how to stop dogs from fighting?

Question

I have three dogs two german shepards and one golden retriver pitbull mix .They are all the same age and brougth up together as puppys.But one sheaperd and the retriver are allways fighting with injurys,some time bad.thise dogs are my sons that is overseas in Iraq. I have thise dog for 8 month and the trouble just started about 2 month ago.what can i do. thank .

Answer 1

Start with are they altered??

The shock bark collars on them will keep them from being aggressive. sounds cruel but those are big dogs to be fighting. I would not suggest doing that unless they are neutered. More likely to turn on you if unaltered. Also be sure they bark and feel the shock before they are face to face with one another.

Answer 2

First of all they should both be neutered. If they keep fighting then they are probably sorting out which one of them is 'top dog' over the other. If they continue with the fighting then it seems they are finding it hard to resolve between themselves. Instead you can decide for them. I don't actually have personal experience of this problem myself but saw it on a tv programme...it might work. You pick which dog will be more dominant over the other, then make sure you always feed that dog first, give attention and treats to first, etc. You are the leader over both of them so hopefully whichever one you pick as 'next in command' will mean the problem has been sorted out for them. In a household, whether there is one or more dogs, there is always a chain of command and I think this is probably what they are trying to sort out. Someone else on here said that you need to show them that they are equal. That will not work as there is ALWAYS a hierarchy with dogs, even if you can't see it. It's just the way that a pack works. Also, someone else mentioned Caesar Milan - he is a genius and you should watch the shows (on Sky3) or buy his book. He really know what he is talking about and will tell you exactly what you have to do to assert yourself as pack-leader. Good Luck !

Answer 3

is everyone fixed? sounds like you have an alpha dog problem. all my boys are fixed, but Jake is my alpha just because he's got seniority. he's about 11 and been with us for about 8 yrs. Rocky's about 5 and only been with us for a couple of yrs. but he's attacked Jake a few times in the last few months. Rocky was being trained as a fighting dog when we rescued him, and we've had a hard time curbing the dog aggression issues. he's very stubborn. it can be very dangerous when 2 dogs over 100 lbs are fighting and you try to break it up. they're never together unsupervised. and Rocky attacked my malamute/wolf x a few days ago. Zues is the same 110 lbs that Rocky is. neutering will help.

Answer 4

I have 4 male Pitbulls, and they too tend to fight. I suggest you invest into a crate or two. If this should happen again you can lock them up. Pack dogs (which is what you have) will have a tendency to battle, its important to bring them down from the excitement of the fight, instill order that you are the Alpha, and correct only the aggressor. Separate them during feeding time, only allow 2 dogs in the same room at the same time, its harder to break up a fight between 3 dogs. If you do need to break up a fight grab the aggressor by his hind legs(like a wheel barrel) and pull him out of the fight, he will need his front legs to stay up , and this will give you the most control. Don't let them "rough house" always keep order.
People will tell you to Neuter them, send them for professional training, etc.. I just want to give you advice about the actual fight.
Make sure you re-check them for injuries hours after, some wounds are hard to detect until later. Also check inside their mouths.
The best way to correct a dog is to push firmly down on its muzzle, and tell him his command "no bite, no fight, no jump, etc.
The second I hear my dogs ready to battle I'm there and they know I mean business, and they all cop that "it wasn't me attitude".
It a nice thing you are doing for your son while he is in Iraq.
If you have anymore questions or concerns feel free to email me.

Answer 5

For male dogs it's important that they are neutered. It will temper thier aggression by reducing the testosterone levels.

Also it would be very important to establish your Alpha status. Dogs don't fight in a pack when there is an established Alpha because the Alpha would squash it immediately.

To establish and maitain your status they need to become proficient with sit and down. Having the dogs sit and down is having them submitting to you.

Train with each dog seperately for about 10-15 minutes a day. Talk to a local trainer on some tips about getting them to sit. It's hard to describe the best way to do it here - its something that would need to be shown.

When they start getting into it you tell them to DOWN immediately. Don't try reaching in there because you risk injury. To stop a dog fight - purchase a whistle a blow horn something that makes a loud startling noise. You can also throw a blanket over the dogs and that would slow them down.

But training is key. When you talk to him discuss those options and payment. Hire a trainer to come to your home to work the dogs in thier own environment and to address your specific concerns/problems. It can get a bit pricey but worth EVERY penny!

Also - Exercise them. Letting them out in the backyard really isn't enough. It's hard to walk 3 dogs at one time so consider going in the back yard w/ them and throwing the ball, chasing them around etc. Dogs that size need running/jogging/walking exercise every day for about 30 min - 1hour. It will also temper the aggression. It makes a huge behavioral change.

Talk to a trainer about some basic training tips. Get a whistle or blow horn. Hire a trainer to come to your house. Exercise the dogs.

Good Luck

Answer 6

The actual fighting is the symptom, you have to find the cause...is it dominance, over food or prized objects? a pack order issue within the house? check with a trainer. It could be a very easy fix, but needs to be addressed with a professional before it gets worse

Answer 7

Are they fixed? If not, if two males that could be the problem. Too much testoterone. They will fight for dominance. I have 2 male rotties they are brothers and it is starting to escalate... they will be getting fixed soon. Ask the vet.

Answer 8

Call an animal/dog trainer. They will help out.

Answer 9

well i would say to keep them separated but then they will never learn not to be fighting!so i think u should just let beat the crap out of each other and keep on yelling at them or whatever it is u do to keep them in line and they should be getting old enough to know Wat to do and Wat not to do pretty soon they will behave! if that dont work then like beat the crap out each other and kills each other first!nah j/k!!!1

Answer 10

put the dogs in cages and when they learned a lesson by not fighting.scold them also.