant person in this pack? I am female 47yrs and dogs all have a history before they were rescued. Any advice until my information arrives. Kind Regards. Jodie

Seems like you have yourself in a bit of a jam. We'll need more than a few questions answered to help you out.

How long have you had each dog?

Do they all have crates?

Was there any tension between the original two before you brought in the third?

BTW - 3 is a pack !

Are they only allowed to be near each other with supervision or do they roam together during the day/night?

Which DVDs, etc did you order?

Jodie, welcome.
Separate these two, and only handle one at a time, at least for now. Do you have crates? If not, get each dog a crate and use them.
I don't have experience with multi dog households, but there are folks here who manage dogs who don't particularly like each other...

Others will respond w/ specific suggestions for you...

Get three crates today.

You cannot proceed right without doing this - today.

While you are crate shopping, these dogs must be separated. They must remain separated when you come home.

No, you are not ready for an e-collar and it is not what you need right now. You need to do groundwork with each dog. You need (ideally) not to have three dogs, which Peter points out is a pack and is a test for the most experienced of owners. But here we are, so Number One is to separate them.

The question about posturing: Do not allow the situation. Period. If they are separated, they will not be challenging each other.

So you have step one. We can help you, but not until you have the dogs separated and each one has his own crate.

Which material did you order?

What is your experience level?


P.S. Welcome to the board!

 Quote: Peter Marek

Seems like you have yourself in a bit of a jam. We'll need more than a few questions answered to help you out.

How long have you had each dog?

Do they all have crates?

Was there any tension between the original two before you brought in the third?

BTW - 3 is a pack !

Are they only allowed to be near each other with supervision or do they roam together during the day/night?

Which DVDs, etc did you order?

And all this info, too.

Gosh, thank you all for the replies. I am embarresed to say that I have no formal training I have only loved dogs since I can remember.

The 6yr samoyde came to us (husband no kids) when he was 2yrs. My vet gave him to us. At that time I had Katie shep collie and Shade shep X. All dogs were living together fine.

The sam and shep X basicaly left each other alone. I said goodby to Shade The love of my life and I tried to replace him with Storm) and then after 6mths rescued Storm. He is now 20 mths. Storm is a bully, I have had many trainers come to the home, we went to class read books etc. I ruined him because I babied him.

Storm at 4mths would be afraid of others , dogs, vets at dog class he would release his anal glands and cowar behind chairs. That led me to baby him more.

I tried to socialize him, but he was terrified and became agrressive, fear aggressive. So I just tried to control this behaviour with a leash.

All dogs are still getting along in the home great. No fighting they eat in different areas, have a dog door to come and go in the 1/2 acere yard. Storm even played a bit with the sam.

It was just at 18months that the fighting started up. The pup Storm sleeps in my room door closed and the sam likes to sleep outside and Katie in a closet.

Since fighting only happens when Storm is with me and Nic tries to come into the same room with us. or on leash walks when I tried to walk them together. They used to walk off leash together for 1/2 walk then both on leash for the last bit home. but when they walk side by side in city they fight? I have ordered dvd dealing with agressive dogs and establishing pack structure. Have read at least 20 books on different subjects.

Right now they are waiting to go for a walk and they are all getting along fine coming in and out of the house happy. That is why I don't understand how the crate concept works? If I have them apart when they do get together they will want to fight morewith all the pent up energy? Thanks for setting me straight about e collar. I am open to learning and really appricate your help. I have storm and nic going to a trainer and both go to dog class once a week. It is just when I am in the room with them they fight? Kind Regards. Jodie

Edited by Connie Sutherland (04/14/2009 01:08 PM)
Edit reason: paragraphs

Crates: Crates are where the dogs are when they are not attached to you with a lead or outside pottying with a lead, etc.

Where are the dogs now when they are not sleeping at night?

Where would two of them be while you worked on obedience with the third?

"I have storm and nic going to a trainer and both go to dog class once a week. "


What kind? Details, please.

I wouldn't have Storm sleeping in the same room as you. It seems, from your writing, that Storm is the focus of the other. You've babied him (not the other), you take special care with him (not the other), you even have him sleep with what was perceived possibly as the pack leader (not the other).

As Connie said, they all need crates and they should not be in the same room as you for sleeping. Only the pack leader gets the best place to sleep. You've essentially made Storm - the new comer - higher in the chain from the rest. He turned 18 months and this started happening - this is when he matured or first became an adult and now was looking to take his place as leader.

I would NOT allow them to share YOUR space in terms of sleep, rest, etc.

The groundwork video will help you establish proper pack structure in the house. It will not be easy since they have been allowed to get on like this for awhile now. But, with patience and the proper consistency (did I say consistency) you can over come this.

In my house - and I have only 2 dogs - who's in charge? I am - the dogs are #2 EQUAL to one another and I see to that. I don't allow ANY form of aggression to each other or anyone in the household. I decide what happens with them, when they eat, when they go out, when they play, when they sleep, etc.

Please don't get me wrong - I LOVE dogs - but they NEED exercise, leadership (rules to follow), and love - IN THAT ORDER.

I tired dog is less likely to be fighting with other dogs in the same pack. Take them out for LONG walks, individually, NOT together yet. An NO, running around in the half acre isn't going to cut it. They need to explore with their pack leader - that's what they do in the wild.

More to come from others I'm sure.

Hang in there - you'll get through this.

The dog trainer in our area studied with Ceasar and follows his methods.

I am to bring both dogs to his school this afternoon, he wants to see how they act. 1st time taking them both.

The other class is called good neighbour, they learn to allow others to talk to you when you meet up on walks, basic good behaivours.

The dogs all are allowed to come in and out as they please through a dog door. It was a godsend with 3 dogs and had to keep getting up as the dogs were only crated when the 1st came to house. Only 1st month. Then able to be free. The problem is Nic the sam stays outside most of the time and they fight only when it is the 3 of us in one space. In a room or outside gardening. That is how I got bit. Nic walked up to me when I was on all fours potting a plant, and Storm went on attack. It was really aweful.