Hi everyone, I've just joined this forum after receiving some fantastic advice from Ed re: our two dogs: Chino (16mth old male, American Staffy x Ridgeback) and Tyler (15mth old male, American Pit Bull x American Staffy). Ed referred me to the forum for any training questions I might have so here goes: My dogs are not working dogs, just much loved family pets. They've had two big fights in the 12months that we've had them, hence writing Ed in the first place. Ed has since advised that my husband and I were doing lots of things wrong ( <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> oops talk about niaive dog owners) and we've since implemented his suggestions. However one of his suggestions is to kick the dogs off the furniture. I have no problem with this (hubby will let me get a new lounge if dogs not allowed on <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ) but i'm not sure how to go about kicking them off. They are so used to sleeping on their 'own' sections of the lounge and i'm not sure how to recondition them after 12mths of 'comfort', without confusing the poor lil buggers. Am I just being too soppy (common hubby complaint :rolleyes: )? Any advice?

I'm no expert by any means, but I've been told that it's not a good idea to have two pet dogs of the same sex, altered or not , in the same house, they may work it out for a while but a little time later they may try to resort it out. and it only gets more scarey each time. I have a bro in law with two Mals from the same litter, he ended up building kennels for them. I have Maggie and Max, both GSD's and fixed. They seemed to have paired(packed) up and share everything without any squabbles. I got lucky. It may be easier to find a good home for one of them. or kennel them when there not supervised. and most diffenatly get that obed training done.

Hi Melanie,

I would get crates for these dogs. You have stated that they have already had two big fights, and two male dogs that are 16 months and 15 months are maturing, which could lead to more problems. Remember that you have a *Family Pack*

oh, I forgot, to get Maggie and Max off the furniture. I used a short/sharp OFF! and "Helped" them off the futon. repeated a few times. I suspect they're still doing it when I'm not around. I say "OFF" so I don't confuse they with the down(stay) command. agian I am not a trainer, I took one Obed course and read "Dog Training For Dummies" and Mr. Frawley's websight

Thanks for the advice. Both fights were caused by bones not being picked up straight after the dogs had finished with them so the fights were certainly our fault <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> , we've since started locking them in separate areas when they get fed. I don't feel that we're at the stage where we need to give one of the dogs away. As I mentioned in my email to Ed, they have not had fights any other time, and both seem accepting of their position in the family pack. Tyler is certainly the dominant one, and Chino seems quite happy with this, as he knows that he will receive his attention, food etc after Tyler. The dogs do stress when separated, and we rarely see one without the other when trotting about the yard. However, by the same token, they are walked separately and we do give them time apart.

We will definitly be keeping an eye on them and their behaviour, but in the meantime we have started implementing Ed's suggestions and have already noticed an improvement in Tyler's behaviour (Tyler has always been the 'pushy' one and my husband and I have clearly not established our role as pack leader with either dog <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> ).

As for getting them off the lounge, I think I will just have to give them a friendly hand as you mentioned. Thanks again guys.

Oh and I forgot to mention that both dogs are desexed which helps.

BTW what's a crate? I'm from Australia and am not familiar with a lot of the terms used on this forum.

this might help http://www.canismajor.com/dog/crate1.html
I used a animal carrier, like the ones they use at the airport. don't use wicker at first, they might chew it up

Maybe an electric cattle prod to get them off the funiture <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

When they jump up on the furniture just push them back down - not forcefully - just help them down and giving them a relevant command - you may have to persist with this but they will learn.

I also have two dogs but I only crate one when i am not there - i like having one to free roam the house to protect.

Melanie, You obviously love your pups. What i picked up on is that they stress without eachother.I don't think that you can do the crate thing...nor use the cattle prod..errr on the cattle prod.Your pups have led a comfy life..now their hormones are kicking in..Neutered or not..they are both males and want to establish what is "MINE". Save the "treats" for only when you walk them separately.Give each a treat after a command that they listen to. It would be best to feed them separatly as well.Once you have established with each that a treat is only recieved from a response after a command in walking.Then start with one pup..on the couch..and say the word off..put the treat to his nose and have him follow it to the floor..Give the treat and many praises.Just remember NO TREATS unless the dog has performed.By the way,Where did the fights occur..outside or inside?

Sorry if I am a bit harsh or too forward. But I have to say what I must.

I by now means am a pro like the many we have here assisting. But I will say that I have dealt with American Pit Bull Terriers and Staffies for many many years. Never for personal protection but had their discipline.

As far as the dog fight. Honestly, did you think, like so many thousands of people, that you could actually stop the dog from having its own genetic tendencies? To top that, did you reallyt think you could stop this ESPECIALLY being of the same sex?

I mean, mosdt dogs WON'T get along neutered or not with other males even thought raised together. Now you are talking about dogs raised and bred for dog fighting. YOu actually think you can stop them from doing what they think is right in his own mind? What HE really WANTS to do?

Let's not mistake dog aggression with human aggresion. It's NOT THE SAME THING.

Even when I have females with MALES I'd still separate them and kennel them due to the fact that YOU don't KNOW what will spark the next. Food, spot on the couch, toy or whatever.

Drop it and you MUST get real. Separate them unless you are there. If you do and are in the area of a fight then KNOW HOW TO BREAK THEM UP WITHOUT HURTING YOUR OWN DOG. Most people have no clue or don't thihnk their dog will ever get into a fight but when it does, they say "These dogs are bad dogs and are too much for the average person"

But at this point is too late as they have assisted in ruining a breed...

In the state I am staying they are outlawing breeds as I type this. running new bills and such. Why? B/c people think they can change a dogs genetics and when they realize its too much for them to handle they tend to blame the dog and not their faulty skills with training.

About the couch thing. I'd grab him by the collar and give him a word to get the hel;l off. You started a bad habit and now you want it to stop. Well, bad habits are HARD to stop. GIve him a word and boot his rear off. I don;'t care if he's used to it or not. Be strong and get him off. I suggest when its bedtime to use the crate ( a kennel is a crate, airline plastic crate or metal is a crate or a kennel, its the same thing)..

Put them in when you can't watch.

If they get into a fight then he has a gap behind his canines. Slid the break stick in their and twist like a motorcycle throttle. THis will open the jaw enough to release the hold.

Ifd you can't diabhle 2 grown 60lbs dogs with each arm yourself easily with one arm like I can then you have no business having both dogs being a potential risk to eachother together. You are, no offense, too weak to break up a dog fight between 2 dogs that are going full on in the mix and are FULLY mature and pissed off. Youy simply can;t do it. I am 6'3 275lbs, and can push over 400lbs of my chest, and play college football at a major D-1 college. I myself have a hard time breaking 2 dogs. Now if you are no where near this size or strenght (which I doubt, most men aren't) then you have no business having both dogs of such calibur running loose together without help. You simply CANNOT DO IT DESPITE YOUR FEMANINE SAVY HIGH PITCH VOICE. Not even the grizzly aggresive harsh tones of a man cannot break the misdt of a battle between such head strong dogs.

I am almost SURE you can't do it. Another football player was yellig for me when I was sleeping one morning as he was exercising one but the other got loose. hE HIMSELF COULDN'T DO IT. I have to help him out to do what I explained earlier, and then break them loose and kennel until we built stronger sections for the other dog/s.....

YOU CAN NEVER trust them with other dogs. People YES, other dogs, NO.....