[sscarew]

I previously posted but didn't get any responses so I'm trying again. I'm really in need of any advice, opinion or just talk. Here was previous post:

Just wondering if any of you out there with more than one dog in your pack have any trouble with fighting ??? We are having trouble with fights breaking out between Bailey and Ginger (Bailey is the alpha) and Ginger always comes up on the short end .... cause she's so much smaller. Tonight was a puncture wound to the ear ... first time for blood. If anyone else has experienced this, please let me know how you've dealt with it. Thanks for your time.

 

[snoopyminky]

Hi /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
I used to have two that fought. With my two it used to be over food- bones or dinner. So I had to feed them in seperate rooms and had to give bones a miss.

Do you know what triggers the fights between them? Is it over food or getting your attention etc...? Is one a lot older than the other? Sometimes when the top dog starts to age the younger one will sense that the leader of the pack is getting a bit weaker and challenge him/her more etc...

 

[sscarew]

Unfortunately, I don't know what the trigger is all the time. Last night, it was NOTHING. Ginger just came in from outside, walked around the kitchen island and Bailey just went after her! Previously, it was a toy, which I get but... it's so frustrating. We don't feed them together so it's definitely not food.

They are the exact same age. Different litters but born on same day. They are 1 1/2 years old now.

Did your situation ever get resolved? Or is it just a pack thing that we have to deal with?

Thanks!

 

[Gingergoose]

We have always had more than one dog at a time and except for the occasional snip, fighting was never an issue. All of ours were adult rescues.

My questions are: Have your two grown up together? Are they fixed?

I'm sorry to hear that you are all going through this...it makes it hard to enjoy the pups when you have to worry all of the time.

~Denise

 

[Karebru]

We're just a few weeks into bringing a second dog into the house. We're lucky that they do like each other, but just like human siblings... there are moments.
Your kitchen incident sounds familiar. Ours are always underfoot when one of us is cooking. (Hoping we will drop something. I guess.) Sparky (The new kid.) gets territorial about it and will snap at Sadie.
We too had to give up on giving them bones, or anything edible that doesn't get eaten immediately. Sparky decides he wants Sadie's instead of his. She doesn't care, and goes to get the one that he dropped. Then he decides he wants both.
They get feed in different rooms, then they run to each others bowls to see if anything was left.
I don't know if it's a dominance issue with our two. It doesn't seem like one or the other clearly wants to be the boss. Sadie has been an only child for two years, and Sparky (A rescue) came to us from a multi-dog foster home. I think he just feels like he has to stand up for himself to get his share, and it's not always about food. There's also the occasional, "This is my couch! Get away!"
On the other hand, we were just at the dog park, and I could swear, they were watching out for each other. If one was confronted by an overly "in-your-face" dog, the other one would go over as if to ask... "You doin' OK?"
They're resting up right now. Laying close together in the sun, out in the back yard.

The only advice I can give is, Love em both up, to the point where jealousy can't find a way in.
Keep tabs on play fighting, and stop it if it seems to be getting out of hand, and try to figure out what causes each spat, (Think like a dog.) and adjust your routine as much as you can to avoid it happening again.

Good Luck!

 

[Pegasus]

Im just curious, what are the age of your dogs and how old were they when you got one vs the other?

Amanda

 

[angelaH]

Our two are wonderful together, but hate other dogs. Ours are of course a male and female. If you have two females it might just be bad luck that they dont like females. However, it should be possible to get them to tolerate one another. If the kitchen seems to be the place they fight, then keep them both out of the kitchen. Only feed them apart and dont leave bowls down with any food in them. Treats should be fed directly, dont throw them for the hounds, if you see a fight starting, stop it. Hope you can sort it out.

 

[cobismom]

I have two boys, they are about three years apart.
Chipper is definitely the alpha and will prove it if tested, but he is very protective of Cobi my youngest beagle also. Chip is part basset, and Cobi is very, very muscular for a beagle. So when push comes to shove, which isn't very often, Chipper will give a low growl as a warning to "back off" and if Cobi is in a fiesty mood, they will go at it for about 10 seconds and then one or the other will back off. They are just like my kids in that respect, the younger is bigger and built stronger, but the older is the brains. I have no solutions, but I think anytime you have more than one, there is a option for dominance.

 

[sscarew]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

To answer some questions: we got them together when they were brand new pups .... they are from different litters but were born on the same day. So, they are 1 1/2 years old now, have both been spayed (I know, 2 females maybe not a good idea!).

We don't feed them together and have tried removing toys if they try to start going after the same thing. We started realizing today that perhaps Ginger is becoming more mature and could possibly be trying to overtake the alpha role, or at least not be pushed around. I think Bailey feels threatened by that. We have talked with a dog behaviorialist and are going to start obedience and confidence classes later this month.

I guess when there are 2 dogs in the house, there is always the possibility of fights .... it's just like everyone is walking on eggshells right now not knowing when the next fight is going to break out.!! Thanks again. Stay tuned. Hopefully our classes will help us understand them more and them each other! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[snoopyminky]

Sherri, my 2 dog problem never got resolved as such. Mum ended up taking on one of them ( mainly due to her severe seperation anxiety- not because of the fighting- I was working full time back then).

 

[Smeagle]

Quote:Originally posted by luvnbeagles:
Unfortunately, I don't know what the trigger is all the time. Last night, it was NOTHING. Ginger just came in from outside, walked around the kitchen island and Bailey just went after her! Previously, it was a toy, which I get but... it's so frustrating. We don't feed them together so it's definitely not food.

They are the exact same age. Different litters but born on same day. They are 1 1/2 years old now.

Did your situation ever get resolved? Or is it just a pack thing that we have to deal with?

Thanks!

Ok, first thing... it is never "nothing". The trigger could be one dog looking at another, or that Bailey sees the kitchen as her space and Ginger crossed the boundary line.

This is a really serious issue, and obviously as you know not acceptable. I have three dogs and no fighting is allowed because it is MY pack and I am the boss. When Bailey has a go at Ginger, give her a correction i.e. a strong "AH" or grab the scruff of his neck.

The behaviourist should be able to help you sort this out, I would start by examining your pack structure and rules. Obedience training will help with putting rules into place.

 

[Mom of 2 Beagles]

Sadie and Pooh are one day apart in age and are from different litters. We got them together as puppies. They have always wrestled and played together. They had one fight when they were little and one got a black eye and the other a scratch on the nose. Sometimes the wrestling matches sounded like they were really fighting, but they were just playing. I'm sure you know the difference. They don't do much wrestling anymore at age 7. They still chase each other and occasionally Sadie will growl at Pooh Bear if he does something she doesn't approve of.

Keep us posted.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Summer and Murphy have been together for over 5 years now. Murphy has learned not to steal Summer's food or treats or there will be retribution. Usually her growl is enough to let him know to back off. But there are times when they go at it. Blood has been shed. After the clean up they always make up.

All I can say is give them time to sort it out and break up the fights without getting bitten yourself. As it was said, love them both.

 

[martiknox]

Our two girls, Cecil and Brandy, are a little over 2 years old. Brandy is the alpha, but is fearful of things while Cecil is fearless. They have done rough play ever since we have had them. They do the chasing of one another and then there is the behavior I call gladiators. It sounds terrible, but rarely is it mean. When it gets to the mean part, we command them to stop and shake it off, which they do most of the time. Even in the gladiator play, it sounds really bad, but isn't. There are some ear nips, but other than than, no real damage. We try not to interfer as it is often trying to establish dominance. I disagree with those who think two girls is bad. Our girls love each other, but like human siblings, there will be fights of a sort and sometimes they just want their space.

 

[PFR]

I have 2 girls also, sister from the same litter, and just like Marti said, they are always chasing, biting and once in a while we have to clap our hands together to stop them, but they give you the look like "why'd you break up the fun" and start again.

Now we had a female lab who would actually fight with our other dog Mick. I think the fighting was more Alpha driven. Of course the lab weighted in at 95lbs and Mick was about 45lbs and the size of a bassett hound... They would get so mad at each other they actually would zone out. The lab would back off , but Mick wouldn't stop until they were seperated. Nothing that we could pin point would start the fight. They always ate in different rooms and given treats in different parts of the house? As the lab got older and so did Mick it did calm down, but we were always on the watch for it.

Good luck and hopefully in time things will calm down for you...

 

[beagletails]

Perhaps I have been lucky. We have several dogs at all times. Currently we have 4. Two are male and 2 are female. Only one male has been neutered. We do not have fights other than the normal play fighting.

Some strange, but important things to remember. Always eat your food before feeding your dogs. You are the ALPHA and the alpha always eat the best food first leaving what's left for the others.

Do not let your dogs sleep with you or on a bed. Again, you are the ALPHA which means you get the best bed.

These little things may seem silly but in dog language the little things say it all.

Good luck with your furry friends.

 

[Murphys Dad]

Quote:Originally posted by beagletails:
Some strange, but important things to remember. Always eat your food before feeding your dogs. You are the ALPHA and the alpha always eat the best food first leaving what's left for the others.

Do not let your dogs sleep with you or on a bed. Again, you are the ALPHA which means you get the best bed.

OOPS! Too late! :biglaugh:

 

[conniew]

When my two misbehave now, I shake the Bitter Apple Spray bottle. now that they have both gotten sprayed with it, all I have to do now is shake it and they straighten up. fast!! :hi: