I have just returned from the vets with my female dobe, after the male had ripped into her around the neck. Lots of puncher wounds and nasty scratches. Dont know what to do for the best. I can split them up once he starts, its awful to watch.

She has had an anti-inflamitry injection and some tablets, she is still shaking. My dog club have told me to let them get on with it, which is what I have been doing, but it has to stop now.

The seem to hate each other.

Charley

Your dog club Charley has given you information which is foolish, dangerous and distressing for your dogs. A problem which could potentially have been nipped in the bud with preventative measures has been actively encouraged to escalate into what you are dealing with now :(
Keep them apart for a while.
Try to establish what triggers are causing this fighting and intercept them before they have a chance to react to each other. If it's over a toy etc... then remove them and don't leave any lying around. If it's jealousy over attention then don't make a fuss of the weaker dog. It may seem unfair to ignore the dog who isn't causing the problem and fuss the perpetrator but it can restore harmony when the aggressor becomes more settled and comfortable with the situation. Sometimes it can be the merest eye contact which can spark a fight so keep them apart or muzzle the dog which starts it. You can turn this situation around with hard work and dedication :)

Most responsible adults wouldn't let their children batter the cr*p out of each other without intervention and discipline. It astonishes me sometimes that they find it acceptable albeit undesirable behaviour in their dogs . Next step - rehome? :rolleyes: :( Poor dogs - all they need is the correct guidance! .
Lara x

I dont like the tone in your reply, I am a responsible dog owner! Today it happened very quickly and couldnot get between them, without getting hurt myself. Dont shoot me down, just cos I am asking for advice.

Charley

The last part of my post was in general Charley and although I criticised the advice you were given by your dog club I did not shoot you down. My post contains advice! Disregard it if you choose.
'Flooring' the male and praising the female is not the right way to go about dealing with this. You will fuel a jealousy problem.
Lara x

Hi charley. Sounds awful what you are going through. Thanks for your good advise on my post as well (TOILET TRAIN PROB DOBES). Mine are both bitches but they fight as well, I must admit it is only play fighting at the moment but I have been concerned that it might get worse as they get older. The older one is spayed, I thought this might help. But the other one isnt. Are your dogs spayed? I dont know whether it has helped or not. But it does tend to be the unspayed one that goes in for the brawl first. But then that could just be because she is only 6 months and still very much playful. They fight over toys. The big one takes all the toys off the little one. But fortunately it isnt as awful as what you are going through. My vet (who has a dobe) also told me to let them get on with it. But I will re-think that now. I do hope you sort it out, good luck.

Thank you for your reply, I have emailed you

Charley

What an awful situation - you have my sympathy.

I don't think Lara was shooting you down , i read her whole post as exasperation at the bad advice you were given, not attacking you :)

I agree the advice the club gave you was rubbish. Yes sometimes you can let dogs sort themselves out, but it does DEPEND. I do SO hate BLANKET advice....there may be all sorts of reasons for the behaviour and many times dogs do sort themselves out - also they often do get worse. Minor scraps are one thing too, but real fights, puncture wounds, and no bite inhibition shows real intent to harm IMHO :(

It may be sorted out easier than you think - for example, many times owner intervention may exacerbate the situation (for example, telling off the aggro dog and sending it away, but fussing the gentler one ) and some dogs fight not just over toys/food but owner attention. They see the owner as a resource and protect that resource. Makes sense to a dog but doesn't always make for harmony.

I expect some of the Dobe owners will be along to share experiences, but in the mean time dont blame yourself. I would certainly have a word with the training club though - it may stop them giving the same advice to some other poor soul.

It may be a good idea to invest in a behaviourist with a good reputation, your vet could put you in touch. It's also possible that the aggression is due to a physical cause, and that should be ruled out, ideally.

Best wishes

Lindsay

yes it was terrible and it looks even worse now as the vet shaved her, so she has bald patches all over her. I am at a loss, and so upset about the whole thing.

Charley

Hi Charley

Sorry to read about your bitch - it is not often that a male will attack a bitch - had she been winding him up or something, or do you have any idea what the trigger is? You said a few weeks ago that they were fighting - did you not keep them separate - especially as he had just been neutered?

With regard to Breaca's two bitches - hate to say it but I will be very surprised if they don't fight. They are very close in age, both bitches (obviously) and even when one is spayed this does not necessarily make a difference - can make things worse apart from the fact that most of the hormonal ups and downs are removed.

The are most likely to fight around the time of their seasons, during phantoms (and a full moon). DO NOT let them just get on with it, separate them and get them used to being separated unless there are more than one of you there to separate them if things do get out of hand. Once you get bitches whose play fighting escalates into real fighting you run the risk that they will fight at every opportunity - separate them before this happens and you can live much more harmoniously with your dogs - especially as you have a third one which may well join in and attack whoever is on the loosing end.

Christine

Hi Christine

no toys are starting this off.....just a look....they argue over toys...like tug of war game. I have been trying to keep them separate.....but my kids got up before me today, they do know to keep them in dif rooms......but it just happened.

she does wind him up...but she did not desurve this

i have interviened before with them.....and floored the male dobe and praised the female....he hasnt got a scratch on him....so she is just verbal with him.

The older greyhound is top dog and he does not mess with her. i am gutted about this....not sure what to do or where to turn.

Charley

i know how you feel charley, i had the same problem with my dog (male) when i got a bitch puppy he savaged it twice, he's possessive of his things tho including us. The vet told us its very unusual for a dog to attack a bitch and especially a puppy. My parents have the bitch now and she's a year old and none the worse for her ordeal, although i would love more than 1 dog it isn't possible while i have max. I hope you can sort it out, i have no advise on how to do it tho, it will be very hard for you to try and keep them seperate in the home all the time too stressful! good luck and let us know if you find a solution i would love the info :)

hi Charley, i've been through nearly the same with my two labs Milo and Daisy.He got very aggressive around her last season, and we kennelled him but he came back from kennels and realy attacked daisy one night.He was previously my friends dog, she gave him us due to a relationship breakdown, but luckily was able to take him back due to improved circumstances.we still see him twice a week, he is happier, and the girls are more settled without him.It was a tough decision to make and i cried for a week but its for the good of all the dogs.
Hope you can resolve your situation soon:)

OK...so what is the right way to go about this.....I cant keep them in dif rooms for the rest of there lives can I?...I thought by flooring the male, I was going on the side on the female??????

Christine......are they more aggressive for a while after castration?????.....my bitch is coming into season as well....could this be part of it????

Charley

Hi Charley,
Many years ago I knew a woman whose two dogs fought. For over 7 years one dog lived upstairs and the other downstairs, because no matter how the owners tried, the dogs simply hated each other. I'm sure that is an unusual case, but it proves it can happen.

OK...a bit of insite ...maybe!!!???.....just had them all out together, and watched very closely.

I think the female is starting it......he is trying to play with her.....then he paws her back and she is turning..and then the fight starts.

She also is following him....and nudging his face....like provoking him?????...maybe.....he on the other hand is more interested in me..or looking for food on the floor.

What do you all think?

Charley

Must also add here that ..he doesnt realise his own size..let alone his own strength

This sounds as if she's looking on his behaviour as flirting, and she knows she's not ready yet, OR she's fed up with him flirting and not following through..... Hard to tell without 'being there!' :(

I am going to give the short, monitored time together...and try to build the time up......if I cant give them 100%..then I will keep the apart till I am not too busy to watch them...what do you think to that as a start...back to normal life????

Charley

I am going to sort this out...it will take time,...but we will get there!!!!.....watch this space!!!...I feel better than I did earlier....and confident that I can, we can work this out. In future peeps will come on here with the same prob...and you will all say....ask Charley as she nows how to sort this out!!!!

Charley

Hi Charley

<<<but my kids got up before me today , they do know to keep them in dif rooms.....but it just happened>>>

How old are you children ?

As my children are never ever left unsupervised with our dogs at any time , i hope the fighting between your dogs does not continue , for the childrens sakes.

If the fighting does continue between the two dogs you are going to be forced to make a decision , on wether you should possibly rehome one of them.

Two fighting dogs around unsupervised children surely isnt right :( not having a go ( before i get shot down in flames ) its just dangerous , as all your dogs could end up turning on one of them in a pack situation.

If the children did ever try to seperate them.

HELEN

My kids are 9,11,14...they have now been told told not to let Tommy out of his cage, and that the 14 lets him out if needed, when I am not about.

Hope you get this sorted Charley - what a horrible , scarey situation for you all.
What age difference is there between the two and how long ago did you get the second Dobe ??
I was always under the assumption that different sexes got on better than two males for instance .
I have never been in this situation so cannot offer any advice unfortunately but I really do wish you the very best of luck :)
Lel

Our female greyhound is 10, female dobe is 3, male dobe is 9 months, but got him when he was 4 months old....it really is female that is starting all this..he is well socialised...and brill with other dogs, that we meet...been watching them very closely....its very interesting what is going on.....she is going up to him and taking toys off him, which he lets her do, then she is paraiding around with it, staying near him..and growling...he is going into play stance...and yapping....then she is droping the toy and going at him...then he goes back at her....then he is getting the toy again...and walking off with it....then she comes along and takes it off him again..............

Charley

To kerioak reference your post:

I dont leave them on their own that often, but would you say it is not a good idea to leave them in the house together alone. I want to keep one free for guard duty. Would you suggest the other one stayed in the crate? Its just I thought they might not be naughty or bark if they had each others company, but then I dont want to come back to a hurt or injured dog. Like I say it is only play at the moment but if you think it might escalate, Im not sure what to do about leaving them alone.

The pup is caged when I go out and the older dobe is in the kitchen..and the old greyhound has the living room..so no probs when I go out...had them out together today...and all is fine.....we will get there.....as I say watch this space.....

Charley