How to Prevent & Stop Dog Fights

By: Christine New, DVM

TVMA Member
Dallas, Texas

Published March 2015

Injuries from dog fights are a common cause for veterinary visits. Injuries can range from minor to life-threatening. If your dog has been involved in a fight, always seek a veterinary exam, even if injuries seem minor. Bite wounds and lacerations have the potential to become infected and can be difficult to find under hair. Wounds that appear to only be simple puncture wounds can have deep damage and cause tearing of tissues under the skin.

Why Do Dogs Fight?

Dogs may fight for a number of reasons. Even dogs that live together or are related can and will fight. Unfortunately, some fighting dogs will not stop fighting until an injury occurs that results in one dog backing off. However, some triggers are easily identified and can be avoided. Multiple dogs of the same sex that live in the same house (all female or all male) may be at a higher risk of fighting. This is due to a constant desire to maintain a hierarchy. In the wild, there is a separate hierarchy structure for males and females within a pack, so a male and a female together in the same home are potentially more likely to maintain harmony as they are both maintaining their own separate “top dog” statuses. The risk for fights is not lower between related dogs as compared to dogs that are not related; family members may fight each other once the younger pups have reached adolescence. The risk for fighting is increased in dogs that are not spayed and neutered.

Food and toys are common triggers for fights. We all want what we don’t have, dogs included. Many dogs are inherently possessive and aggressive of their possessions, like chew bones, food and squeaky toys. Never feed two dogs next to each other. As one dog finishes his food, he may decide to eat the other’s food or may even protect the bowl of food without eating. It is much safer to feed multiple dogs on opposite sides of the room or even in different rooms. If your dog is possessive about food, it can be beneficial to not leave food bowls on the ground. When the meal is finished, immediately take up the bowls, wash and store them out of the dogs reach until the next meal.

Bones and chew toys are other highly desired items. Most dogs will hoard and become extremely possessive of bones and chew toys. It can even be dangerous for people to take bones from some dogs. If you own a dog that displays possessive behavior, all bones and chew toys should be removed from the home. If you ever need to remove a bone or toy from a dog’s possession, never use your hand. Attempt to distract the dog with another toy, treat or food item thrown in the other direction. You can also try to change the mindset of a dog by holding up a leash and saying, “Let’s go for a walk/outside/to the car” or whatever excites the dog. Then take the dog to another room or restrain on a leash when picking up the toy.

Some environments are more likely to trigger fights, such as dog parks, family vacations or even boarding in close quarters. At a dog park, there are many dogs that are strangers to each other. While in this environment, they are running, chasing and excited. It is easy for a group of dogs to start running together, forming a “pack mentality” that can promote aggression. Dogs at the dog park do not have a hierarchy established, and if multiple dogs are running for the same Frisbee or ball, the excitement can easily get out of hand. Additionally, some dogs are protective of their owners, and a dog park can be a threatening place, making one feel that he or she must keep everyone away from “his” or “her” owner. If your dog park tends to be crowded, consider going at off-hours or other non-crowded times.

Family vacations mean a lot of people and potentially multiple dogs that are unfamiliar with each other in the same house. This is probably the leading cause of dog-fight injuries during holidays. When many new people and dogs come into a dog’s house, the dog that normally resides in the home can become threatened and possessive, even if he or she is normally a very docile dog. New dogs can mean new threats to “his” or “her” toys and food. Likewise, the visitor dog may try to dominate their new surroundings.

Just as family vacations can be stressful for people, they can create a stressful environment for dogs, which is something dog owners should be aware of. When visiting, always remember that your pet may need some downtime in his or her own room or kennel. Be mindful of what your pet considers to be “theirs,” and remove these items before company arrives. Feed unfamiliar dogs separately.

How to Stop a Dog Fight

Never use your body to stop a fight! When dogs are fighting, instinct and drive have taken over. You can be easily bitten if you try to pull two dogs apart or separate them with your body. Never kick at a dog because their common reaction may be to turn and bite your foot.

It is understandable that your reaction would be to stop the fight by doing whatever it takes. However, physically intervening in a dog fight puts you at risk for getting bitten. Dog bites can result in legal action as well as the costs associated with treating a bite wound at a human ER or urgent care clinic. Complications from bite wounds can lead to severe pain and infection and permanent tissue damage, sometimes even requiring plastic surgery.

Instead of using your body to stop the fight, use a broom or chair or spray water on the dogs with a water hose to separate the dogs and stop the fight. Try making a loud noise such as slamming a door. However, don’t yell at the dogs; your excitement can add to the dogs’ excitement and escalate the fight. After the dogs are separated, keep them separate for several hours in different rooms and always seek veterinary care.

How to Prevent a Dog Fight

  • Always spay and neuter your dogs.
  • Feed multiple dogs in a home separately.
  • Keep dogs leashed when outside.
  • Avoid dog parks if you have a dog that has a possessive demeanor. Also, remember that not everyone at a dog park has the same consideration, and even a docile dog can become involved in a fight.
  • Keep especially desired toys out of reach.
  • If possible, when adding a new dog to your family, choose the opposite sex of the existing dog.
  • Be mindful of visiting family and dogs, and allow all dogs some individual alone time.

If fights are becoming more frequent, a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist may be in order. Speak with your family veterinarian about options for a referral to a specialist. Remember that with basic obedience training, dogs learn to listen to owners better, and while aggression is building prior to a fight, the owner may be able to stop it by giving alternate commands, changing the dog’s focus. Behavior training takes commitment and time and should always be tailored to each individual family and pet.

Dr. Christine New practices veterinary medicine at the Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Dallas.

122 Responses

  1. Robby says:

    We have 8 year old chihuahua mix, 11 year old corgi, 6 month old corgi and 7 month old village dog. All females. Problem dog is corgi puppy. She is bossy and all people are hers. She plays great with village dog. Then will get mad in a split second and attack her. Older dog has leg troubles so we carry her in and out of house. We put corgi puppy in a kennel when we do this because she becomes feral when we pick the other dog up. Second we put older dog down there is no more trouble. Older two are spayed. Going to spay village dog but wanted one litter of pups from corgi first. She is cuddly and sweet otherwise. All going to or have gone to obedience classes.

    • Adrienne says:

      It sounds like a very stressful situation. Both of you love your dogs and neither want to give your dogs away. I completely understand especially the attachment you have with your dog. I would suggest seeking out a trainer that can help you both work on your dogs to live with each other. They don’t have to be friends but they can learn to respect each other’s space.

    • Andra says:

      She may benefit greatly from pack leader training. Quite often dog fighting stems from a pack position issue. Once this is addressed, the difference is like night and day. If you’re unsure on what to do, there’s a very helpful guide on this if you Google: ‘123 Recall Method’ – I’ve seen so many people give up on their dogs because of fighting and aggression issues. It’s sad because it can be easily fixed. I know your post was a few months ago, but hope it worked out for you.

      • Xtine says:

        You may have to keep them separate. Tedious but it will help. One stays locked. One plays and you rotate.

      • Stephani says:

        Your right. . I’m searching for anything to help. … My female passed recently and she was my 8yr old males best friend and also the leader of the pack… She always would break up any fuss … Between him and my male puppy who has just became two and matured and now the 8 yr old is constantly picking fights. … But I love them all equally.. I would do anything to have us all back to normal. They live each other too.. . So heart breaking.

    • chad says:

      Sounds like mine she jealous of the older puppy dog do to
      You picking it up and taking it outside what worked
      For me and my dog with my niece dog is when i sat down i would put one on one side of me and the other on
      The other side so they both had me and i would grunt
      At the if they started anything but being nice to each other and also i keept all toys put up even the cat toys

  2. Kenny Brown says:

    Hi we have a 5yr old English staffy de sexed male and a French bulldog female 1yr old not desexed over the last couple of months they have been fighting aggressively and now it is happening More often
    I have no clue what I should do we feed them seperate we have taken away all toys and these fights still keep happening
    Can you please give me some advice before there is a serious vet bill

  3. Charlotte says:

    I have an English Bull Dog my daughter rescued a mutt which is part pit bull when they see each other it’s a fight of grand proportion. Nothing stops them and the English Bull dogs is 2 years older than the rescue. Neither dog fights with their companion dogs but we live in the same house. It’s so bad thinking of getting rid of the rescue ti a shelter. The English Bull Dog was a gift from my deceased husband that died this past March & I love him. My daughter says I have to get rid of mine and keep her rescue. It’s my home. SCARED

    • What the heck dont get rid of your dog. It was your dogs home first and it’s your home and it’s a gift from your dead husband. Tell your daughter to move out

    • Ruby Chimal says:

      I’m going through the same problem. I have a 3 year old English Bulldog (Male) and a 1 1/2 year old Brahma Bully(male and son to the EB) and they keep fighting and I get scared to death I’ve even seperated them but the bully will try to break through wall if he even here’s my EB. I think the only option I have left is to get them neutered because the only ones who can stop the fights and even have then together without them fighting is my dad and my husband. I’m scared that my bully will one day get to my EB and hurt him seriously or even kill him. I’m so upset about the fighting but this last fight my bully got so driven he ended up making his daddy bleed and hurting his sister who is also an EB. I just don’t qant them to fight anymore and most of all I want them safe. The last fight has brought me to tears and I felt like I was going to pass out and thank God my dad was there to stop them or I don’t know what would have happened.

      • Tracy says:

        Hi Ruby…we have the same issue with our two males, who are father and son. When the son was young, they lived each other madly, and that’s the only reason we kept the son. I wish I had neutered them both before the son hit puberty. I didn’t however, and now we have big problems. I’ve gotten both neutered now, but I know that it takes quite some time for hormone levels to really flatten out. It has not been a magic bullet and in fact, because we have to keep them separated completely, their aggression towards each other is even worse because someone’s always jealous. I think you just have to prepare to be very patient and understand that it’s going to take a lot of work and a considerable amount of time to retrain them. My vet gave me some good tips and I’ve been doing lots of research online. short of asking the dog whisperer to my house, I think that’s about all I can do, but it’s very hard to know that there’s not an easy fix for these types of issues. I hope things get better at your house!

        • Akmags says:

          I’m in this similar situation now. I haven’t neutered my puppy who is now aggressive to his father. How long did it take, after being neutered, for your dogs to become less aggressive?

      • Desi says:

        You say you feel your only option is to have them neutered. They should be neutered anyway! Stop breeding and over populating the world with dogs. Over 4 million are euthanized every year in the US due to overpopulation and you are contributing to this.

        • I don’t think anyone should be scolded about not having their dog neutered on this site. Not one person except the owner of the 6 mo Corgi mentioned a litter of pups she may have. This post is about aggression and I believe your reply to people seeking help was aggressive. We all get spaying or neutering. I totally believe it and unwanted pups are the saddest. But you can site examples and share information and your opinion without being rude

      • Mallory says:

        I have a similar situation at my house currently and was wondering how your situation is now? Are they getting along now? I’m not sure if I should separate my dogs or not as they are both inside dogs

    • VeeVanny says:

      LOL. Its YOUR house! Just dumped your daughter and her dog! She dares to say something like that you is one of a prediction that she won’t be stay on your hospital bed when you need her.

    • Holli Hayes says:

      No I hope you did not get rid of your dog. Your bulldog was there first and that’s his territory. Your daughter needs to get some respect and realize that mutt is not your problem.

    • Adriana says:

      You daughter told you to get rid of your dog???? That is some serious entitlement right there! Absolutely not! Your dog always behaved he is simple defending himself at this point. It is his home. You committed to your dog the moment you got him. YOu don’t just get rid of him. EVen thinking about it is wrong.

  4. Kimberly says:

    I have a 10 month german shepherd. We used to go to the dog park. Smokey love other dog! But today we went to the dog park and my dog get really excited and barked(really loudly) which trigger some dog. I don’t know what to do, because the moment we entered and he barked and get so excited, the other “alpha” dog get and begin showing the teeth and barked to my dog! I would like my dog to be more calm and trick for my dog to meet other dog!

    Thank you

    • Nancy says:

      This sounds exactly like my position. I also have 4 dogs 3 girls and 1 boy. The 2 girls who once loved each other are now fighting and I’ve been keeping them separate and rotating them from in the kennel to being let out and eating. I’ve tried to keep the peace between them for as long as possible.

  5. Rhonda Farris says:

    I have 4 dog’s 3 girl and 1 boy two of my female for no reason will start fighting and sometimes will gang up on my other female I don’t want to give any of my dogs up please I need help

    • Sandra says:

      I have the same issue right now with my 3 females girls. Two of the girls got along until we brought in a 3 female puppy. Then all of a sudden the 2 older ones have started to get into fights. I don’t know yet what or which one is starting it or why. I don’t want to get rid of either one but I don’t know how to fix the situation and they are starting to hurt each other. I wish I could get Caesar Milan help lol.

  6. Fatima Daabis says:

    Hello I have a female Rottweiler who has a year and half and a female cane Corso who has one year the are raised together since they were 3 months but after the Rottweiler got her first period she started to fight with the cane Corso with no reason just trying to dominate than after that they continue playing as if nothing happened
    So how can I handle this please

  7. Jessica says:

    Hello, I have a 9 year chihuahua named rocky whose lived with us since he was 5 months and we recently got a cockapoo whose 9 weeks old which we got a little over a week ago. Most of the time they are fine but we have the odd occasion when a fight will break out. We’ve got it down to treats, toys and sometimes procreation. However rocky will go for the younger one for a reason we don’t know. We are really worried about it and I’m hoping to find a solution before we have to get rid of the pup. Any ideas what could be happening

  8. Tammy says:

    I have 2 females chihuahua/mix older female is spayed and the younger one isn’t but they r mother/daughter but here recently they have been fighting the youngest one had just came out of heat but they never fight like this

  9. Ken says:

    What about dogs who have previously got along, and then suddenly start fighting? No idea what’s changed

    • Chelsea Davenport says:

      Ken,
      That’s what happening with mine as well. Used to cuddle and get along great, now all of a sudden, they are fighting at least once a month.

  10. Shannon Velasquez says:

    I had 3 Chihuahuas at one time. 1 boy and 2 girls. Our little boy dog passed away a few years ago, leaving my 2 girl pups together. They were a year apart in age. January 28, 2020, my little girl, Lola, got suddenly very ill and we had to let Lola go. It broke our hearts. My other girl, Chloe was very lonely. She would cry in her sleep. (Lola was the alpha girl) 4 days ago, March 1, 2020, I went to the Shelter and adopted a 1 yr old male Chihuahua, possibly mixed with a terrier. Rocco is a very sweet boy and has become very attached to me, aka “his momma”.
    We did a “Meet & Greet” with Chloe and Rocco and at the shelter, all went well between both of them. On this 4th day of transitioning, the 2 of them have had 2 fights. It STRESSES me out. I had been feeding the both of them in the same room but that will be changing from now on. When Chloe hears me reprimand Rocco, it seems to agitate her. And when I show affection to either one, they both get agitated. I get that I am Rocco’s safe person and he is protecting me. (I think)
    Chloe does not care to play with toys but is irritated when Rocco plays with toys.
    Any and All opinions, advice etc.. is highly appreciated.
    Thank you
    Shannon V

  11. Josh hicks says:

    I am having issues trying to keep my 3 year old terrier chihuahua mix and my Alaskan husky-German Shepard mix from fighting. Both are opposite sex, they usually get along and play but the past couple days both have got worse. Any advice will be helpful on what to do

  12. Harlee says:

    I have 4 dogs. All female, my oldest is a chow mix and is 10y fixed, a pit mix 3 1/2 years not fixed and 2 German Shepherd mixed not fixed. All of a sudden my pit and chow have been fighting to the point of blood being drawn. They’ve been together since my pit was 8 weeks old and it’s the pit who’s starting all the fights. I made an appointment to get her fixed. Do you think that will stop the fighting? My pit gets along great with the 2 German Shepherds and so doesn’t my chow. Could it be a dominance thing my pits doing?

  13. Carla Black says:

    Hi my German Shepherd girl 2 years old and husky dad 8 years old have just had a litter of 11 and we desperately want to keep 1 girl and 1 boy but my family seem to think that there will all fight but I thought that If there from the same pack they wouldn’t
    Please could someone give me some advice

    • Peyton King says:

      I have read and heard about liter mate syndrome. Which is basically the two dogs who are from the same litter will get attached to each other sometimes, and then they won’t form family connections with humans and stuff like that. Hopefully this helps you with your decision

      • Tamika says:

        I’ve also have had to deal with the constant fighting amongst my 2 female Pitbulls. At first they were like 2 peas in a pod. Went everywhere the other went. Now the at my youngest of the 2 it’s pregnant they have been getting very aggressive towards each other. My oldest is really ferocious and begins the fights all the time. What can I do? I’m scared she’s gonna kill me, my dog or kill the puppies.

  14. Killeen says:

    I have three dogs, two of which are pit bulls. They have been together for over a year and recently have begun fighting. What can I do to stop them from fighting every time they are together? I am having to take turns locking each one in a kennel while the other is out. However, while one is locked up the other will lay in front of the kennel and cry for the other to be released. Which has fooled me twice. What can I do?

  15. Karen Hilyard says:

    We have 3 dogs, a 7 year old female mini Schnauzer, a 4 year old male golden doodle and a 2 year female schnauzer. With the nicer weather we have started taking them on walks. My husband takes the 2 younger ones and I take the 7 year old. The 2 year old has suddenly started to attack the are older girl while out walking. She is put in a crate when we get home but at this point my husband doesn’t want to go on walks anymore. Why did this suddenly start happening? And, more importantly how do we stop it. Is not all going for walks together the answer?

    • Akire says:

      We have 2 Pomeranians. One is 12 years old and dealing with enlarged heart, murmur and fluid pushing against his CT. Then we have a 6 year old Pom and they got along fine until the past week. They usually do it in the evening while I sit on the couch. We noticed they look into their eyes before the fight starts but so far we have been able to stop it

  16. Dominic says:

    I am a Filipino i have two dogs both girl and every night they mocking at each other for a fight. But when i seperate them tha other one start howling and crying so i dont know what do to.

  17. Clara says:

    Hi, i have 2 German shepherd puppies. Male 4.5 months and female 5 months. They always fight most of the time but they sleep together nicely at night. They always get jealous at each other. If i put one inside the house and one outside the house, one of them will go crazy. They also went crazy if i only walk one dog. And when take both for a walk, they always fight because they all want to be in front of each other.

  18. Colvin says:

    I’ve had two pitbulls (one male and one female) for almost three yrs now. Theyve recently fought twice a month apart. Each time, I separated them after the fight to clean wounds and such but now the male doesnt want anything to do with the female. My question is..is there a better way to handle the situation? Did I do it wrong and can they coexist in the same house now? Each time the female started it…shes 2 and hes 3 yrs old.

  19. Nicole Salse says:

    I have a 2 year old yorkie poo and a 6 month old shephard mix, really we dont know what she is as she was rescued as a puppy in a parking lot. Anyways, if one has a toy the other one wants it. Even if it’s just to take it and drop it. The fights have been getting worse. Constantly fighting. Both arent stayed which is our first thought.

  20. Paul walsh says:

    Hi I’ve got 2 female Staffies and they’ve started to fight more regular .one minute they are fine they sleep together and everything even sometimes just play fight but they’ve had 4 aggressive fights now and it’s hard to separate them when they lock on What’s the best way to separate them when this happens because they just seem to lose focus and won’t let go

  21. JJ says:

    I have 2 mini doxies, one is a 5 1/2 month old female, the other is a 2 month male. They are too young to be fixed, but they are fighting! What can i do?

  22. Amy Lloyd says:

    My 2 sister dogs can’t agree who is top dog since their parents died – previously the top dogs. This happened when they are 3 and before that they got on most of the time. Now as soon as they have access to each other they fight without stopping. We try break it up with varying success but have spent thousands on vet treatments. I tried to rehome the most aggressive one but she turned on the dog at her new home too. So she’s back and the other dog is being fostered temporarily with someone she knows well. We need to find a way to get them to get along again if it is possible. It’s very upsetting and unsettling and the rest. My only idea is separate fenced areas then muzzle and harness them if they may have contact. I don’t know much about dogs…HELP!

    • Nancy Brewer says:

      I have 3 males that fight all the time and I have to keep them separated I have 2 dogs that get along so I have to keep my 2 dogs in one bedroom and the 1 dog in the other one in the other bedroom and one of the 2 will come out and go over to the bedroom door and he goes crazy wanting to fight and I have to switch them out every 2 hours it really bothers me I don’t know what to do this as been going on for along time

  23. Xtine says:

    You may have to keep them separate. Tedious but it will help. One stays locked. One plays and you rotate.

  24. Sue says:

    I have a french bull dog female and a yorkie female. My Frenchie is fighting with my yorkie and it’s so quick and vicious I end up intervening. I am at the moment separating them but I would like for them to live in harmony could you please give me some advice it’s breaking my heart to see them hurting one another.

  25. amanda celar says:

    I have six dogs all rescues and we have lots of land for them to enjoy. They are all mutts. There was absolutely no problem with any of them because they sorted out their own hierarchy. However, there are 4 females and 2 males. one of the males is undisputed leader and they all respected him but unfortunately for the past 3 years since he has grown old and has developed arthritis he has lost the repect of the pack and they ignore him. The younger dog shows no sign of taking over and just ignore everyone he has a peaceful, non confrontational temperament and just minds his own business. We now have a huge problem with 2 of the females who suddenly when aged about 4 and having lived together most of their lives, developed an absolute hatred for each other and instantly attack each other on sight. This seems to have coincided with the males loss of status. I now accept they will never accept each other and they take it in turns to be out of their repective rooms. I therefore concluded this horrible situation arose from the top dogs demise?

  26. amanda celar says:

    I have six dogs all rescues and we have lots of land for them to enjoy. They are all mutts. There was absolutely no problem with any of them because they sorted out their own hierarchy. However, there are 4 females and 2 males. one of the males is the undisputed leader and they all respected him but unfortunately for the past 3 years since he has grown old and has developed arthritis he has lost the respect of the pack and they ignore him. The younger dog shows no sign of taking over and just ignore everyone he has a peaceful, non-confrontational temperament and just minds his own business. We now have a huge problem with 2 of the females who suddenly, when aged about 4 and, after living together most of their lives, developed an absolute hatred for each other and instantly attack each other on sight. This seems to have coincided with the male’s loss of status. I now accept they will never accept each other and they take it in turns to be out of their respective rooms. I, therefore, concluded this horrible situation arose from the top dog’s demise?

  27. Nancy says:

    Please help

  28. Nancy Brewer says:

    Do you have any sugesstions

  29. Nancy Brewer says:

    Please help

  30. Avril says:

    I have 3 female dogs. 2 are sisters we adopted from the shelter from when they were puppies and are about 8yrr old. Then my son brought back a puppy last yr like about 1 month old and now she is 1 yr old. The 2 sisters used to fight once in a while and when they fight its scary, they wouldnt back off even when we spray eater at them with a hose. We need to use a broom try to stop the fight and there would be blood everywhere. Now that the new puppy is 1 yr old, she started to behave like the 2 sisters too and usually fights with one of the sisters. These days i have to separate her from them and put her on a leash but one time when one of the other dog passed by her, the fought again really bad, I had to use a broom to push them away to stop the fight. It is so stressful i feel like goving awag the 1 yr old puppy but its not easy to find an adopter these days. Maybe have to make a gate and put one of them at the back of the hse. So stressful.

  31. Sheila Hume says:

    Hello, I have a 2 yr old Tiawanese rescue (our home for one year. She is wonderful, but has been picking fights with other dogs, not all, but it goes in cycles. She’s had about 20 fights with not bites. We are in the forest, so I don’t like to leash. How do I respond to a fight so she knows its not acceptable? Is there anything I can do to prevent it? Being upbeat seems to help!

  32. hollie says:

    I have just got a new pup, a 5 month old rescue who is a sweet loving girl. my current resident dog, he is 3 and usually very soppy caring, wouldn’t say boo to a goose kind of dog but he keeps going for the new puppy, I’ve never seen him be like this and I’ve had him since 8 weeks old. I did not expect him to be like this. help

  33. olivia acosta says:

    We have two female dachshunds that are 7 years apart. The first time the fought was when we took them camping and they had to share food and water. Ever since, they fight very often and only when there’a people around. We’ve tried a spray bottle and loud noises, but they don’t stop and will continue until we can get them separated. We really don’t know what to do and my parents think they need muzzles.

    • Maggie Dickerson says:

      I have three female two mixed breeds. The two mixed breeds in the last year go from best friends to enemies. They fought a lot back in the fall and finally things got better. In the last month the fights have came back. Normally when they fought the two would fight leave and then be friends. Now as soon as they see each other it’s a fight, especially for one. I don’t know what to do anymore in the last week they have fought multiple times. What do I do? I keep them separated for a while normally that helps now as soon as they see each other it’s starts. We just had one that started while we were asleep which is very new. Normally we would have to be awake and more should be happening versus at night in the dark which terrifies me.

      • Kim says:

        I have two dog, a sprocker who is 5 and a patterdale terrier who is 2, the sprocker is very calm and loving he doesn’t bark or cause a fuss, the patterdale was a rescue dog and is very anxious, which turns to violence. If the older dog makes a sudden movement, or makes a noise she attacks and I end up with a fight, due to the size difference it’s impossible to separate them. Water, blankets, loud nose brooms, chairs nothing. We literally have to pull them apart and I have ended up getting bitten in the crossfire. I love my dogs but the fighting is getting worse, it’s gone from once a while to at least every other day. It’s causing stress and anxiety to myself and my children. I’m at a loss with what I should do, I can’t rehome them because they are family, but I don’t see any training techniques working.

        • Tammy Marks says:

          I have 2 female sister I have had both Since 8 weeks old for the past 3 or 4 month they have been fighting very bad I have caged them put muslins on them and it hasn’t stopped

        • Ted says:

          We have a 5 yr old female dog and wanted to bring a companion into the mix, we adopted a 1.5 yr old female rescue. From day one it has been super difficult. We made a lot of progress with hyper vigilance and training. Unfortunately without warning vicious fights break out, in one instance my mother in law was hurt trying to break it up. Our last vacation was nearly ruined because of a dog fight while we were away. Most recently the new rescue (probably was provoked) ripped open our other dog’s eyelid and she required hospitalization and almost lost her eye. It has been 5 months of hard work but I think we have come as far as we can go. My wife has a maternal attachment to the new dog and is in shambles about this choice we must make, help!

          • Juan says:

            Hi Tess
            I have a similar situation. A choice must be made. What did you guys end up doing? And how do you feel about that choice now .

        • Chelsea Davenport says:

          Kim,
          What did you end up doing? We have been having the same problem with our two bigger dogs. They basically grew up together and all of a sudden this past year, they will fight at least once a month and twice it was so bad we had to take one to the vet to get stitches and tubes… When they are not fighting they play and cuddle but then out of nowhere they will just tear into each other. I have tried all of those techniques as well and nothing works… I just have to pray that one doesn’t kill another and finally one will release itself from the other. We don’t want to get rid of either of them but it’s looking like we might have too. We have talked to vets and they just say its a dominance thing..*eyeroll* I think it goes further than that.

  34. Nadine says:

    I have a female Pittbull that’s 3 and a male bull mastiff that’s 6. My 3 year old has always been territorial with her food and my male territorial with his toys since she joined our family. They both get a lot of exercise walking, and for the most part they get along and play well as long as there is no dog bedding, no toys, and no food around them both at the same time. They use to fight a lot more until I took most of the triggers away and taught myself and them that they’ll both get my attention one after the other. In other words, when I get home and they are both excited to see me, I’ve taught them to understand that I will first greet and pet Him first and then her next and spend the same amount of time greeting each of them individually. Same thing with feeding; when it’s feeding time, I feed him first outside, then when he’s done he comes in and she goes outside. They both know the process very well and I use this pattern for everything except walking them as I have to walk them together or she’ll get crazy jealous and break down the door. They don’t fight nearly as much as they use to like in her first and second year and I do see the difference in her temperament with him since I’ve made those modifications. She’s usually the one that starts a fight and he defends himself. She doesn’t like other dogs at all either, just him. He loves other dogs and gets along with other dogs.

    I’ve read and researched a lot about breaking up dog fights, animal aggression and have gotten some great tips from a trainer friend of mine. All advice has been helpful and contributed to the reduction of the fights, including this post. Although, they still get into it once in a while. And it’s always bad when they do. I don’t think there’s any guaranteed full proof way to stop cohabiting dogs from fighting with each other 100%. Cause I’ve tried almost everything out there except a behavioral trainer cause they are expensive as it’s only affective when the training occurs in the house and training applied to both dogs in the house. Not to mention that it’s not a 1-2 day training visit and their fixed now, either. It’s a process and one that requires the family to continue to reforcé always once the trainer trains then and you. I’m also continuing to research and try new things as I haven’t given up. I love both my dogs and I don’t want to choose between them. So in addition to the advice in this post, this what I’ve also learned from trial/error and the internet that’s contributed to reducing the fights.
    1. Go online and read everything you can about animal behavior, instinct, triggers, multiple dog households etc, fill yourself with knowledge. Doing so has helped me see other triggers that I would never of known contribute to her aggression and territorial behavior. Sometimes our dogs can be under stress that’s temporary, like they aren’t feeling well, a crash or loud noise that scared them, etc. This puts the stressed dog into feeling guarded. So if your dog is going through something like not feeling well and you don’t know it, a fight can occur. Learn everything you can about your dogs mood in the past day or so until the moment that led to that fight. Did your dog have an appetite and eat at the normal feeding times? Is your dog having any abnormal bowl movements or constantly passing gas like she may have a stomach pain? Has your dog been acting abnormal in anyway? Be extra cautious and ready if you see your dog behaving abnormally, and definitely talk to your vet if if you see constant repeating behavior patterns and or if your dog isn’t eating or drinking.

    2. Always be prepared. I have two ground stakes in the back yard each on opposite sides of the yard from each other and two in the front yard. All the ground stakes are ready to go with their own wire cable harness. I have 2 water spout sources in the back yard that coincidentally happen to be one on each side of the back yard. I have those soft light weight hoses that shrivel up when no water runs through them to save space and are really light to carry. I keep them screwed into the spout always. On each of the end I have an above average grade hose gun tool that has a strong and thick water flow. I have leashes hung up everywhere outside the house and close by in several places of the home. I have a day bed in the living room with a bottom pull out mattress that’s comfy and long enough that they both have plenty of space to sleep on opposite ends so one doesn’t get annoyed with the other being too close in a smaller space. And the mattress is too heavy to move around or play with like a toy that the other one will fight for to play too. I have a security gate (like the kind for child proofing) between my kitchen and laundry room when I need to isolate them from each other for whatever reason, not just after a fight. I also have a this tall bamboo fence that accordion folds quickly in for storing and when not in use and out to lay up against a doorway or entryway that doesn’t have a door swing that I could close. I have 4 fire extinguishers spread around my house that are ideal for home and or business and that are rated for electrical equipment, liquids and trash wood paper types of fires. 2 Over stocked emergency kits (one for my dogs, and one for us). Pain killers, antibiotics and anti inflammatory medications for each of my dogs specific weight for dosing, prescribed by their vet. I also keep past medication prescribed by their vet for pain and or infection etc unless it expires to repurpose when it can be applied. That also helps when I can’t afford to take them to the vet and I can treat them myself as long as they don’t need any stiches for serious wounds. They both have a thick and sturdy comfy leather collar that has a handle for me to grab and control them whenever needed. Even when they run to the door after the doorbell is rung. These items are what help me break up my dog fights, isolate them and treat them.

    3. How to stop a dog fight. My dogs move and jump around on each other too fast for me to try to get either one of them in the wheelbarrow position. Besides, I think it’s really dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing as you don’t want to give either dog the opportunity to benefit off of the other dog that’s being wheelbarrowed if your alone. This method works best when there are two people applying this method to each dog at the same time. It can be done by one person if you had no choice but I strongly caution against using this method if you don’t know what you are doing. I’ve tried it and practiced this method with my son and on my own and tried using leashes under their hips instead of my hands. But it’s very hard and I don’t have the time to do this when they are in full on fight mode. Making loud noises like smashing posts together or using a bullhorn and stuff like that don’t work on my dogs very much anymore. But it does depend on how serious the fight is and gets and the timing. It may work if it’s a fight that hardly escalated yet or when you notice something right about to happen before it actually does. With a water hose that has enough power, spray your dogs aiming for their heads. A little water in your dogs eyes and or ears won’t hurt them. They are moving around so much and fast that the water from the hose won’t be directed in the eye or ear long enough to cause injury and they will disengage from each other quickly. Water from your outdoor spouts come from the ground and it’s usually colder than it is warmer. Never use your hands to break them up and get in the middle of them. When they are in full on fight mode they are not aware of their surroundings, and they aren’t able to see that it’s your hand and you’ll likely get bit accidentally. And worse, your hand can get stuck in the brawl, you can fall and or get dragged by them if your trying to hold on. It’s very dangerous! That’s from my own experience. I’ve gotten bit 4 times, and have fallen several times. Luckily my injuries weren’t bad enough where I need stiches or lost fingers but getting a tetanus shot, having scrapes all over, bruises, and being sore for a few days is no fun especially when you gotta treat yourself and each dog after the brawl. My favorite dog fight stopping method is the fire extinguisher. From a distance of 8 feet or so, I spray it towards them like around them but never directly at their faces like I can with the water hose. The fire extinguisher eats up their oxygen that’s around them just enough to get then to disengage. When done outside, and they disengage they walk away and regain normal oxygen away from the area the incident occurred in. Be aware of using the extinguisher inside as it will not only make a big mess for you to clean up but it doesn’t settle right away and stays in the air so you’ll have to give that room some time to settle before you, your family or your pets can return to that room again.

    I’m constantly researching and learning new things about triggers, their moods, cohabitation peacefully and other ways to break up a fight. It hasn’t been easy trough trial and error, what works and what doesn’t but I wanted to share my experiences and what I’ve learned over the years in hopes that some of this can help one of you. It hearts me to see my dogs hurting each other but I can’t give up on trying to improve them living peacefully together. I wish you all the best of luck.

    • Juan P says:

      Wow .This is extremely helpful ! First of I commend you for having the courage and calmness to deal with this stressful situation. I am dealing with something similar and I trying to wrap my head around how you got so much information. And your steadfast determination to manage this situation. You gave me hope . Thank you

  35. most dogs instinctively don’t like other animals whether it be a cat, a raccoon, etc. it’s inbuilt in most breeds to scrap with each other, you can read more about it on https://www.weelinks.info/u/dog-training/ it helped my sister and her husbands dog fighting situation.

  36. Good points to be shared while having dogs at home. Same-sex dogs fight more than the opposite gender. Always full fill the needs of your dogs. Great Post. Love to read. Thanks For Sharing!

  37. Godlives says:

    My dog is 6months and there is anthor dog which is 7 year s attack my when I was walking with my dog how can I stop them

  38. Karen says:

    I have two female dogs. One lived here and when I moved in I brought mine. Had a few scuffles but nothing severe. My daughter moved in with her male dog and the females are off the hook. Everyone is fixed. They coral each other, show dominance, and fight with serious wounds. I can’t afford a vet visit for this as I’ve lost my job due to Covid. Please help

  39. […] Tex Vet Pets explains, one of the prime reasons that any two dogs living in the same home might fight each other […]

  40. Little man says:

    I have 2 female dogs and they are related. The mother always beats up her daughter. Now I know how to stop the fight. Thanks you very much for the info.

  41. Richard says:

    Richc60@yahoo.com

    I have a male border collie 10 yrs old, a female border collie 2 yrs old, they had a litter of 5 male puppies, I kept one male puppy (5 months old) the dad and the puppy are starting to fight, the dad will show his teeth at the puppy and the puppy responds with growling and snapping and a fight starts, what can I do to stop this behavior? I’ve already been bitten by puppy in his excitement.

  42. My dad would like to have his dog trained because he’s afraid that it might attack a random stranger. Well, it’s surprising to learn that dogs who are spayed and neutered are less likely to fight. I also agree with you that we must remove bones and chew toys inside the house first since he happens to have possessive behavior.

  43. Nel says:

    I have a pitbul cross and a boerbul. The boerbul is loving and a complete sweatheart but she gets overwelmed and excited. The pitty isnt so much of a playful dog and she doesnt like the boerbull being in her space at all. The pitbull fights alot. We also have another pup who is a boy and he also loves to play but once again just irretates the two females.
    We dont want to give any dogs away and we dont have to much money to spay all of them. The male will get spayed end month then hes old enough. What else can we try in prder to get the females to stop fighting

  44. Mike pelzel says:

    I have 3 female 1yr old lab/bulldog mix. all from the same litter. All 3 females will fight each other as soon as they cross paths. We have to keep them total separated all the the time. We are started to get them fixed if this doesn’t work. Then what do you suggest

  45. Megan Lyle says:

    I have a 3 year old mutt that is from a shelter and a 2 year old pit from the same place we got the mutt first but didn’t have her long before we got the pit we’ve had them for a little over a year now and they seem to start getting to fights we’ve separated kennels and food bowls and they only have rope toys outside the mutt is half the pits size and keeps getting severely injured we don’t know what to do at this point and can’t afford trainers I’m afraid we have to take the pit back

  46. Anonymous says:

    Please respond to this. I have 3 females. Myah (the oldest we think she is about 6 ) is a rescue. And Athena (4years old) and Nova(3years old) we got as puppies. We were told that Myah was at an age that was high risk to get her fixed and that it could kill her so we never got them fixed the other two we plan on getting fixed but ran into financial issues with Covid and It all started one day out of nowhere about a year ago Myah attacked Athena. So we kept them separate but then Myah attacked Nova… so Athena and nova got along just fine but we would separate them from Myah. Well lately Athena has been showing food aggression and whenever they are in the room together when we have Myah out, Athena starts to growl at Nova even when there is no food in the room with them. Usually it stops after we correct her a couple times and they start playing or whatever but today I came home and they were in the middle of a fight so now all three of my dogs have been in fights with each other and I don’t know what to do we are going to get the two younger ones fixed but with this guarantee that they would not fight anymore?

  47. I have two females dogs that had puppies two days apart this caused my females to violently fight each other we all three are hurt from this I read it’s called mama agressivness! My question is when will this end-all the pups r gone how can I reintroduce them? Help!!

  48. Benjamin says:

    I have male dog and a female dog the male dog barks in the female dogs ear and the female gets irritated and a fight breaks out. We are able to stop it but they do it every day what should I do

  49. Alexandra says:

    Hi, I have 4 dogs. A 12 year old and the other 3 is
    8 years. The 2 females are spayed, however the prob-
    Lem is the males. They constantly fight, there is blood
    Everywhere !!! I am so stressed about it I am even co
    Nsidering giving one away. Can anyone assist me.?
    What should I do ?

  50. Eleeza says:

    I’m looking after my brothers dog who is 2 years, I have a 5 moth old puppy and all he wants to do is play however my brothers dog isnt interested and is getting really annoyed at my puppy who is full of energy. I don’t really have any space to separate them and I’m not sure if they are fighting or playing.
    What should I do?

  51. VICKI says:

    I have a 9yr old German Shepherd mixed with chow. I have a full blooded German Shepherd i got at 5 weeks. Since day one my chow mix did not like my shepherd. Always growl as her. Both female. The german shepherd has out grown the chow mix tremendously. The chow now fights her every time im in the room with them. but when my son is home they do not fight at all. Only with me. i have to keep them separated at all time. my son will be moving out in Aug and i dont know what to do.

  52. Amber Simshauser says:

    Hello i have two girl dogs we marble is 6 and saide is almost 3 and they have started fighting im not sure what to do we are trying to move and are staying with my brother while are houes is getting finished. Please help thank you

  53. S Dunfee says:

    I have three doxies ages 12, 5, and 3. All are fixed. I acquired a pug puppy last August and they all got along ok until pug went in to season and now is especially aggressive to 5 year old Dixie. She is scheduled to be fixed August 31 soonest we could get her in. They are all ok together until pug starts staring at them then they both want to rip each other up. Any suggestions. Took her to vet they think it’s a behavioral problem. Desperate for solution!

  54. Lynn says:

    I have 6 male dogs, breeds range from pittbull, staffy, jack Russell and Huskey. Oldest dog is turning 3 in December. They are starting to fight more often. The 2 brothers are fighting more. What can we do? We can’t spay them all at once…

  55. Fabián says:

    We have 2 year old female German shepherd and 5 five year old female Chihuahua mix they gotten in to a couple of fights last one got pretty bad . Where are stuck we don’t know what to do ?

  56. Michelle says:

    I have a female dog that we separated from my two male dogs and now that her heat is done her heat cycle we put her back with the male dogs and now the two males are still growling and barking at each other getting ready to fight they’ve already fighting twice is this a normal thing or how do I get them to stop fighting they got along before I really need help

  57. Bob says:

    I have 2 female dogs both neutered 1 is a 13yo puggle and the other is a 7 y/o Pomeranian and they fight visously for no apparent reason. Why? What can I do to prevent this. The Pomeranian is a rescue dog been with us for 2 months now

  58. Wendy says:

    We have a 11 year old shitzu Bichon male (fixed) and then 5 years ago got a mixed rescue dog (weineramer, boxer, colie) 8 weeks when we got her. (Also fixed). Every once in a while (about every 3-6 months) our big dog will attack the small older one. Reason is unknown. No food around, no toys. Last time she punctured the little ones ear. How do we stop this from happening?

  59. Trinity says:

    We have a 1 year old female black lad, pit mix and a 13 year old Male German shepard mix. When we first got the famle they both got along, but after a while the female started going after our male. We thought it was just play fights leading to actual fight but when watching one day it’s just her trying to go for his throat. We have another female 10 yr old boxer and they get along great. I’m not sure what’s going on and really wanna fix it because both that female dog and the male dog are amazing dogs and I really dont want to give them up and most likely it would be the famle that we would give up because we had the male longer.

    • Susann says:

      We have a 10 yr old male dachshund and just recently got a 16 wk old female golden doodle. The dachshund growls and gas snapped at every dog we’ve had and they just walk away. The golden doodle dies t walk away and they are fighting terribly! The dachshund has had back surgery and this last time got his back hurt and was walking sideways. He’s better now but next time it could be worse. I’ve never had a puppy this aggressive against an older dog. All our other dogs have been schooled by the male dachshund and they leave him alone. The dachshund is the aggressor and if the golden doodle even comes near him he growls and lunges at her. My husband is upset with the puppy as he says he hasn’t ever seen a puppy that aggressive. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

  60. […] how to separate them and stop them. And to learn the right tips and tricks to prevent dog fights, go through this write-up. In most cases, your Staffy will get friendly with the other dog without much hassle. Also, let […]

  61. carri perruchon says:

    I recently rescued a dog from a shelter he pretty well behaved. My daughter has a dog and the fir a good three weeks they played ran around had there play fights but lately they really know how to pushe each other’s buttons sometimes they really go at it and it’s scary.. no injuries yet but it’s gotten pretty bad sometimes.. one minute there best friends the next they are at each other’s throats. Then playing again… I don’t know what to do to stop them from antagonizing each other..

  62. Katiuscia Rinaldi says:

    Hello…. We’ve a 3 years old border collie and a 4 years old black lab/retriever mix, both female and spayed…
    The border collie is keep going to stress the other dog, chasing her, being close to her and stalk her.. it’s reasonable that the other one has enough stress.. they’re constantly barking to each other and fighting.. couple of times both of them had minor injuries (like small bites on the ears and lips). It’s not about food or sharing a toy… They start to attack each other especially when we go outside, bringing the kids at the bus stop, or when we go upstairs, most of the time when we leave the room! When we e to leave the house, we put only the border collie into her kennel.
    They’re indoor dogs… our backyard has no fence so I can imagine that they’re both frustrated inside the house, and we use to walk them 4/5 times a day! I know that probably is this the problem, but we can’t build a fence right now (we’re renting)! Are they too old to be trained? Or could you give me some advices, please?Thank you

  63. Jc says:

    i have 2 cane corso x xl American bully cross that are brothers. they were literally best friends like they would hug eachother in bed and lay on eachother they loved eachother so much and we were a big happy family!. But.. I had to go away and I left my one dog on my uncles 300 acre farm and I brought the other ones to my friends house because he wanted to look after him. So I bring them both home and almost instantly my younger boy chub-chub started growling at the older brother blue. so thats all they did at first. So later that day I went down in the basement where my gaming tv and that. I always bring my two boys down with me so I did. So blue was on the couch and chub chub was coming down the stairs. Chub chub walked right by blue and was going to lay down on the other side of couch and out of nowhere blue attacked him! Blue grabed him by the back of the head and started shaking him! I grabed blue and pulled him off but now chub was very angry. he grabbed blue by the neck and they were both trying to kill eachother! they knocked a box of jars down and blues back leg got slashed open, I had to take him to the emergency vet and it cost $900 to get him fixed up. I bring them home they started sleeping together again and playing but then out of nowhere they start to attack eachother agian. they just tryed 20 mins ago but i grabbed chub the aggressor and held him on the floor by his neck like u do to calm him down and i put blue in another room. Do you think once I neutered both of them they will stop this craziness??

  64. […] to the stress that comes about from giving birth, dams may make bad decisions. For moms of all species, giving birth is an exhausting experience, and it comes with the […]

  65. Tammi Pollard says:

    I have 2 female corgi’s. A 3 year old a 2 year old. The 3 year old is spayed and very laid back. The 2 year old is not spayed and has always been a handful. They are fighting more frequently and the triggers can be treats or just our attention. We don’t know how to stop them. Any suggestion would help.

  66. Penny says:

    Hey i have 1 female Yorkshire and a male yourkshire they both 9 month old they have start to fight with each other there both brother and sister can any help

  67. Chelsea Davenport says:

    I stumbled upon this article because I have been doing research all morning. I have three dogs total. Copper, who is a bluetick coonhound and is 4 years old, Birch who is a German shorthaired pointer, who will be 3 years old soon, and our newest addition, Chester, who is a Beagle. Here is my issue and I am hoping this reaches out to someone who knows what to do or has experienced that same thing.
    We have a huge outdoor kennel for the dogs to run around in since we live right by the road, (that’s changing in about two weeks as we are moving onto 157 acres land) and they will have more room to move around without the worry of them getting struck by a car. Here’s our issue: Copper and Birch were raised together, both males, both fixed. Though Copper was fixed at a later time than normal. Both dogs are great around kids, babies, other puppies/dogs, and very loving over the adults in the family. A few months ago, my kids had let the dogs out in the kennel to get some running in and to do their business, I had looked away for a second and heard this awful noise, I turned and looked and there was Birch (the German Shorthaired) with his teeth sinking into Copper’s neck. Copper tried to get away and Birch just kept attacking him. So I yelled for my significant other and he came out and got them apart by using a golf club to pry open birches mouth to finally let go copper. Luckily, there were only a couple of nicks on the both of them, and I could treat them at home without a vet’s assistance. 3 months later, I just pulled into the driveway and I sat there for about 3 minutes before getting out. I walked around the corner and the dogs started to fight AGAIN! Birch on top of Copper trying to rip out his throat it seemed… I couldn’t get them apart by telling them to stop, so I grabbed my golf club and gave Birch a crack to the side of his face (no I didn’t injure him) and he finally let go of copper. I separated the dogs, and looked over Copper. He had a torn neck in 4 different places, and a torn leg. We ended up having to rush him to the vet to get stitches. The vet said that if Copper hadn’t had his collar on, that Birch would have killed him. The vet also stated that Copper was fixed later than normal and probably tried establishing dominance because even though Birch is younger, he is still the Alpha. After Copper was fully healed, we brought the dogs together slowly and things were fine again…. Up until yesterday.
    My signifcant other and I had one of the family members watching the dogs as we were out of town. My daughter just got dropped off at the house to check on the dogs since we were coming back in just a couple of hours, as soon as she got home and got inside, she heard a big bang on the side of the garage door, and there the dogs were, fighting again. Birch on top of copper and this time he had ripped off coppers collar and copper ripped off birches collar but my daughter got them to stop fighting after what seemed like several minutes. Birch was left with a bloody nose, and copper had a few nicks on him again but now he is moving slowly and limping….

    This has never happened before as they have grown up together practically! They usually cuddle and play very well together. This all started just before we got a new puppy, so I know that he isn’t the problem. I am at a loss as what to do. Birch is really sweet around people and so far around our puppy, so I don’t understand why he is all of a sudden very aggressive with Copper. We don’t know how to fix it or if he will do it again… He’s only 3 and we don’t want to put him down, and we don’t want to give him away to place a burden on someone else. I guess I am just looking for advice, or people who have had similar experiences.

  68. Chelsea Davenport says:

    Ken,
    That’s what happening with mine as well. Used to cuddle and get along great, now all of a sudden, they are fighting at least once a month.

  69. Keira says:

    We have 8 dogs. The latest addition are 2 german shepard puppies, one female and one male. Lately he and the old two german shepards (who are biological brothers) are constantly fighting over everything. We have taken all bones / toys off them but now they just walk around constantly growling at one another and this than escalates to a fight between the puppy and one of the older dogs. I think they may be intimidated as the puppy is now bigger and it is a fight for the “top dog” position but will this ever stop? My dad is now saying we need to rehome the puppy but I don’t want it to come to that :(

  70. Kristine says:

    I have a 3 year old female pit and her daughter a year and a half old pit, both who are not fixed. When initially being brought back around eachother they got into a small altercation. Its been over a year since the incident, when they ended up fighting over a bone. Will getting them both spayed and removing bones/feeding separately make the fighting and aggression stop?

  71. Broken says:

    I found a labrador retriever mix and she was pregnant. She gave birth to 12 healthy puppies. During this time of covid no one wanted her puppies. I posted ads online. I posted flyers at dog parks. I contacted a few rescues and they were not interested. I spread the word to people i knew and they told other people yet no one wanted them. When the puppies were born they were black just like their mother except for two they were brindle. As they grew they all became brindle except 3 were black. I got them microchip, fully vaccinated and even spayed neutered. 12 puppies 2 males 10femalss. They were beautiful and very affectionate loving to me. I live in a 5 acre property so plenty of space. I had 20 other dogs plus the mother with her puppies. The puppies reached 6months and the day after their 6month birthday 11 of them attacked their sibling sister killing her. One pinned her down by the throat and the rest jumped in. She was killed in a few seconds. I never worried about them fighting each other i worried about all the other dogs doing something to the puppies and i was so wrong. I couldnt forgive the puppies for what they had done so i got rid of them. I felt and still feel so much heartache.

    • pawsxp says:

      I found a labrador retriever mix and she was pregnant. She gave birth to 12 healthy puppies. During this covid period, no one wanted their puppies. I posted ads online. I posted flyers in dog parks. We contacted some rescuers and they were not interested. I spread the word to people I knew and told others, but no one wanted them. When the puppies were born, they were as black as their mother, except for two puppies that were brindle. As they grew up, they all became tigers, except for the 3 blacks. I took them microchip, completely vaccinated and even sterilized sterilized. 12 puppies 2 males 10 females.

  72. Passion Vargas says:

    Hello, I love all my big babies,I do hate when they get jealous of each other,which I wish I can duplicate myself for them because they are big dog’s,(my lap not big enough)they friendly shove/wedge each other away from me so I can only pet one. I do love that I work at home to spend time I need with each of them, but I hate when alpha roles start to try and play dominance over the other’s but I love when I get a chance to show them I’m the alpha,even my cat thinks he’s a dog among the big dog’s. I have the oldest who is the queen,our chihuahua who is everything to us in our autism home,she raised my two autistic son’s,next are my boy’s, all spoiled and huge,German Shepard who I am blessed to have his albino son with us as well(I had his twin sister,I couldn’t save her from hit&run,RIP)he’s just as huge as his dad and and still growing,ppl think they are wolves,lol,but the son shows sign’s of special needs but still very smart and can be controlled at times only because of his special needs but he’s not out of control. Now as for his uncle from another breed is a runt pit who was given to me as loving home he needed as a baby,he still acts like a toddler and just as spoiled,and shows off his communication skills but is the friendliest Staffordshire pit you’ll ever meet,loves to play with others but my older German Shepard has shown his dominant role to him sporadically,I also saved a very similar pit from euthanasia because nobody claimed or wanted him,but he looks as if he was a duplicate of the spoiled toddler,him being new and me trying to spread more of my time between them all,my question to you is…do you think I may have to use a muzzle at times during their teenager fits? I can’t tell if it’s good or bad to use one even if it’s used the right way if that makes any sense. Thank you for taking the time to see this…….

  73. Izette says:

    I am in desperate need of advice. We have a 5 year old Schnauzer/ Jack Russell cross and a 4year old Schnauzer. Both are males and very dominant. They are fighting more often and its getting more severe by the day. We jave tried keeping them in muzzles but the female pup pulls them off from their faces. And when the neighbors’ dogs on either side bark at the wall, they get so worked up that they turn on each other, which means separating them on different sides of the house will not work as they will fight through the gate. It is now at the point wwhere we are too scared to leave them alone during the day. My husband thinks we should find one of them q new home. But how do you give away your doggy child?
    Neutering the 1st one did not change his behavior at all so we don’t want to neuter the other one if it will not make a difference in him either. Please help. We are out of ideas ;'(

  74. Nanci Barnes says:

    I have a male border collie / blue heeler, I also have one of his pups that is male, and they used to play together and now all of a sudden my grown dog is lashing out at his male pup. There are females in the house also, is it because they are not spayed and neutered? I’ve made appointments for all of them to be spayed and neutered, will that stop my male from trying to bully his male pup?

  75. Tipster says:

    I have 3 females, one 5 and the other two 3 yrs old. The 5 year old was here first then the other 2 came. One of the 3 yr old keeps attacking my 5 yr old, which is smaller. I had a trainer come and told him how they fight. He still brought them close together the first day he was here, he said nothing to worry abt on his watch. Well she attacked my 5yr old again and then bit the trainer cuz he was trying to break them up. Now he’s saying he can put her to sleep, he had to get 3 stitches. The training was in my backyard, this is the first time a human was bitten. He said cuz he was working he has every right to put her down since the wound needed stitches. This is Texas. Is he right, he said if I let him board and train her he won’t report it but if I don’t he has to report it and she will be put down.

  76. Shay says:

    I have two male puppies 10 months old . One was abandon by its previous owner . The boys are begale Shar pies recently they have both been attacking each other whenever together no Matter the reason . We thought it could be because of food so we started feeding separately in different rooms or on leash feeding but now it’s getting to the point they fit when ever we bring them in from using the bathroom or even if there just rooming the house . What can I do to stop it ? It’s getting out of hand .

  77. Paula Rogers says:

    I have 2 female dogs in my home 13 year old lucky always good dog never had a litter was spayed very young.not sure what she is . What she is but
    she is a medium dog about50lbs..sissy is airdale 12months old and around 60lbs..sissy had a litter of puppies a couple of months ago on her first heat. Was not planned anyway when the litter came the girls started fighting we had to keep them separated.very difficult when they are both in house but we had a few slip up fights bad fights.Ok now puppies are all homed and gone and started letting the girls back together.yea I thought they were all fine again.so no separaing.well I guess I did the wrong thing I bought new toys and new colors and toys were fine but when I started to put a new color on sissy lucky came unglued and the fight was on we got them apart and now they are separated again.pleade anyone help tell me some suggestions should I take all the toys out and put their collars on in separate rooms before I try getting them in the same room.siisy is getting fixed next week.i know lucky is old but they liked each other for 12 months how do I get that back.thank you

  78. Beingtex says:

    Very informative post about dog fights. These are the best methods you have described to prevent dog fights.

  79. Isarah says:

    I am having issues trying to keep my 3 Dogs in Harmony GSD and siberian husky. Can they live along ?

  80. Leanne says:

    Hi I have 2 French Bulldogs that have been fighting alot recently! We now feed them separately,took all.toys away but the last 2 days have been really viscous with no triggers just start out of no where!! We need ideas as the last fight had them both bleeding! Water no longer stops them! Loud sounds have no effect!

  81. Valencia Heim says:

    My issue is with my Staffordshire Bull Terrier female unspayed puppy, who’s about around a year old or so, she a big squishy baby who loves everyone. However she does not like the old lady of the house Leia my 13 year old. Pug who is going blind and likes to growl and snap at those around her while she eats, so we separated the dogs. It’s not a pug thing for Saddi the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (which we are not 100 percent sure is her breed). Because we have Keyla she will be 15 in September and Frank he is 13, like Leia and Saddi is a okay with them. But when Saddi hears Leia growl for any reason even clear a crossed the house she running to attack her. We separated them but all Saddi has to hear is Leia’s little growl and she is ready for the hunt and kill. I do not know what to do about Saddi, I can tell she didn’t come from the best place before me and I hate giving up on her. I also know it’s not right for Leia to go through this. Leia is fixed, Saddi not yet. HELP

  82. Valencia Heim says:

    I also have a Whippet female not spayed yet who is about 3 and Molli a pug, Chihuahua and weeny dog mix, she very small but for sure has the Chihuahua attitude, she is spayed. Molli and Harper the whippet we’re best friends, love each other like no other. But then Molli has puppies and directly after was fixed. Molli was very controlling of me and no one was allowed in the bedroom with me, her or her poopies. Ever since they are aggressive to one another and I have to keep them separate. We do pretty good about not letting them around one another. Harper loves Molli’s poopies, she is auntie Harper. HELP

  83. Lisa says:

    Please help..

    I am a first time mom and a dog-mom of 5 (crazy dog lady vibes – maybe), 3 males (1 intact and 2 not) and 2 females (spayed). Our youngest pup (French Bulldog mix) is 8 months and recently neutered. Prior to being neutered him and his father (intact- 7 year old French Bulldog) got into fights…it started off with the puppy being too hyper, licking and pawing dad’s face and jumping on him which made him mad and snap..we’d have to pull them apart, it has gotten bad to the point where if the puppy is in his crate dad will stare him down and they fight through the crate..since he is recently neutered we are keeping them separated when we are not able to monitor them and letting them out together under supervision with the other dogs (mom is part of this pack) so far it’s been good on leash and in the house..but it’s exhausting having to supervise and snap them out of stares before anything escalates, much of which is started by the father…I am exhausted and don’t want to rehome anyone, the pup has imprinted on my son and I love them all to pieces..what can I do to keep the peace? I don’t want to lose anyone or want anyone getting hurt..especially around my baby. We want to be able to eat, relax, watch tv, play with the baby without having to worry about the boys fighting..it’s exhausting. I hired a trainer and he just advised that I give the father trazodone but we don’t want to drug our dogs…any and all help is appreciated!

  84. Becky says:

    I have 3 dogs that are three yrs old two are male and one is female I haven’t got fixed yet but love my babies they all saved me .but my two males keep fighting when they see one another instantly I just am at a loss and don’t want to give any of them away I raised them I really need help I have to keep one male in kennel and other out of kennel I just sad cause I am trying to do on my own lately and at a loss please help.

  85. George (female) says:

    My female large breed dog has had puppies then spayed and she is not a fighter at all but what can I do if a large breed in tacked male comes at her to fight her how can I help her from the attack?

  86. Team Oxford says:

    As a dog owner, it’s important to take responsibility for preventing and stopping dog fights. First and foremost, it’s crucial to properly socialize your dog from a young age, exposing them to different people, animals, and environments.

    Additionally, never leave your dog unsupervised in public areas, as this can increase the likelihood of a fight. If you do encounter a potential altercation, stay calm and try to distract the dogs by making a loud noise or throwing a nearby object. If a fight does break out, it’s important to never physically intervene by pulling on the dogs’ collars or attempting to separate them with your hands. Instead, try using a barrier like a blanket or piece of wood to create space between the dogs.

    And always remember to seek professional help from a veterinarian or animal behaviorist if you’re experiencing ongoing issues with your dog’s aggression.

  87. Michelle says:

    I have an 8 year old female wire haired terrier and my cousin has a 6 year old female Papillon. If they have the chance they immediately start fighting. And constantly watch each other’s movements throughout the house. They cannot be outside together and cannot be left alone unattended. We really don’t want to have to rehome one of them especially since it would be my terrier :( any advice would be much appreciated

  88. Sarah says:

    We have a 5 year old boxer who is fixed We got 2 cane corso’s female and male last year to breed them both a year old now. They all got along great this entire year. Just recently the female cane corso started attacking my 5 year old boxer who is fixed. They always got along and now can’t be together at all. What should I do is there any hope they will go back to getting along or is this going to be their life now? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

  89. Stefanie M Koebke says:

    I have 6 male dogs. 2 of the dogs got into a fight out of nowhere. No at that time they were not fixed. I have 1 of the dogs separated from the others. We got them 2 fixed shortly after but they still are growling at each other still after a month of being fixed. We finished get the rest fixed. When I brought the last 2 home the other 3 were sniffing him and started attacking him. We have him separated from the other 4. No I don’t know what to do to get them start getting along again. I can’t keep them separated for ever, I don’t have that much room. Now all 7 of my dogs are fixed. I have 1 female but she’s been fixed for the past 3 years. She was fixed shortly after she had her litter. 4 of the males are her puppies. Female is 3, 1 male is 3, 1 male is 2 and the 4 are 2.

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