Dogs Fighting

[monkeytrunks]

I have an eight month old male Bullmastiff puppy and a nearly three year old desexed female Dobermann. Today they had a short savage biffo that concerned me quite a bit and I would like some advice from you all!

They get along very well and play quite a bit. He is quite happy to be the under dog (although the hormones kicking in may change that shortly) at the moment and even lets her drag him along by the side of his face when they play fight. However food is an issue. He is hyper food orientated and protective of it (from her not me). I feed them separately and they do not eat anything ever unless given a command to. She never cared too much for food until he arrived. She would turn up her nose all the time at whatever she was served - no longer - she eats all in front of her!

Today they had a biffo after I came home (with their bones from the butcher) and I think they fought over who got to smell the bottom of the pram where the bones had been which had been left at the back door when we went inside. I split them up by throwing a kids chair at them in a panic (first thing I could grab) and he had left a mark on her neck I chucked him in his crate for a bit of a time out - it was the only think I could think to do! She may have started it - I didn't see - but he didn't back down and did the damage! They have had serious fights ( that I have witnessed ) only two other times - but this one was a bit more dinkum and I thought I'd better break it up.

Should I be worried and is there more I can do? Obviously I have children so I am concerned that they are not in harms way. The children are always supervised around the dogs or the dogs fenced away from them, and they never have food around the dogs or are around the dogs when they have bones and such to prevent problems. I have been holding off desexing him until he has stopped growing (12mths) but if it will help with preventing the aggro I will take him tomorrow!!! What do you all think?

[Jen]

I have an eight month old male Bullmastiff puppy and a nearly three year old desexed female Dobermann. Today they had a short savage biffo that concerned me quite a bit and I would like some advice from you all!

They get along very well and play quite a bit. He is quite happy to be the under dog (although the hormones kicking in may change that shortly) at the moment and even lets her drag him along by the side of his face when they play fight. However food is an issue. He is hyper food orientated and protective of it (from her not me). I feed them separately and they do not eat anything ever unless given a command to. She never cared too much for food until he arrived. She would turn up her nose all the time at whatever she was served - no longer - she eats all in front of her!

Today they had a biffo after I came home (with their bones from the butcher) and I think they fought over who got to smell the bottom of the pram where the bones had been which had been left at the back door when we went inside. I split them up by throwing a kids chair at them in a panic (first thing I could grab) and he had left a mark on her neck I chucked him in his crate for a bit of a time out - it was the only think I could think to do! She may have started it - I didn't see - but he didn't back down and did the damage! They have had serious fights ( that I have witnessed ) only two other times - but this one was a bit more dinkum and I thought I'd better break it up.

Should I be worried and is there more I can do? Obviously I have children so I am concerned that they are not in harms way. The children are always supervised around the dogs or the dogs fenced away from them, and they never have food around the dogs or are around the dogs when they have bones and such to prevent problems. I have been holding off desexing him until he has stopped growing (12mths) but if it will help with preventing the aggro I will take him tomorrow!!! What do you all think?

Hi, most vets recomend desexing around 6 months old so I would be getting him done ASAP. Also, prevention is better than cure, so always seperate them when they have food. Even if you have to tether them, whether they have a bowl of food or a bone. It wont hurt them in fact they will appreciate being able to eat in peace. Good luck.

Jen

[dasha]

I have 2 dogs that are exactly like that.

At first it started over bits of food, then it went to where the food is prepared, to the car, the back door (the treats are inside).

I think that when it is something that becomes learnt that it is something that you will have ot watch. Obviously it will depend on the dogs general temperament.

I don't have kids but I am always concerned when my nieces come over as kids often have nice tasty fingers or faces and they could easily become another thing of value. Also kids can go to areas that may be of value to the dog and thereofre a threat to the food source.

I am certainly not saying you will have problems but I know that I really have to watch mine in most scenarios now as the competition between the 2 has transferred to other areas.

One has to sit in the front seat and the other is not even allowed to look over the seat without some snarling and lip curling.

If there is horse food left over in the paddock, the fence is protected from each other, the stables are patrolled from each other just in case.

I just picked up one from the vet yesterday with a drain in one side of her muzzle and the other side of her muzzle stitched up...............over food and a kennel area.

The same dog has been locked up for the last 2 months with a hock injury from fighting .......because the neighbours dog had caught a rabbit and she wanted to be first in line for scraps. She tore some bone from her hock so is out of sports for a while.

There is usually one locked up at all times as they can't be trusted. But they play really well when there is nothing of value to any of them.

I would recommend that you keep an eye on it to see if it was a one off incident. If not I would get some professional help to modify the behaviour before it is a real problem.

good luck

[Zhou Xuanyao]

Desexing isnt going to change the aggression desexing may or may not have its merits for you for other reasons but aggression is not one of them.

My suggestion to prevent fights over food is simply to feed them seperatly and dont leave any old bones laying around the yard ect.

That will solve that problem. What were the reasons for thier other 2 tiffs ?

The only problem you wont solve (or you might but only with the help of a behaviourist) is if and when they start fighting for dominance reasons. Ie Bullmastiff wants to be incharge, bitch dosnt let him. Although my belief is that this type of fighting is not common between dog and bitch dog dosnt usually challenge bitch for dominance unless he is particularly aggressive.

Another precaution you could consider to prevent problems before they happen is to not leave toys lying around they can be as much of a trigger as food.

Edited July 3, 2008 by calsonic350z

[monkeytrunks]

Thanks for all the replies

I have been really thinking about the issue today and they only seem to have problems when bones are given to them. When they have their dinner it is always given in their bowls and they have to sit and wait to be commanded to eat. They have been fed in opposite areas of the yard - but in the same area and there has never been any aggro or attempt by him to steal her food. I can hand feed them treats side by side without any jostling or grumpiness whatsoever.

Now I think about it though when I feed them bones I tend to chuck them in the back yard and I guess that would trigger a bit of an instinct in him to get as many of them as he can and get aggressive with her to that end. When they had the fight yesterday it was over the potential of food. I guess I have to give their bones to them in the regimented way that I give them their dinner and remove the grab for them.

He is not competing with her for dominance in any way otherwise. I am just very antsy as I am holding off desexing him until he has grown (as suggested for large dog breeds) and I have never had a dog entire this long before! :cool:

Thanks again for the suggestions - I will be taking a few of them up to try and get the situation sorted.

[dak07]

seek advice from a behaviorist

Edited July 4, 2008 by dak07

[Miranda]

monkeytrunks I have six dogs here at the moment and if I threw a few bones out into the yard when all the dogs were out together I'd have fights as well. I don't think that desexing will make any difference, but feeding separately, keeping them apart when they have bones and making sure that you don't leave any food lying around certainly will. Don't worry about keeping your boy entire for a bit longer, entire males aren't monsters you know, I have three here and they're all perfectly normal

Edited July 4, 2008 by Miranda

[Kelpie-i]

Monkeytrunks, I would be seeking the services of a qualified behavioural consultant asap. Advice given over the internet can be thwart with danger, especially when dealing with dog fights and aggression.

Where are you located so that we may point you into the right direction?

My Suggestion ( And only a suggestion ) is you need to find the Alpha and keep that dog the alpha, The Alpha always starts the attack and is the better fighter, in this situation, and the mistake we make is that human emotion comes into play and we give attention and care to loser (lower ranked) and banish the higher ranked dog.

dak07, I would be extremely careful in giving this sort of information. "Dominance" is perceived within the situation, not the dog, although the 8 month old is suddenly discovering his hormones.

This sounds more like resource guarding (not necessarily food) to me. Make sure your leadership skills are stepped up a few notches.

[Monah]

Hi, what a pain!! I have a food obsessive dog too and have had problems. I am always very aware (now ) of the shopping when I come home, smells, treat bags etc. This may sound extreme but it has worked for us, no bones!!!!!! no raw unless in their bowl, not dragged out anywhere (smells on the floor that we cannot see), supervised and separate rooms. Any high value food is potentially dangerous. It just is not worth it for us. We have been issue free for a very long time, but I never let my guard down. I never ever give them anything outside, even if it's only one dog, as the smell and maybe a hidden treat could cause world war 3!!!! Good luck, they sound like very lovely dogs. I can understand the worry with the kids though. Do what is best for you, don't worry about the raw diet etc. if it may cause fights. I know it's the 'best', but it's not the best if one dog rips into another over food. That's no good for anyone. I also bring my shopping in separately, ie. goodies, meat etc. last so I can put it straight in the fridge and control any bad behav. Mine have to sit and stay too, AWAY from the food I am putting away. Bit hard with a BM pup though :D xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Also agree with the behaviourist. I've had one and it helped greatly and also gave me more confidence which rubbed off on the dog, I had started to feel very powerless, now I am powerFUL.