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HELP - My dogs just got in to a fight!

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

  


Member Since
10/13/2007		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 4:22pm PST 
Ok, a little background... I have 2 dogs. Blu, who is a rescue pitbull, he's about 8 years old. And Lola, and English Mastiff, who will be 4 in April. I have had Blu for 5 years & Lola has been with us since she was 4 months old.

These 2 have been good friends pretty much their entire lives. When Lola was a puppy & still learning manners Blu had to snap at her a few times to teach her it wasn't appropriate to, say, com near his food, but other than that they are thick as theives.

Blu got attacked at an offleash dog park about 3 years ago (Lola was just a puppy) and ever since then has displayed dog aggression... but never towards Lola.

Yesterday we bought them 2 bones. Today, that appears to be what the fight was over. I could barely pull them apart - it was terrifying.

Help! What should I do? I have them separated right now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!
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"Selli"

The Muddy- Princess		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 4:56pm PST 
First of all, no more bones ever! Or if you do give them bones, only let them have them in crates. As a precaution, I would crate them for any high value treats and probably when ever they are fed. They currently may be OK with their dinner, but the resource guarding may spread now that they have really gotten into it.
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Member Since
10/13/2007		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 5:12pm PST 
Thankou Selli. It's really shocking - they used to be just fine with stuff like that. Don't know what set them off but I certainly don't want it to happen again.
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MIKA&KAI

Akita Pals- Always.
 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 6:07pm PST 
I agree with Selli,absolutely no more high value treats unless they are separated. For things like normal food,you can try the same room but with supervision and at opposite sides of the room. I have 2 Akitas, Mika who will be 6 in December and Kai who turned 3 in September and aside from Mika's occasional corrections never had an issue until I had given each a rawhide,one of the big ones and Mika finished first and decided she wanted Kai's,which he was not willing to give up and growled to let her know to back off,she went after him. I literally had to pull her out of the room by the waist/lower body and slam the door in her face to get them to stop snapping at each other,and it was scary. I kept her out of the room he was in until he was finished and both of them calmed down. For quite awhile we did not give them high value treats anywhere near each other but over time we were able with supervision and having either my husband or I physically between them give them things like that again and have had no further issues because each has learned that we will not let the other take what is theirs.hugwishes
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Opheila

It ain't over- till the fat- kitty sings		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 7:06pm PST 
You poor thing!!!! That must have been so scary. Sophie and Callie are both pits. Fortunately Callie is submissive to Sophie. She is bigger but he is stronger so I'm always hyper alert when they get rowdy even in play.

Sophie is pretty much a fraidy cat herself. But the only time she has made a definite statement of authority was over rawhide bones. They didn't fight because he immediately dropped his bone and walked to another room...he's good like that. Then Sophie tried to be a piggy and hoard both bones.

With them rawhide seems to be the only treat Sophie refuses to share. I found a compromise. It might not work with alot of dogs but I give Sophie a rawhide and Callie a treat Sophie doesn't like. He adores peanut butter spooned into a fillable bone, even more than rawhide. He's easygoing enough to lay there with his treat and Sophie chomps her rawhide.

Otherwise I would say go with what everyone else says and put yours in totally separate areas when they have treats that might cause conflict.
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Member Since
10/13/2007		 
 
Barked: Sun Nov 18, '12 7:22pm PST 
Thank you for your responses!

The bones have been taken away & will only be given back when the dogs are in their kennels.

I just wonder if it's because they are "new" bones that they behaved this way? We have had one of these bones kicking around for months and they would "share" it. So strange.

Anyway, lesson learned & will definitely be more careful in the future. It WAS terrifying - the tenacity of a pit bull in a dog fight is not something I care to see ever again.

Thanks!
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MIKA&KAI

Akita Pals- Always.
 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 19, '12 7:16am PST 
Mine have fortunately learned not to go near each other with new bones,which are certainly prized posessions but after about an hour or so curiosity gets the better of them and they will trade,the one on the floor will walk aroung the furthest point of the bed,and the one on the bed will jump down and let the other see what they have left.

I can only imagine how terrified you must have been.hug Trust me two sets of snapping Akita jaws is not a sight I wish to have a repeat of ever,knowing that they are in fact quite capable of major damage,and both beloved members of the family,that I had promised from day one to protect from harm. Akitas have a very strong bite,capable of breaking an adults arm when used full force,I by the way am only about the size of Kai,Mika isn't much smaller.
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Mika

blue/brown eyed- girl!		 
 
Barked: Mon Nov 19, '12 9:07am PST 
Mika snapped at my cat the other day.....they usually get along just fine and play together and everything, then i brought home a big juicy bone for her to chew on and when the cat so much as stepped foot in the kitchen, Mika snapped at her....not sure if she would have bit her or not......i would like to say not, but i only give her bones now when i am right there watching. It is scary! I'm glad you got them apart!!
It sounds like it may be a dominance issue, they could each be trying to show that they are the alpha, if thats the case you may see more of this behavior. Just try to be prepared as much as you can be and they will figure out who is alpha soon enough, i really hope for your sake the fighting doesn't happen again though cry
Good Luck!
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