Aggression Between My 2 Staffies

[Staffie]

I have two staffies (a 6 year old male and 8 year old female). 90% of the time they're lovely together, thick as thieves, but that other 10% is not good; she is always the one who starts the fight; she'll try to sit on him (he's much bigger) and head butt him etc. Most of the time he moves, ignores her or rolls over on his back and it turns into a game - he's pretty mellow - but lately (last 12 mths) when she pushes him too far he just launches at her - this has resulted in a few minor scrapes and then recently a pretty serious bite which happened in the middle of the night. When I left them in a kennel earlier in the year the owner said he had to separate them as they ended up in a huge fight and they both had a lot of scratches/cuts. I take her to the vet regularly and after the last fight he suggested splitting them up - he said it's not normal for a male and female dog to fight if they've been raised together so I need to stop the fighting. I have tried a few things like buying a second dog bed (they had started to fight in the middle of the night) and making sure I'm not paying too much attention to the male dog as I thought jealousy was a factor, I tried them sleeping in separate areas but they whinged all night until I let them in together & then they got into bed and went asleep rolled up & I know I can't separate them but it's still pretty hit and miss. I get home sometimes and there's a scratch and I don't know if they've fought. Anyone else ever have this issue - maybe with this breed - and have any solutions?

thanks

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

I think this could be typical of the breed. A stafford breeder I met recently had 4, all raised together and came home one day to find 3 had savaged the 4th dog very badly and the dog recovered but could never be left alone with the others again.

Another staffy owner told me they had a male and a female and then got a puppy, I can't remember the sex of the pup but it was pretty young. After a few weeks, all seemed to be well but one or both of the staffies killed the puppy.

It is a breed known for its feisty nature, it doesn't back down so perhaps if both dogs are like that, you are going to end up having scraps that turn nasty.

I think you may need to keep them separated somehow.

[Aidan3]

I would certainly suggest separating them when unsupervised. Are you confident with being able to recognise when a fight needs to be broken up, and how to achieve that?

[Nekhbet]

once dogs fight to that level you HAVE to keep them separated and remove all contentious items when they are together - food bowls, beds, bones, toys etc. I suggest at least start with two dog crates and teach them to sleep in there. It will be easier if they are crate trained too as if one needs 'alone time' they now have their own exclusive bedrooms and can be put in there quietly.

A good behaviourist is a start too. It is less common for male vs female fights but not impossible.

[persephone]

Please keep them apart when you are away - or you may come home to much more than a scratch I agree with Nekhbet and the others.

If you want, someone on here can recommend a professional who can help you ...

[Nekhbet]

By the way have you taken him for a health check up for pain etc? Could be causing his short fuse with her behaviour.