Hi
I wonder if anyone could advise me on how to incorporate some order with my 2 male shih tzu dogs. I got charlie who was the first dog 2.5 years ago and everything was fine. Recently moved and lost my dog walker and thought getting another male dog would be a good idea and keep him company through the day. Since getting the other dog who is now 11 months old, things have got quite agressive. My 2 dogs have terrible dog fights, they go on their back legs and I know it must stressed both dogs out plus my husband and I. I Was contemplating on getting them both castrated, but has sinced been advised that this may not cure the problem. I think its all about pecking order. Can anyone please advise?
Thanks
Jules

Hi Julia

I would say that they are trying to sort out their pecking order, and both seem to want to be "boss".

I have two cockers, one nearly 3 and the other 13months. The younger one is always trying to be boss., and I have loads of scrapps (both girls). When the younger one starts, I just grap her by the scruff and say a firm "NO". I then put her outside the room for 5 mins. When she comes back she is all apologetic !! I won't say this would work for you, but it certainly does for my two., and less fights have occured since.

Good luck., :D

Natasha

Thanks for the advice.. I will give it a try.
Jules

Hi

I have decided to get my two male dogs castrated.

I wonder if anyone could advise me though.... charlie the dog aged 2.5 years old is still quite aggressive towards me especially in the mornings when I try to get him out of bed for a wee. This morning when I tried to get him from the colar to go out he went to bite me. Is there anyway of dealing with this behaviour?

Otherwise he is very affectionate, fun etc.
Thanks
Julia

The only time a dog ever growled at me from his bed, I instantly grabbed hold of the side of the bed and turned it upside down, on top of him. He never, ever growled at me again ;-) Try taking his bed away from him until he learns some respect. He can not guard, what he does not have :-)

Hi Jules
I also have two male dogs - one is nearly 6 and the other is 10 months. They play fight quite a lot which I didn't like at first as the older one had always had a lovely placid nature and it was quite difficult for me to accept that he had this 'other side' to him. However I've learnt that dog to human relationships are not the same as dog to dog relationships. You just have to be ready to intervene and sort things out before they get too serious.

As regards castration, I have heard that it's better to castrate the more submissive dog, to lower him even more. If the more dominant one is castrated it levels them out so you could still get problems with sorting out the pecking order.

Best of luck
Joyce

Again thanks...

Hi Jules,
I wouldn't get both of them castrated as this still leaves them equal, just with no nuts! :D if you leave the one who is already most dominant intact and castrate the other one it will reinforce the pecking order, that is what I have been advised as I have 2 dogs, the older one who is 11 mths is already castrated and we had intended to have the younger rotty done at 6 mths but I was advised to leave the rotty so that he could be leader without too much agro, although he's so laid back I think he'll probably let the other dog walk all over him anyway! :D

Hi Julia I two males and they play fight all the time but the younger one is
seems to be the alpha male,But have yet to have a serious fight

Pat x

I have 3 male dogs and when they play fight there is a lot of noise but no damage, it really is only playing. I have only had one serious fight in the last 2 years and that was over in seconds. Like Leigh I won't tolerate any aggression at all towards me or anyone in the house, so I have been known to pull the bed out from under the dog too, and leave them in a heap on the floor. Monty, my rescue GSP and I had quite a few run ins in the first couple of days but he soon learnt it got him nowhere. Ingrid