Sad but best

[Chewbacca_&_me]

Well sad as I am to admit this, I am now about to rehome Solo. The boys got in a wicked fight today, and had I not intervened just

in the nik of time, Chewy may well have hurt Solo, as he decided to fight back. Fortunately, One word from me stopped the fight...

but I am now too afraid to keep Solo because had I not stopped the fight and seperated them the possibility exists that chewy

could easily have killed Solo. For his safety I have found him a new home.

Honestly I thought they would be ok as the last few days they have been very relaxed, but then Solo started the fight today. It was

teeth bared and growling fiercly. I had been talking to a good friend of mine in denver who is a behaviorist and trainer and I did all

that she said I should...but as she said sometimes some males are just not happy with other males...

I really dont like having to find solo a new home, it just seems like the best thing to do. I hope you all wont think badly of me for this

decision.

[Ashley Osburn]

well only you would know best for solo. good to know there are owners out there with brains still.

[Sarah]

Oh Erika i'm so sorry

What started the fight? Was it over food or a toy?

[Marc]

I really dont like having to find solo a new home, it just seems like the best thing to do. I hope you all wont think badly of me for this

decision.

Why would anyone thing badly of you? ..... You've done the right thing in finding a new home and making sure that both of them are safe. Hard decision to have to make, and good that you've managed to sort a good home for Solo

[Dunc]

Like Ashley said only you know whats best,All the best for Solo............

[Bec]

It sounds like you made the best decision for all of you.

What is Chewy normally like with other dogs?

[SarahNukka&Shadow]

Oh Erika! What a hard desicion to have to make and of course we dont think badly of you! BUT didnt you say you thought it might be because Solo is entire and Chewys been fixed? In which case it might get better after Solo gets fixed too? Sorry to bring up things that might make the desicion harder but couldnt you find out how early Solo could be fixed and see if that makes a difference??

[jules dief taz tor]

deif n taz r a bit like that , they can pull chunks out of each other , they r both still entire and are now 16 months old , but if we rehomed them cause of a fight wed have no doggies left cause tori can be an utter trout as well and shes female. do what you think is right for the dogs but it maybe worth considering what sarah says and get solo fixed xxxxxxxxxxx good luck xxx <3

[Guest snowdog]

no one will think bad of you chick, after all were here to support on another and thats what well do, i wish you all the best, im not going to have any of mine spayed/neuterd the boys or my girl, as i have made precautions so that when neeko is on heat she will be safe from the lads, big iron gates and 7ft fencing, also when shes on heat ill think about keeping her ndoors n boys out when i cant be there as i know what madness they go through in the crucial stages of heat cycles, but i have heard it calms them, maybe this is why chewy was so laid back in first stages and solomay be pushin it to establish whos gunna rank where maybe, im not sure but anyhow chick i wish you all the best and rest assured no one is judging you here just wishing you all the best xx

[karly_larkin]

Erika only you know what is best for both of your dogs and your self.

At least they both stopped fighting with one word from you, it could just be because chewy is fixed and solo is not and because of this solo is trying to be the boss and chewy is not having any of it because he older. Male dogs that have not been fixed try dominate the male dogs that have been fixed no matter what the age.

I know how you feel hun fihgts scare the living s**t out of you. As you know we have got a foster male husky in at the min and before christmas he was starting fights with bear that would end up with bear and kato fighting, the first 3 fights was not that bad they did stop when they got shouted at but the 4th and last fight that was a bad one diesel our foster dog started on bear again and becuase bear got the better of diesel (no blood) kato stated on bear so bear had kato and diesel on him and they would not stop when we shouted at them, to make it worse they was fighting in the kitchen and the sunday lunch was on the cooker, i got diesel out of the kitchen but bear and kato still would not stop fighting to stop the fight i had to grab bear and martin had to grab kato. Diesel got put in the livingroom, bear got put in the kitchen and kato got put outside, this time we had blood bear had a cut on is paw, on his head and in his ear, kato had a cut on both is front paws. After i cleaned them both up it was not as bad as it looked bear and kato was alright with each other after about 5 min.

Since the last fight we have not had anymore diesel has snapped at bear for nothing but no fight's have started since.

After the last fight i said to martin thats it your going to have to get them to find another foster home for desiel i can not cope with this anymore, i got the no it's just something else we have got to work on with him and all the hard work we have put in with him will go down the toilet. So diesel is still here and no fights and we are still working with diesel and he will be ready to go to his new forever home very soon.

At the end of the day hun only you know what is best for dogs good luck hun

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

*hugs* Erika what a tough decision it must ov bin for u if u feel thats whats best for solo then u have 2 go with that instinct please dont think any1 here will think bad ov u atleast u took the time and effort 2 find him a new home rather than just stick him in the pound or something

[siberian_wolf]

Erika, no one here should think badly of you, if anything you need our support to help you overcome this and put it in the past.

I was told by our behaviourist, also, that sometimes some dogs just wont get along together no matter what you do, and our behaviourist had been through the same situation and now has a split pack because she didn't want to rehome them and she has the space to make it possible to have the two packs separated. When I was told this I got worried that I would have to let Marley or Gizmo go but luckily the fights between them was for leadership where there wasnt a leader in the house, luckily I should hope there is a leader now (me) as we havent had and fight like that since (had a few over toys but thats it) and also now if a fight breaks out I know how to handle it.

I respect your decision and if you need support please give us a shout, we are here for you.

Best of luck finding a new home for Solo and best of luck to you and chewy for the future. xxx

[Val (Zebedee)]

aw, Erika, I'm sorry to be reading this, after all you went through to get him, too .... but I agree with everyone here, you know your dogs & what is best for them & I'm 100% behind your decision, how could anyone think badly of you? You've done what is best for your dogs. Whether the issue is Solo being fixed or not, you won't know if that is a reason until he's done & can you put up with walking on eggshells in case of another flare up until he is done?

We're all here for you & will lend an ear if you need to rant, yell, seethe or scream! Good luck with everything, hun, xxxx

[KERNOWHUSKIES]

Erika im soo sorry i know this must be 1 of the hardest thing 4 u 2 do n as im sure 4 the rest of us. But for us to think badly of u NO WAY. Ur a lovely person n a good sibe owner so i know ur decision hasnt come lightly. U have 2 think of everyones safety so if that means u have 2 remove from ur pack then so be it.

I hope it all works out for u.

Big hugs xx

[Chewbacca_&_me]

Well, it is a very difficult decision. I was feeling conflicted even after talking to the lady who wants to take him.

I have talked about it at length with my hubby and he says I can hire another trainer or do what ever I have to

but that he thinks we should give it more time because our family loves solo, and we would all be heartbroken.

He has agreed to a trainer and I think I will call the vets today and set a neuter appointment. At this point, Im

really feeling like Ive got to keep my fingers and toes crossed, but its not about money or whatnot for me, I

just want them both to be happy and safe.

As far as I can tell they were fighting for no reason last night, they have demolished all the toys and bones from

xmas, and had both eaten within an hour before the fight.

As far as i could tell solo just decided to start roughing chewy up and then they went to fighting in seconds.

Anyway, my husband says we try one more time, and try a diff kind of trainer, and eventhough I think he is a bit

young to get fixed yet, Ill do it knowing it will help them both.

Yall probably already know this...im not ever in it for money, I really love my dogs. Im glad my hubby told me to try

again because I also just spent $249.00 on dog and cat stuff yesterday...mostly dog stuff, and if you include food it

was like $320.00, lol.

Please if you have any reasonable ideas to keep them both comfortable til I hire the trainer, and til solo gets fixed...

let me know im all ears and Ive tried everything i know and been through 1 trainer already.

[Chewbacca_&_me]

To bec. You asked me about chewy.

To be honest, chewy is usually very calm with other dogs of either sex. Last time at the park there was a particular female that

chewy kept trying to hump but im guessing she was unfixed and likely coming up on her first heat. Other than that, hes usually

a very relaxed outgoing kinda guy. Hes turned out to have the more laid back malamute kind of temperment.

Yesterday was the first time that chewy decided to get mean back at solo. Usually, chewy just gets solo's tail or grabs an ear

or leg and lets solo bounce around for a second and then lets go, in the funny "hey you stop it" kind of way. If I had not had

to back chewy off yesterday, I would not really be too worried, but please keep in mind that solo is maybe 22 pounds at most

and chewy is 70 pounds maybe slightly more. a real fight with chewy fighting back is truly scary and dangerous. Its not really

the same as having a 3 and 6 or 6 and 9 month old huskies together who are closer in age and weight.

Today I will just start by keeping solo in the crate as hes still training anyway, and letting chewy rest and stuff.

[karly_larkin]

I bet your happy your hubby said give it one more with solo.

good luck with finding a new trianer.

[siberian_wolf]

As far as I can tell they were fighting for no reason last night, they have demolished all the toys and bones from

xmas, and had both eaten within an hour before the fight.

Please if you have any reasonable ideas to keep them both comfortable til I hire the trainer, and til solo gets fixed...

let me know im all ears and Ive tried everything i know and been through 1 trainer already.

Sounds the same as what was going with Gizmo and Marley. The fights would just break out sometimes and sometimes it was over bones or toys. If they are fighting for the same reason as mine (fighting for leadership) then im happy to say as long as you are prepared to commit all your time and patience to them then yes it just could be possible.

If you are looking for a trainer/behaviourist then to help you out, the behaviourist we have uses Amichien Bonding training methods (more info. http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/homepage.php ) which is non confrontational and to me was a real eye opener on how the dogs mind works. I would recommend taking a look at this method as so far it has proved to work wonders with my 3 and could potentially work with you too Not saying it would definately work but it could work if you commit the time, patience, determination and consistency needed

For now a little tip for you, in case you have a scrap break out again. If a scrap breaks out (or if I see signs of a scrap possible breaking out) then the dogs involved are all separated and isolated from each other and us (the humans). When we separate them we remain calm and think positive thoughts and we make no eye or verbal contact and we keep physical contact to minimum (we simply take them away by the collar). Now if they go iinto a scrap getting them by the collar isnt the best thing when you have teeth going everywhere so if there is two of you pull them apart from each other by their back legs. If your on your own then I try to make a loud noise to distract their attention, I usually throw some metal cooking trays on the floor which works for me. Really you want to try and separate them before the scraps/fights break out by looking out for signs such as giving each direct eye contact (face to face), ears pricked up, hackles up, if its dominance then they will both try to make themselves look bigger than the other, you could get teeth baring and growling at each other too. The signs are hard to describe sometimes as sometimes it is just the one sign before a fight breaks out but if I see any of these I separate them straight away before it excelerates.

You only need to separate them for a few minutes and then you can let them come back to the pack and if the same happens then remain consistent with them and separate them again and every time it happens you do the same. If you separate them and they start to whine, make a noise or basically do not settle and be quiet (The first few times are usually the worst!) then ignore them until they are quiet again and then let them back in. If you separate them and they are quiet and settle straight away then just leave them for a short while (Few minutes at the most) and let them back in.

Best of luck, hope this helps

[Chewbacca_&_me]

Ok that sounds like something I can do, definitely. For now they are seperated 1 in the crate and the other out but in the dog room.

I wanted to start the day in as calm a manner as possible, so I decided to try that. so Far its going ok. I was doing this before.

Im going to take a look at the link you put up here in a minute (as solo is asking to go out) and hopefully it will give me some tips

that my other trainer did not, I think it will take a new approach for these two boys.

I have scheduled another check up for solo in the hopes the vet will set an appointment for solo to be neutered before I go on

vacation.

i apologize for my temporary insanity, the fighting makes me very nervous because I have never experienced this before. I was

feeling sure they had worked this out and then Bam! Husky motherhood is so tricky, lol.

[siberian_wolf]

Ok that sounds like something I can do, definitely. For now they are seperated 1 in the crate and the other out but in the dog room.

I wanted to start the day in as calm a manner as possible, so I decided to try that. so Far its going ok. I was doing this before.

Im going to take a look at the link you put up here in a minute (as solo is asking to go out) and hopefully it will give me some tips

that my other trainer did not, I think it will take a new approach for these two boys.

I have scheduled another check up for solo in the hopes the vet will set an appointment for solo to be neutered before I go on

vacation.

i apologize for my temporary insanity, the fighting makes me very nervous because I have never experienced this before. I was

feeling sure they had worked this out and then Bam! Husky motherhood is so tricky, lol.

the website I gave you probably wont give you so many tips as such but should give you an idea about the Amichien Bonding technique.

I hate it when my 3 are fighting, its extremely scary and the heartrate just goes overboard!!! I know how you feel, you can give me a shout to the chatroom if you need to talk Supporting you all the way xx

[Chewbacca_&_me]

Thanks I appreciate that. It just so happens Im one of those people who skips from calm, to freaked the heck out, lol.

The funny thing about these two is that last night I thought one might rip the other apart, and now this morning chewy

refused to eat until just now when I allowed them both to be out at the same time. They have obviously bonded, but it

seems that chewy is thinking "ok go ahead and be big dog, I dont mind" and then solo just keeps antagonizing anyway.

[Bec]

How old is Solo now, Erika?

Fighting between dogs is always a leadership issue, in some way. I don't mean that in a harsh way, but regardless of the reason/triggers for the attack, if your dog does not see you as being in control of all situations, and of them especially, then the aggression will most likely escalate.

I would really step it up with Solo and make sure he knows the rules clearly. Absolutely no pushy, dominating, bullying behaviour allowed from him towards any people or Chewy. Learn to read their body language so you know when a fight is about to occur and intervene before one breaks out. Look for things like stiffening of his body, slinking low, fixed stare, etc. It sounds like he is the instigator (although without seeing them IRL it's impossible to say for sure) - I would be doing a LOT of one on one work with him. BUT - do nothing with him - pats, games, giving treats etc - unless you instigate it. Being the leader is not about being aggressive but calm and assertive when you need to be. Confrontational methods will often make you look like an unbalanced or weak leader and will teach the dogs that aggressiveness is the way to win.

I know you are in Hawaii but I would see if you can contact Suzanne Clothier, who is a very experienced and reputable dog trainer and behaviourist in the US. She might be able to point you in the right direction in regards to finding a good trainer where you live and the articles on her website are absolutely excellent.

http://flyingdogpress.com/

There are so many bad trainers around it's almost impossible to know who is reputable or worthwhile seeing.

[Chewbacca_&_me]

well solo and I have already done 2 hours of work today, i simply attached him to a leash, brought him with me

where ever I went and I didnt let him do anything he wasnt supposed to. He did ok til I took him outside then he

decided to out stubborn me and refuse to potty, to which my reply was to stand out there until he went.

[Bec]

well solo and I have already done 2 hours of work today, i simply attached him to a leash, brought him with me

where ever I went and I didnt let him do anything he wasnt supposed to. He did ok til I took him outside then he

decided to out stubborn me and refuse to potty, to which my reply was to stand out there until he went.

Do you do many structured training sessions with him and Chewy (one on one obviously)? Do you do any crate training with him, does he spend much time on his own?

I'd be teaching him (if you haven't already) a command word like look, or a recall command, or even just teach him awesome quick response when you call out his name and REALLY proof it so that you can use it to help prevent fights if you see one about to break out.

I'll PM you some other info