fight broke out

[Shadow-Kodah-Drako]

when my 2 fight i get in middle of them grab their necks to pull apart while i'm shouting to stop, i think it's either i will get a few cuts or the dogs will kill each other if i leave them alone but thats me my dogs know who is boss in our house

[Bec]

Personally there is NO WAY I'd run them together or leave them to "sort it out for themselves!"

Do you know how many people leave their dogs to fight amongst themselves and it makes it progressively worse? Separate them for your sake and theirs. I wouldn't tolerate having dogs fighting in my house, there is no need whatsoever to run them together especially when one is a foster and is only there temporarily anyway.

They aren't trying to protect you or any such rubbish, they could be resource guarding or a number of other reasons. Aim to prevent fights from happening, they will get worse the more frequent they are.

[Andy]

Ahhh yeah didnt think of that, I just remember remember reading it somewhere

LOL yeah, when my two started kicking off (and after getting bit myself) we tried lots of techniques.

Throwing / squirting water. . . nope no effect.

Air horn. . haven't tried it, but it belongs to the sudden shock / disrupting the behaviour idea.

Pulling apart with back legs, yep as long as there are two people and you have to try to get in position

AND be able to grab hold of two animals that are thrashing around.

NEVER grab a dog by the collar. They are angry and in the middle of a fight they assume it's another attack coming from behind

they snap turn their head and bite YOU before they realise it IS you.

Our technique of leaving the room has worked 99% of the time.

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

Personally there is NO WAY I'd run them together or leave them to "sort it out for themselves!"

Do you know how many people leave their dogs to fight amongst themselves and it makes it progressively worse? Separate them for your sake and theirs. I wouldn't tolerate having dogs fighting in my house, there is no need whatsoever to run them together especially when one is a foster and is only there temporarily anyway.

They aren't trying to protect you or any such rubbish, they could be resource guarding or a number of other reasons. Aim to prevent fights from happening, they will get worse the more frequent they are.

so what keep them seperate all the time?? she is a foster but will be here for a while we are talking months

[Bec]

so what keep them seperate all the time?? she is a foster but will be here for a while we are talking months

At the very least initially! Isn't separating them for now better than you having the stress that comes with running them together? I know which I'd prefer. Preventing future fights from happening should be your priority and the easiest and safest way to do this is to separate them. Besides which, I wouldn't run a new puppy or dog in my household with my other dogs anyway.

Are your dogs crate trained?

[Staceybob]

I'd speak to a professional before discussing any form of "letting them get on with it".

Leaving them to get on with it is dangerous for them, you and your kids.

Stacey xxx

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

At the very least initially! Isn't separating them for now better than you having the stress that comes with running them together? I know which I'd prefer. Preventing future fights from happening should be your priority and the easiest and safest way to do this is to separate them. Besides which, I wouldn't run a new puppy or dog in my household with my other dogs anyway.

Are your dogs crate trained?

yes they are and we are training the other one too but its not fair on them all to be crated all the time

[Marley & Lumikkis Mummy]

Personally there is NO WAY I'd run them together or leave them to "sort it out for themselves!"

Do you know how many people leave their dogs to fight amongst themselves and it makes it progressively worse? Separate them for your sake and theirs. I wouldn't tolerate having dogs fighting in my house, there is no need whatsoever to run them together especially when one is a foster and is only there temporarily anyway.

They aren't trying to protect you or any such rubbish, they could be resource guarding or a number of other reasons. Aim to prevent fights from happening, they will get worse the more frequent they are.

I think its pretty rude to call another members advice rubbish IMO

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

I'd speak to a professional before discussing any form of "letting them get on with it".

Leaving them to get on with it is dangerous for them, you and your kids.

Stacey xxx

I wouldnt leave them to get on with it anyways and everyone is just giving advice that has worked for them so please dont critisise their advice.

SInce this isnt my dog we definetly cant afford to pay any sort of professional for advice. bottom line if they cant get on she has to go.

[Luna's Mum]

Firstly, are you okay? Dog bites can be very ragged, make sure you get them cleaned up properly. I would be terrified if Luna got into a fight like that so I completely understand how you feel.

Someone once told me that male vs female fighting is usually just hierachy & stops after a while but female vs female can fight to the death so I don't feel you should leave them to resolve it. If someone can walk with you then take the two of them out and see if they'll walk together without Storm around. If they are fighting over him then I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest.

At the end of the day a foster dog is with you to be assessed, and I think its fair to say she cannot be rehomed with another female.

Big hugs sweetheart, it must've been terrifying xxx

[Staceybob]

I wouldnt leave them to get on with it anyways and everyone is just giving advice that has worked for them so please dont critisise their advice.

SInce this isnt my dog we definetly cant afford to pay any sort of professional for advice. bottom line if they cant get on she has to go.

I am in no way critising other peoples advice Louise I am just showing care for you, yours dogs and your kids which at the end of the day, is what needs to be put first.

Stacey xxx

[Marley & Lumikkis Mummy]

I wouldnt leave them to get on with it anyways and everyone is just giving advice that has worked for them so please dont critisise their advice.

SInce this isnt my dog we definetly cant afford to pay any sort of professional for advice. bottom line if they cant get on she has to go.

Louise please dont take this the wrong way but didnt you do this before, the dog was growling at your dogs and the kids and it had to leave, now your saying the same about another foster. I think you either need to realise that this is going to happen probably 70% or more of the time with a foster (as with all new dogs to a pack who are finding their pack ranking) and deal with it, or you need to knock fostering on the head hun. Please dont take that the wrong way because I dont mean to be harsh but you cant keep just getting fosters for a day or two then saying they have to go when a fight breaks out ! x

[Bec]

yes they are and we are training the other one too but its not fair on them all to be crated all the time

It's not fair on them to be fighting all the time either or being stressed around each other. I didn't say you have to crate them all the time, but I would not be letting them have free run of the house especially not together. You need to make the rules stricter, if they come in the house it's a privilege and when they do come in they go into their crates. Have the crates near each other so they can be used to being around each other but not in a confrontational way. Management is your best bet for now.

I think its pretty rude to call another members advice rubbish IMO

I wasn't referring to any one's advice specifically, just the general idea that the dogs are fighting because one is trying to protect the owner. I would have quoted a poster had I been referring to someone specifically.

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

Firstly, are you okay? Dog bites can be very ragged, make sure you get them cleaned up properly. I would be terrified if Luna got into a fight like that so I completely understand how you feel.

Someone once told me that male vs female fighting is usually just hierachy & stops after a while but female vs female can fight to the death so I don't feel you should leave them to resolve it. If someone can walk with you then take the two of them out and see if they'll walk together without Storm around. If they are fighting over him then I'm afraid I don't know what to suggest.

At the end of the day a foster dog is with you to be assessed, and I think its fair to say she cannot be rehomed with another female.

Big hugs sweetheart, it must've been terrifying xxx

the one on my left hand is very neat two teeth barely broke the skin but bruised it and bleeding under the skin.

my finger on my right hand has a bit of loose skin and is a bit weepy.

there is also a bruise and a canine ( i presume) hole on my kneecap.

she isnt that sort of foster she is a foster while her mum gets a new home sorted for them both.

i cant take all 3 out and alex isnt home till 4:30.

they have been ok a few tiny scraps but nothing major this is the first proper scrap.

and thanks you seem to be the only one who understands how scary it was and how I dont want to leave them alone to fight. Mishka isnt mine, but Angel is my baby and im not going to leave her to some to harm. Thanks to me stepping in neither dog was hurt, I was but meh I can deal with that I spose. xx

[Andy]

Personally there is NO WAY I'd run them together or leave them to "sort it out for themselves!"

Do you know how many people leave their dogs to fight amongst themselves and it makes it progressively worse? Separate them for your sake and theirs. I wouldn't tolerate having dogs fighting in my house, there is no need whatsoever to run them together especially when one is a foster and is only there temporarily anyway.

They aren't trying to protect you or any such rubbish, they could be resource guarding or a number of other reasons. Aim to prevent fights from happening, they will get worse the more frequent they are.

My guys NEVER fight when we are not there.

So they are NOT fighting over food or toys. (resource guarding)

It doesn't happen at meal times or when we are eating.

It doesn't happen when we are playing with them with or without toys

or when they are playing with toys.

They all apparently calm, then Echo will simply "launch" across the room into Darwin.

I can only speak from experience.

My responses are based on this experience and not on ideas or theories.

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

It's not fair on them to be fighting all the time either or being stressed around each other. I didn't say you have to crate them all the time, but I would not be letting them have free run of the house especially not together. You need to make the rules stricter, if they come in the house it's a privilege and when they do come in they go into their crates. Have the crates near each other so they can be used to being around each other but not in a confrontational way. Management is your best bet for now.

.

I dont have outside dog runs etc like some people have. I dont leave my dogs outside on their own. they cant go near eachother in their crates. they protect their territory.

I am in no way critising other peoples advice Louise I am just showing care for you, yours dogs and your kids which at the end of the day, is what needs to be put first.

Stacey xxx

I know Stacey, I know. thankyou.x

Louise please dont take this the wrong way but didnt you do this before, the dog was growling at your dogs and the kids and it had to leave, now your saying the same about another foster. I think you either need to realise that this is going to happen probably 70% or more of the time with a foster (as with all new dogs to a pack who are finding their pack ranking) and deal with it, or you need to knock fostering on the head hun. Please dont take that the wrong way because I dont mean to be harsh but you cant keep just getting fosters for a day or two then saying they have to go when a fight breaks out ! x

this is a different foster it isnt with a rescue.

I know but as stacey says my dogs and kids have to come first.

I didnt say I was giving up now and we will try for as long as we can but eventually it may have to come to that.

Everyone has different opinions on training and fighting I merely posted here as I was frightened and shaken. I was so bad I had a asthma attack. I just needed some friendly words.

[Bec]

My guys NEVER fight when we are not there.

So they are NOT fighting over food or toys. (resource guarding)

It doesn't happen at meal times or when we are eating.

It doesn't happen when we are playing with them with or without toys

or when they are playing with toys.

They all apparently calm, then Echo will simply "launch" across the room into Darwin.

I can only speak from experience.

My responses are based on this experience and not on ideas or theories.

Dogs can and do resource guard their owners, we see it all the time. Food and toys are not the only resources dogs value. Not saying that is what is causing the fighting in your household or in the OP's, just saying that can be a cause.

Why the insinuation that I'm not posting from experience? I am an obedience instructor and I run classes every week, dogs from all backgrounds, breeds, sizes, temperaments and upbringings etc and I work for a company that runs the one of the biggest dog behaviour consultancies in the country. But of course that's all just ideas and theories

[mike_p]

Thanks to me stepping in neither dog was hurt, I was but meh I can deal with that I spose

NHS is free! Vets are expensive!

[Bec]

this is a different foster it isnt with a rescue.

I know but as stacey says my dogs and kids have to come first.

I didnt say I was giving up now and we will try for as long as we can but eventually it may have to come to that.

Everyone has different opinions on training and fighting I merely posted here as I was frightened and shaken. I was so bad I had a asthma attack. I just needed some friendly words.

I understand what it is like when dogs fight, it's stressful and upsetting and awful - hence why the advice I've given is about minimizing the risk of it happening again so you and your dogs don't have to go through that stress.

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

I understand what it is like when dogs fight, it's stressful and upsetting and awful - hence why the advice I've given is about minimizing the risk of it happening again so you and your dogs don't have to go through that stress.

yes I know Bec thankyou. I think for today at least I will keep them apart till alex is at home with me.

[yamahar6wme]

Hey I agree with most advice given as I have tried all myself. When we first got zero last year they got on brilliantly then a short while later they started fighting over nothing not food not us just over no reason it would normally be my female that would start it they would be lying down and all of a sudden full on fight and I would never brake them up due to A being scared of being bitten and B normally being on my own with my kids and if anything happened to me the kids would be on their own its hard just to watch bang on windows make as much noise as possible to distract them buy a whisle that normally work with mine they got that bad at fighting I actually considered selling Zero as Sky was here first. One time I was in the garden cleaning footpath my children watching me in concervertory with the dogs when all of a sudden for no reason a bad fight broke out my son ran out the room into the living room but sadly my daughter got caught in the fight and got bitten it looked bad and i panicked as i hate blood and it was bleading badly so couldnt see the bite i phoned 999 and when they got here cleaned the bite up it was a tiny whole just where it was made it bleed more i thought i was going to kill the dogs but it made me realize they stoppped fighting as soon as they bit her as if they new they had done wrong and the paramedic said if they intended to bite her they wouldnt have stopped or let go of her hand. They barely fight now sky still snaps at him every now and then not very often. I think they are fighting for teretory of the house you have brought a new dog in and might be fighting for your attention sky and zero cant be seperated now but you wouldnt think that earlier this year it just takes time. Try the whisle or noice it will distract them.

[Marley & Lumikkis Mummy]

I dont have outside dog runs etc like some people have. I dont leave my dogs outside on their own. they cant go near eachother in their crates. they protect their territory.

I know Stacey, I know. thankyou.x

this is a different foster it isnt with a rescue.

I know but as stacey says my dogs and kids have to come first.

I didnt say I was giving up now and we will try for as long as we can but eventually it may have to come to that.

Everyone has different opinions on training and fighting I merely posted here as I was frightened and shaken. I was so bad I had a asthma attack. I just needed some friendly words.

I know its not with a rescue but its still the same, you are fostering so you need too deal with problems that arise. It would be the same no matter where the dog came from. I also know the need to protect your children, I did the same when Rosie went back but I didnt then go out and get another, I was very wary of another dog and thats why in the edn my decision was made to get another puppy. I think if you dont want fighting ect.... around your dogs and kids them in my honest opinion, fostering isnt for you, no matter how much you want to help out because I feel in more case than not you are going to get fighting/growling or whatever.

[Luna's Mum]

the one on my left hand is very neat two teeth barely broke the skin but bruised it and bleeding under the skin.

my finger on my right hand has a bit of loose skin and is a bit weepy.

there is also a bruise and a canine ( i presume) hole on my kneecap.

she isnt that sort of foster she is a foster while her mum gets a new home sorted for them both.

i cant take all 3 out and alex isnt home till 4:30.

they have been ok a few tiny scraps but nothing major this is the first proper scrap.

and thanks you seem to be the only one who understands how scary it was and how I dont want to leave them alone to fight. Mishka isnt mine, but Angel is my baby and im not going to leave her to some to harm. Thanks to me stepping in neither dog was hurt, I was but meh I can deal with that I spose. xx

Let Mishka's mum know what has happened & that you're not 100% happy with the situation because if they have another scrap & there's kiddies in the room you just dont want the worry!! Is she looking for a new home for herself & Mishka? She needs to look a bit faster.

Take care hun, as far as I'm concerned my family comes first & no matter how much I wanted to help if someone did harm to my family I'm not sure how I'd cope having them in my house. Also, don't feel obliged to keep fostering Mishka, sometimes these things just don't work out & don't feel like you have to "soldier" on just because other people tell you to. If you're not happy & don't feel its right then ask Mishka's mum to make other arrangements.

Big love hun xx

[Andy]

They aren't trying to protect you or any such rubbish,

Dogs can and do resource guard their owners, we see it all the time. Food and toys are not the only resources dogs value.

I work for a company that runs the one of the biggest dog behaviour consultancies in the country;)

When you contradict yourself, it doesn't help.

While you have given much valuable advice to members in the past.

In this case I'm going to have to disagree with you.

[Storm Angel n Auroras Mum]

I know its not with a rescue but its still the same, you are fostering so you need too deal with problems that arise. It would be the same no matter where the dog came from. I also know the need to protect your children, I did the same when Rosie went back but I didnt then go out and get another, I was very wary of another dog and thats why in the edn my decision was made to get another puppy. I think if you dont want fighting ect.... around your dogs and kids them in my honest opinion, fostering isnt for you, no matter how much you want to help out because I feel in more case than not you are going to get fighting/growling or whatever.

yes I know and believe me if this doesnt work then this will be the last time