Fence Fighting

[KitKat]

Well...as it turns out it seems my boys are fence fighters - found that out because the people who have moved into the house behind us have fence fighters - not sure what type of dog/s but they are medium sized dogs.

I've had the dogs locked up for half the afternoon, and since they have rushed out with a bucket of water if they won't be called off. Most of the time they'd call off but the times they didn't i've thrown water on them - not my preferred option but i have other options coming but not yet available.

Any other tips to help?

The owners of the other dogs seem fairly good in trying to call their dogs off but their dogs won't call off until after i've got my dogs away.

ETA - the water thing does seem to be working - the softer but more naughty one is calling off quicker if he is actually at the fence having a go, the better behaved but harder one is still having more of a go but will, after a bit, call off. I just don't see this as a lasting solution!

Edited July 4, 2009 by KitKat

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Are they outside without you supervising at any point because of work responsibilities etc?

If so, I'd be inclined to double fence the problem fence area if you can. It depends on the layout of your backyard, but stopping the dogs getting nose to nose will help de-escalating the situation.

[KitKat]

3/4ths of the area is double fenced but one, perhaps, 3mtr stretch isn't - between shed and other fence. But yeah - i head back to work Monday, will be spending the day down the coast on Tuesday (kits getting desexed) but will have Wednesday and Thursday at home - So far after the last rouse at Bronx the boys haven't raised a peep - Sabre is wary of water (unless it's rain, from the pond, from the pool, beach etc) And he's been the good lad for a change...lol. I'll see how they go tomorrow as well - we might still end up fencing it off - or if we are lucky all the dogs concerned will get over it quickly and ignore each other...lol

[4 Paws]

while my dogs don't fence fight one of my gsd's will go up to a house towards the back of us and bark to annoy the dog up that lives there so we ended up putting up an electric fence a few metres out from the fence which quickly solved the problem.

Good Luck with it all

[leopuppy04]

2nd fence is certainly a good solution, and then I would gradually get rid of it.

Sectioning them off from the area entirely can also help as an interim solution and 'break the habit' so to speak. If they can't practice it, they can't make the behaviour stronger. then go to the 2nd fence etc,etc.

I actually whislte trained my dogs and would whistle from anywhere in the house and chuck food outside. If they were quiet, lazing on the deck etc. If I could hear them charge down to the fence, I would blow the whistle and if they came immediately, they would get REALLY good rewards, if not, into their crates for a relax time. Otherwise they just get too worked up.

Took them a really short time to clue onto that and it also means I can be anywhere in the house and not hovering around the door or yelling at the dogs to be quiet etc. It also made it MORE rewarding for the dogs to ignore the barking dogs rather than racing down to the fence.

I didn't want to use something that would require me to hear the dogs bark, walk down to the back yard and then punish as I felt it ineffective and the dogs could quite easily hear me coming and then stop barking... but it doesn't stop the behaviour completely. So for me, that's why I felt this solution works the best.

[callee]

I don't know if it'll work on all dogs, but we had an issue where a neighbours dog wanted into our property, which would stir up my boy, and we'd end up with a fence fight.

I tried water, but it was only a temporary fix. In the end, I lined the fenceline with my dogs poop for I think almost 2 weeks. I hated it, but honestly neither dog would go near his side of the fence even after I raked up the mess permanently.

[Diva]

In the end, I lined the fenceline with my dogs poop for I think almost 2 weeks. I hated it, but honestly neither dog would go near his side of the fence even after I raked up the mess permanently.

I did this too, not for fighting but for my neighbours' dog and one of mine trying to dig under to say hello to each other. I used the poop method and it worked to stop the digging.

In a way it was a shame, they just like each other and my dog is far bigger than the holes ever get, but the other dog is smaller and if it got into my yard it could possibly get out under my gate to the road. Not sure it would work for mine if the motivation was stronger.

Edited July 7, 2009 by Diva

[Guest bigdogg]

maybe an invisible fence and get yours and there dogs to wear the collars??