Family dogs starting to be aggressive with each other???

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I don't have any advice to offer i'm sorry...

but welcmoe to Pet Talk...

I'm sure you will get some good advice here!

[BOBS DAD]

Not sure what to do exactly either, but I can add that it is generally not a good idea to step in between two dogs feverishly going at it. Use a broom or some extension of you hands to separate them as when they are in fight mode, they are usually indesciminate about what/who they bite.

My dogs are doing the same thing. But mine are much smaller. You don't know us (PTrs ) yet, but my Bob is a Terrier and a Terror. He is also Mentally Unstable (Not Really). He is always picking fights and will not back down. Trouble is Ginger will only take so much and then she tears into Bob. They seem to go in waves. I did notice that they have been good for a long time. And then my wife brought Pig Ears home from the Petstore. This seems to set Bob off. He thinks he owns all Pig Ears in the World. He can have 10 himself and he will want the 11th Ginger has.

As long as the Pig Ears are around - not even in sight or in use - he is in the bullying stage, and is always looking around guardedly. If I go to pet Ginger, he comes flying over.

We got rid of the Pig Ears and it has been a couple of days. Bob is starting to realize that they are no where to be found and ironically, he is starting to calm down and letting his guard down.

So, maybe if you have anything that could be considered "private property" by any of the two - deny them both it and establish yourself as "the one and only ALPHA".

[LilacDragon]

Seperate them now and forever.

Having two bitches so close in age is not a good thing - as a general rule of thumb. Since you are starting to have "problems", chances are that you will not be able to get them to peacefully cohabitate any longer. They need to be seperated. You might be able to get away with having them loose together when you are present to stop any issues that might come up - but you MUST be vigilant and be instantly on any growling, posturing or "hard" looks.

I wouldn't in a million years leave these girls loose together when you are not home or unable to pay attention to them.

Please be aware - bitch fights can be DEADLY. The chances of your problem getting worse instead of better are about 100%.

Sorry I couldn't give you better news.

[Karen]

You need to start right now and establish that neither of them is alpha - YOU are! Keep a spray bottle of water handy, if that will distract them from fighting, use it. When they start squabbling, redirect their attention to you, and away from each other. The bulldog may have no cepncept that she is not as big as the Dobe - some smaller dogs never do understand that!

This is not an unsurmountable problem, but it will be work for the humans in the family.

[caseysmom]

You need to start right now and establish that neither of them is alpha - YOU are!

That is exactly what I was thinking Karen.

[tavshoti]

I'll try the water bottle when they start. I do use a broom handle at this point to pry them off each other. As I mentioned, the dobe backs down fairly fast...but the bulldog is strong and lunges until you completely remove her from the situation. Usually my husband grabs the bully and I grab the doberman. I had no idea that having two females of the same age would cause issues, we always had two females growing up (two sets that is). Never a problem. I don't want to re-home one, so I guess seperation is the best idea unless we are home and in the same area. They don't fight if we are in the same location as they are...but they do posture, give the hard looks, etc. Usually it is the bully that does that and starts growling. So hard because the bully rolls right over when we reach down to pet her...not an aggressive bone in her towards humans. I use to worry that my doberman would be the aggressive dog...but she isn't unless she is at witts end.

Thanks for all the suggestions...looking forward to reading all you folks can provide!!!

Deborah