HELP!

My sons female dog and my female dog are not getting along.

Have you ever seen two dogs fight? It is the most awful thing to witness, I start to cry when it happens, I really lose it.

It's weird though, they can be standing side by side, happy and go lucky and the next minute, going at each other. They have drawn blood on several occasions. It just makes me sick to watch.

I think it's a female bitchy thing. They are both territorial with the house and us. My female Basset Hound has learned to jump on her bed on the couch and stay there until my sons dog retires for the night. She's finally getting smart. I'm hoping when my son comes here in another month or so, things will calm down. His dog is really attached to him and misses him, so she might be acting out.



This is my 13 year old dog, Leo, he just tries to stay out of everyone's way. He is only interested in his treats, lol. If you notice his nose, it's all crusty. He has lupus, poor guy.


Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do to get the other two to get along??

10:06 PM - 10/7/2008 - Postacomment

Aww... Such cute pics !

I'm not sure what the solution may be at this point aside from keeping them apart as best you can...

I may have to research this, being a cat guy.

Molly & Jango very rarely go at it for real, and that is ONLY when another cat walks by outside my screen door and one or both of them see it...

Jango is ALWAYS the one who starts it, so maybe it's a male thing ?

Cam - 10:39 PM - 10/7/2008

You can use pheromones from the vets but I am not sure they work too well. Two females can get along but this is a pecking order being established at the moment. You losing it won't help however, because is instills in YOUR dogs mind that she needs to protect you from the other dog.

So try to remain calm and use a cup and splash cold water on them when they start.
And keep them apart when you can and DON'T feed them together whatever you do.
If you have any more questions or concerns message me Laurie.

indigomoonarts - 10:51 PM - 10/7/2008

Cam--No, they're both female. Sigh, that's what I'm doing, trying to keep them apart, WHICH TOTALLY SUCKS!

LauriesAsylum - 10:51 PM - 10/7/2008

Jana--I know I make it worse, because I cry and scream for them to stop. It just upsets me so..:(

The cold water is a good idea, I might try that!

I never, ever feed them together! If I give each of them a rawhide bone, they will try and take the bones away from each other, (which starts another fight) so I stopped that.

LauriesAsylum - 10:59 PM - 10/7/2008

I just had a brilliant idea...

Since they are girls who constantly fight, you could have a REALITY SHOW and make a ton of money !

haha...

Cam - 6:19 AM - 10/8/2008

How terrible for your dog, that's her house and your son's dog is the intruder. Like you said it might get better when he gets there.
Our daughter, granddaughter and their big black cat got moved in with us. Will probably be here about a year.So I'm taking Audrey to and from school. Quite a change for me, most mornings I wouldn't even get dressed until around 9:30.

Patty - 7:27 AM - 10/8/2008

Haha Cam.....:D

Laurie, I never had two pets of the same gender so I have no idea what to do. I hope things will calm down once Shaylind gets there too...:(

lisalisabobisa - 7:38 AM - 10/8/2008

I understand how that would make you upset. Dogs fighting is a horrible sound and there isn't much you can do to make them stop - aside from the cold water. We had two female dogs and there was a definite pecking order. As long as the younger one respected the older one, all was well.

kinnigurl - 8:43 AM - 10/8/2008

Definitely sounds like an alpha thing. They are trying to establish who is alpha. Your dog is beginning to see that she is not alpha by retreating to her bed. It may settle down. I agree with Cam you will need to keep them apart as much as you can.
My goldens are both female but one is definite alpha the other is submissive. I think it is because Lexus was 5 yrs. old when we brought Mercedes home as a puppy. Lexus took on a momma roll with Mercedes. They are best buds. BUT if Mercedes was older when we brought her home I have a feeling we may have been in the same situation as you.

Nikkie - 8:44 AM - 10/8/2008

Cam---Silly boy...

LauriesAsylum - 7:36 PM - 10/8/2008

Patty--Oh wow, you're in the same situation as I with kids moving back in, lol. How is that working out?

LauriesAsylum - 7:37 PM - 10/8/2008

Lisa--I hope so too! It's too much stress...

LauriesAsylum - 7:38 PM - 10/8/2008

Laurie---My dog is starting to figure out if she just stays out of from my sons dogs way, she won't get hurt, lol.

LauriesAsylum - 7:39 PM - 10/8/2008

Nikki--My sons dog is much more aggressive, so my dog is just trying to stay out of her way. She's smarter than I thought she was, lol.

LauriesAsylum - 7:40 PM - 10/8/2008

We have two cats (both females) who don't get along. But one is 15 years older than the other and has been here all along. The older one does all the hissing.

It's tough with your son's dog moving in. Yeah. Bitchy.

drdog - 6:50 PM - 10/9/2008

I had this problem several times when I did doggie day care. Like Jana says, it will just take time for them to work it out on their own....just don;t stick yourself in the middle of it...I still have scars on my arm from the first battle I tried to break up and got bit from.

I found a can (small coffee can) with pennies in it works pretty good to get them to stop fighting. When the first growl would come out I would give the can a quick shake. The loud noise would startle the dogs into stopping, then I would take the smallest away and put it in another part of the house (I picked the smallest because it was easier to pick up and remove from the fight)

I hope they start to figure it out on their own. I know how horrible it sounds and looks to see them fight.

littleMissConfused - 5:11 PM - 10/10/2008

In my experience..with dogs. I once bred Boxers. And if two dogs of the same sex did not grow up together , they are gonna fight for the territory. And that's sad for your dog, :( . I hope it works out , the fights may slack off, but they will butt heads every now and then. If it's only over a crumb. I know that's hard for you ....and your dog. Oh and quit trying to take that older lady's man. haha !!

windy - 1:30 AM - 10/11/2008

Oh and , do try to remain calm. If you get upset it will only make them more tense.~hugz~ love u

windy - 1:32 AM - 10/11/2008

Peter--Yep, bitchy is right. My husband brought up the idea to get another puppy for them to center their attention on. I told him he better find another place to live..

LauriesAsylum - 6:50 PM - 10/14/2008

LMC--That can idea, I Iike!

I have tried banging things against the counter and they will stop and look at me, so maybe I'll start loading up on pennies tonight, lol.

LauriesAsylum - 6:52 PM - 10/14/2008

Windy--I know, but it's hard not to get upset! It's just the ugliest thing to watch and they always draw blood..:(:(

Haha, the lady told me I better not ever show up wearing a skirt or short shorts..:)

LauriesAsylum - 6:53 PM - 10/14/2008

I wonder if one of those fancy turbo-uzi squirt guns would work ?

That would at least make it fun-ish !

haha...

Cam - 6:57 PM - 10/14/2008

Cam--LOL, now that would be fun!

But, they might not like me anymore..:(

LauriesAsylum - 8:10 PM - 10/14/2008

aww, poor lady !! But it's sorta sweet too. lol :) To be jealous at that age.

windy - 3:50 AM - 10/15/2008

Well hey, hey , hey my Laurie-doo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long time and I've truly missed you!! And I do mean that!

Your doggie fighting post reminds me of me and my first wife at the end of our marriage....hardy-har.

Basset Hounds with their close proximity to the ground and stubby little legs have a unique advantage over bigger dogs in many cases in that they can jump up and grab the larger dog by the throat and bring them down.
Years ago our up-the-street neighbors had a Basset Hound, (Charlie), that used to come down to visit and play with our Collie, (Countess). The family that lived behind us had two very large Irish Setters, one of which was always very aggressive toward Charlie when he came around.
One day when Charlie came down to play with Countess the setters got loose and naturally the aggressive one went straight for Charlie and they got into it worse then I'd ever seen....and you're right, it's not fun to watch, or even hear for that matter, (and, it's very dangerous to try and get in the middle).

Well, as I tried to find a good stick or board or something to try and get it in the middle and break it up, Charlie went right for the setters throat, got a full lock on it, and brought this big dog down to the ground and would not let go. The setter started to yelp like, "Ok, I give, uncle, I give!" Charlie finally let him go and the setter ran off yelping like a whooped sissy. After that....that setter never tried to break out of his back yard again when Charlie was around, true story and I just had to share..LOL

Ok....I guess I'm done, and no, I don't have any great advice for ya. Except maybe to separate them if it looks like one is fixin' to encroach on the others territory.
Oh wow....words of great wisdom there huh?

Rubicon - 11:07 AM - 10/15/2008

Michael---Wow, that's exactly what my Basset Hound does with my Golden Retriever! If he is bugging her, she'll jump up and grab him by the neck and hold on for a minute. She'll finally let him go and he takes off. She doesn't bite him, just latches on to let him know she's had enough. It's funny to watch, because he'll hold perfectly still until she lets go!

PS.. I was worried when you were gone sooooo long!

LauriesAsylum - 2:03 PM - 10/19/2008

Ohhh honey.....I'm sorry to have worried you so! Another shame on me for not posting before I left. You have my solid pledge and promise that I'll never let that happen again!!!!

Rubicon - 11:23 PM - 10/23/2008

Windy--I know, can you imagine being jealous in your 90's?

LauriesAsylum - 5:04 PM - 10/24/2008

Michael--I will hold you to that promise..:)

LauriesAsylum - 5:05 PM - 10/24/2008