Hello looking for ideas I have 2 dogs a cockapoo and a fox terrier cross. Because my cockapoo is a fast eater and will try stealing from my other dogs bowl I have separated them one in the kitchen one in the front room with a stair gate in between. This has worked well but when they have finished eating and I open the stair gate they meet and a big fight erupts... Which is so frightening.. I end up picking one up by the scruff of the neck to stop the fight. This is becoming more frequent... Would anyone have any suggestions.... Thank you

Can you leave the dogs together to eat and tell the  "cockapoo" not to eat the other dog's food? Self control is much more effective than separation and negates the need to separate them which is causing fights.

Thank you very much for your reply I am going to try feeding them in the same room this evening... I think I have caused the problem by separating them.

> Can you leave the dogs together to eat and tell the  "cockapoo" not to eat the other dog's food?

Exactly!  I train my dogs to do as I say.  All 18 are fed in my kitchen and the greedy ones understand my stern "leave" command.

I have been having this issues with two that have had issues since the younger one became fully mature (about 5 years now), as you say after meals the one has a real go at the other, and worse her daughter then backs her up.

I now keep the aggressor in a crate for a good half hour or more.

everyone else gets fed together and no-one is allowed near anyone else's bowl.

My cockapoo has started doing this at 5 and a half years... They are very well trained dogs but it's frightening when they behave this way... I can see the bad body language a split second before they fight but to late to stop it.... I am going to attempt tonight to feed them in the same room to take away the issue of them passing each other at the stair gate... If it fails I will try a crate thank you for everyone's help

Could you have someone else there and have each on a very loose house line so you can move them apart the instant you see bad body language?

^ ^ I think this risks adding to the tension and if they do decide to attack they'd end up snarling at each other being held apart by the leads... The trick with aggression is to avoid/diffuse tense situations, by imposing "normality", calm and distraction.

To be honest I don't see how telling the cockapoo to keep off the other dog's food is going to be of help at this point. In my opinion it is too late for this method as they've already started fighting. Hence even if cockapoo obeys, what is to prevent the fight once they both finished their meals, lifted their heads up and their eyes met?

I would most certainly continue feeding them separately. Each dog needs to feel completely safe during the meal and some time after (animals may feel both/either excited and vulnerable after a meal). If they can feel this safety while eating apart from each other but being able to see each other (for example crates at opposite ends of the room) that's great, I would continue with that and with time they may forget the association of risk/need for aggression with food, instead eating in the presence of each other (but safely removed) may start being associated with "normality". Then you can slowly take things further, by giving non-valuable and very small treats while both are together, so that each dog eats its treat and hardly notices what happened - again the situation of "normality". And so on. Once aggression has started, it usually a very long very slow road to "recovery" in my experience.

I am going to try all these great ideas my partner could help me with leads... Will first try without them this evening... Fingers crossed... They are such great pals except for this... Many thanks

Thank you so much to think about I am going to try everything

Omg 18 dogs I have 2 and want to introduce a third dog how do you do it.... I would love to have a pack that big.... How do you get your dogs to get along together

Tonight my two dogs have eaten in the same room without fighting day one maybe just a good day

Separating them, with only 2, usually works.  If you keep them apart until you have picked up the bowls, that might help.   We give our two half a Bonio when we pick up the bowls so rather than even thinking about attacking each other (mine don't in any case - they live peacefully together) they concentrate on the after-meal treat.

When we had numbers, I had to put the bowls down in the same place and IN THE SAME ORDER, or there would have been chaos.      As we had oldies, I had to stand guard to make sure the faster-eaters didn't try to get into their bowls before they'd finished.   But again mine is generally a peaceful breed - there were exceptions!

Can you feed them separated (which I think you still should) and before removing the gate, let one outside first?   One would obviously have to be fed in the room with the door to the outside.

> Omg 18 dogs I have 2 and want to introduce a third dog how do you do it.... I would love to have a pack that big.... How do you get your dogs to get along together

Obedience training starts as soon as they arrive.  Or, in the case of those I've bred, as early as 4 weeks for recall.  The leave command is high on my list and starts as soon as sit and stay is mastered, so all before 12 weeks.  Training classes are enrolled for all newcomers.  Solitary outside training is a must.  I still reinforce training separately for every single dog. 

My vet always says that it is the time I dedicate to them that is the secret to my success.  I spend one hour a day online - if a dog needs me, then the laptop is shutdown.  Don't own a smartphone, wouldn't have time for one.  TV watching is limited to time when all the dogs are tired enough to want to be with me in the living room.  My dogs come before any human, so, if you want a life, don't have 18 dogs!  I don't have friends and family to make demands on my time, so can live the life I choose.  I truly choose to dedicate all my time to the dogs.

I waited all my life to be this happy.

How do I get them to get along together??  Easy peasy.  Any growling to be done,,,,,,  and I'll do it. 

Tonight wasn't such a success they both ate well with space in the front room...
But when going past the stair gate into the kitchen where the garden door is I managed to stop another fight so not so good tonight... I am going to aim myself with treats for after feeding time tomorrow night and see if this helps... Thank you for all your suggestions... I just want a stress free feeding time

I have found by leaving it a good time after their meals that Peni is not feeling the need to assert herself over the other dog as the reason has been forgotten.

I am so stressed my dogs are great pals all day..
tomorrow I will try treats as suggested by a form member

I found with mine it wasntworth the risk of feeding together particularly as I had a large gsd.a fcr and a toy breed. On the occasion they were together before it was obviously not going to happen it was unpleasant to say the least. Oddly with mine it was different pairings that were the issue .gsd and toy breed were fine.introudcr the fcr and it all went wrong
For me it would feeding apart and working on how to reintroduce after a meal. Removing  bowls giving  and redirection away from each other and avoiding pinch points by the doors

So we're mine but food is often an area for difficulty

Hello I have tried removing bowls and redirections... I am just about to feed them which I have delayed through dread... Thank you for ur replies

I think the problem is the doorway itself - doorways for many dogs can be 'problem' spots.  The arousal is created over the food itself as a hot item, but then it's the doorway situation which is providing the opportunity for that arousal/emotion to become reactivity. 

Can you not do something to avoid them both being at that particular doorway at that particular time?  I don't think I understand if they are both going through the doorway in the same direction or against each other?

I agree with both monkeyj and onetwothreefour, and those who have emphasised lengthy separation.

I would continue feeding them separately and leave them separate for a long time after they've finished, so they both calm down.

The door/stairgate is clearly a major trigger so that needs to be worked on - leaving them a while after feeding may help with that, so they are calmer when they get there.  What sort of stairgate is it?  I wonder if it's too narrow which is causing some tension.

At the moment with pups in the kitchen which has meant moving things around, (puppy pen in dog crate and bed area) and the crate is now in living room, with crating Peni for a half hour when I feed everyone, she has stopped looking to put Inka in her place.

Things are a lot more peaceful.

My 2, or rather my Pap Louis, can get over excited and 'jump' my bigger but kinder dog, especially before breakfast...

I have lots of rope/soft toys I call Tuggies that I use to redirect his energy into killing these rather than Pip!!

Why not feed one in the garden and one in the kitchen. When they have finished, pick up all bowls and evidence of food then give them another five minutes before letting the inside one into the garden. The Bonio idea might work was well.

When I introduced an adult after the death of a previous dog, I had fights at feeding time on the first couple of days. We separated them at first by feeding each side of the closed kitchen door, and then letting them outdoors straight after feeding. We then used a baby gate so they could see each other eating, and finally, after all the tension had disappeared, we were able to feed them opposite ends of the kitchen. Once they were relaxed at mealtimes, they had no problem feeding side by side, and were also able to share scraps and titbits.

Hello we have been 4 nights feeding at either end of the front room I make one go to bed which is half way in the room and the other I let out immediately for a wee then the other moments behind which has stopped the aggression so far so good I cannot thank you all enough for your good advice.... Fingers crossed their mood stays positive... I think separation in the beginning caused the problem.