Will my dogs ever work as a team?

Question

My two female dogs share everything toys, food, sleeping space, water, and attention without any problems.

They play fight but never for real unless:

A cat, dog, or person walks by or comes over that they don't know. For the first few secs they both bark then they start fighting each other and ignoring who or whatever they were barking at. I think they are fighting over who is the boss of the yard. This has been going on for a year now. I love them and will keep them forever but with this behavior they are worthless as guard dogs. For those that have more than one dog. How long does it take for one dog to submit? Will they ever work as a team? They never hurt each other so I don't stop them from fighting they stop on there on when whatever they were barking at is gone.

Answer 1

well your right as to why your dogs are fighting you have two dominant dogs so when someone else they don't know comes around they fight each other because they are both dominant and want to show they stranger who is boss. You should be the dominant one not the two dogs when they start fighting each other scold them to get them to stop and eventually they will learn that its not ok to fight each other

Answer 2

Kelly C is 100% correct. It is re-directed aggression. A dog trainer who has worked with Police dogs/dominant/aggressive dogs for years has said this. They get frustrated because they can't get to whatever they're barking at, so one of them will take out on each other. If you were the Pack Leader, you would not have this problem. Lower ranking members of a pack do not fight in the presence of a Pack Leader. I own 3 dogs (dog pack), and it is very clear to them that I am the pack leader. Despite some of the issues that 2 of my dog's have between each other, they NEVER fight when I'm there. When I'm gone, they're kept separate.

Answer 3

What you are describing is not a dominance issue it is an issue of what is called "redirected aggression" basically the cause is frustration... your dogs see a stranger trespassing in their territory and as dogs they feel a strong compulsion to release that aggression against the trespasser, obviously you cant let them do that so they have no outlet for their frustrated aggression and subsequently take it out on one another. My brothers cat has the same issue, if she saw a cat outside she would attack my other cats aggressively because she couldnt get to the one outside. Think of it like this, sometimes when we humans are angry at each other instead of hitting we sometimes break things, or punch a pillow... some of us have the sense to redirect our aggression to inanimate objects. Dogs cant do that on their own because they dont understand why they are experiencing aggressive feelings. I suggest you turn the tables and redirect their aggression in a positive way before they turn to each other to vent their frustration. Next time you see your dogs getting worked up about a passer by, before they start fighting redirect them to a suitable toy that they can take their frustrated aggression out upon.. prefferably something they can rip up satisfactorily simple enough use some old socks tied in a knot or a rope toy or maybe a nylabone that they can start chomping on. Praise them for it excessively, and use a squirt bottle at the same time to discipline them when they fight eachother. Pretty soon you will notice the dogs bark at the intruder, then go attack their toy to release their frustration and aggression. Its works very well in many situations to redirect your dogs energy onto a toy.. my dog is very exhuberant when visitors come and he gets too excited and told to go lay down... he immediately gets his bone and starts chewing it to relieve his frustration at not being able to express his affection to the people he loves. Do the same for your dogs and I am sure it will calm things down quite a bit.

So heres what I think you should do... your dogs start barking at whatever they see outside, you get a toy and start encouraging them to play with it, rip it up etc, then praise and reward them for it. If they start fighting take a squirt bottle filled with water and squirt both dogs directly in the face prefferably up the nose area while saying NO! or ENOUGH! in a very firm commanding voice, then switch to a excited encouraging voice and offer them the toys.. you might have to get involved at first to show them what you want by playing with them and the toys and getting them motivated to get the toy. Reward them with praise or treats consistently every time they attack the toys and not each other, and discipline them consistently when they fight using the squirt bottle and the same command in the same tone of voice.

Answer 4

Anytime there is fighting between dogs, you need to step in and let them know that their behavior will NOT be tolerated. YOU are the alpha person in the pack, YOU decide who is going to fight, where, when and how. As long as you allow this to continue they will fight. As far as them being good guard dogs, they cannot do their job properly if they are fighting. There are cases where you may have two very strong females that because of dominance issues, you will need to keep seperate, this may be one of them.

Answer 5

You have two alert dogs, not guard dogs. Guard dogs go through some fairly rigorous training.

The very same behavior happens in your yard daily. No one is ever hurt but they are, like you said, arguing over dominance. I stay out of it, they are the care takers of the yard and they each know their pecking order but it is always challenged, just as it happens in wolf packs. Or sibling rivalry of our own kids. They alway fight.

Not to worry, it is natural and normal.

Answer 6

We had our Border Collie puppy challenging our older American Eskimo dog when the bc was just 5 months. When I discussed this with my trainer, she said that it should not be tolerated, as we humans are supposed to be the dominant one. She said to stop the behavior and address it each and every time. The dogs eventually learn that you are the pack leader and they don't need to "fight for alpha", because that's your spot, not theirs.

Answer 7

YOU need to be their leader..don't let them fight, when it begins make them stop and submit to you!(both of them)
THey are fighting because they are not balanced and are trying to become so...and they will if you establish yourself as leader. (there is nothing wrong with guard dogs being submissive to their owner)
Eventually the fighting will become bloody and one of your dogs will get hurt possibly badly.
JMHO but-Using dogs as guard dogs is an unhealthy thing for the dogs anyways...they are family, not ADT. The barking to let you know someone is here is fine and natural, but further than that is scary and dangerous for them and neighbors.

Answer 8

Do People?