[Jacey_Dakota]

I know some of you did not agree with some of the events that took place with my move to FL but we are in need of some big help.

We are having some major fighting issues the last 2 weeks. Its not coming from either of my two. Its the other dog in the house Cocoa.
Since moving in with my fiance Oct 20th things went fine. The last 2 weeks we have had fights breaking out between Cocoa and Dakota. Until today they were just growling and barking. Today we had 3 fights in 2 and a half hours. the first time today Dakota tried to go into the bedroom that Cocoa eats and sleeps in (shes a free feed doggie). We have been trying to keep the doors to her bedroom and our bedroom closed and each other out of the others room. the other two times today I was standing right there and Dakota did nothing to give Cocoa the right to start a fight. The last of the 3 fights I grabbed Dakotas collar and was taking her down the hall way to put her in our bedroom when Cocoa lunged at Dakota and grabbed her ear and was bitting Dakota. over the holidays out of the 3 other people who live here I was only alone by myself a few hours a day if at all. Starting Wed. I will be alone all day and I know there is no way I can have them out all day together by myself. It is unfair to any of the dogs or me to have to lock any or everyone up for extended periods of time. For now thats the way its got to be because I can't break up the fights myself. By breaking them up I do not mean by putting myself in the middle of them. I use a loud and as firm as I can voice.
I can not pin point what its causing the fights I have tried. I really don't want any one hurt. dogs or humans. What can we do to stop this fighting?

 

[imported_oakley]

Something has got them riled up.

I am by no means very knowledgeable about this but one thing I see is the free feeding.
I wouldn't free fee one and not the other two. All 3 dogs should be following all of the same
rules and routines.
Cocoa could be guarding her food source.

 

[Novarobin]

I agree with the no free feed for one and not the others. Like above poster said, same rules apply to all. And if you can't have them all together alone, try crating one or more at a time, just rotate.
We recently introduced Hary into our home (intact male) with our two boys (both neutered). We are still working on it but so far its not too bad. There are some times when we just have to seperate some of them.
Sometimes it is really hard to pin point what sets them off. They read body language we may never even notice (I am trying to think of some of the books I have read about body language, For the Love of Dog was one with alot of useful body language info) I have seen Kaper "stand" over Hary, essentially telling him he is boss. We are lucky because Hary accepts that. Hopefully someone with more experience can give you some pointers.
Chatham and Kaper have formed a tight bond and Kaper tends to be very protective of Chatham. It took us forever to have all three together in the same room and now it is still a constantly monitored situation. We started out with 2 of 3 being crated. Then two were introduced at a time while the third was crated. It was a constant juggle. We walked the dogs on leash two at a time without contact for a bit, then introduced on leash before they ever met off leash. Kaper, suprisingly, has not been the issue, Chatham has. He is very jealous of any attention I give Hary. It also sets him off when Hary runs at me or Chatham (he runs at me, excited to see me). (Hary is a kennel dog and has no dog manners whatsoever).
good luck. I hope it works out. I am still very new to this myself so I don't know what your chances are.

 

[imported_zoezoe]

once two bitches go at it they very rarely back down unless you have an extremely submissive one ... that would have to be the one cocoa is going after. i would definitely NOT free feed...you're justu hts. no way would i allow these two out together when you are alone. breaking up a dog fight alone is not easy; trust me; i've had to do it and it is not safe for you or the other dogs. keep one crated and rotate who is out. again, you are up against some strict and severe training rules here and will have to be on guard ALwAYS!

 

[justine]

I'm not a professional or expert by any means, but when I lived at home with Abbey and we rescued my parents' dog Sasha, they got realllly vicious with each other because they were about the same age and were trying to be dominant over one another. I ended up moving away for school and separating them has been the best thing for them...

But that's the extreme. We did have a trainer come out and work with us and after a long time of that, we realized it just wasn't going to work out. I think getting a trainer in there and seeing what it is that sets them off would really help you.

Are Dakota and Cocoa about the same age?

 

[imported_zoezoe]

also, i just re-read this and saw where you had one by the collar and cocoa lunged out at the other one. some dogs will see themselves as your pack "helper" if not the leader themselves. if cocoa thought you were correcting the one dog you had by the collar, she could have jumped in to defend the pack with you. if you raise your voice to that "inferior" dog and cocoa is around, it is possible she will come after that dog. again, i would keep one of them crated or off bounds to the other one especially when you are alone. and even when not alone, it is not fair to dakota to continually be attacked. you need to separate these two to keep things from getting worse. i am speaking from personal experience on this.

 

[Novarobin]

I forgot to add, with Hary, our biggest problem is Kaper and Chatham are so laid back. when Hary comes in the picture all wound up, it seems to set the other two off. Although i am not a huge fan of the Dog Whisperer, he does make a point that the "pack" all has to be in the same frame of mind (at least i agree when it comes to my pack). If Hary is calm, we never have issues.

 

[kaytris]

time for in person help.

 

[HersheyK's Dad]

Totally unprofessional opinion here, but when we first took HK to puppy class, there was a half hour free play socialization period beofre class to let the dogs settle in. One of the instructors was with them at all times and carried a metal pan and spoon. As anyone would get too 'aggressive', she would hit the pan with the spoon and the loud noise would distract them and it would be over.

Okay! We had an issue in our house when a visiting dog and HK would occasionally go at it. I don't want to call it aggressive fight, but it was more than acceptable bitey face. I got tired of the yelling and it wasn't really working that well after a while. So I went to a marine supply shop and bought an aerosol can emergency signal 'fog horn'. These things are really loud. It hurts my ears when I tickle it in the house, and I am sure it is not fun for the dogs. Anyway, I used it about four times and they figured it out. No more biting. If you were to try this, you would have to follow the dogs around and catch them as soon as it starts. I think it would work, but I am sure there are a million reasons why it shouldn't be done.

PS: I don't even know where the horn is now. I used it about four times, and haven't needed it since. Hope you aren't in a multi-family building for your neighbors are (1) going to get scared out of their pants, (2) be really ticked off at you.

 

[jzgrlduff]

the first time today Dakota tried to go into the bedroom that Cocoa eats and sleeps in (shes a free feed doggie).

Hi Katherine, how are you?
I think this is the problem right here. Cocoa felt her food was threatened. Who's dog is she - your boyfriends parents dog? I think Cocoa should be fed twice a day, the same time as your dogs, maybe in a different room.

 

[Jacey_Dakota]

Amy thinks for asking. I am doing alright and as long as we can work through this issue Ill be okay.


For the most part Cocoa is only fed twice a day but some times she wont eat all her food. we have cut out all handed out treats or human food. we have removed all cocoas pig ears and I have moved all the nylabones to our bedroom. we gate off both bedrooms unless someone forgets.

Cocoa is mikes parents dog and has no manners at all. I have tried to work with her but they think they know more than me when it comes to training a dog.. Dakota and Jacey both are very laid back. Yesterday after the second fight both parents and I were in the living room with all 3 dogs. Dakota and Jacey were either crashed on the floor or the couch they changed spots at some point during the news. after I let Dakota and Jacey out and they were in the house for a little Cocoa went after her again. We can not take all 3 dogs outside together unless we are going to let them go in the pool because Cocoa will take the toys into the pool on the other side of the house.

As for ages they go Dakota who will be 3 on the 28th, Jacey who will be 2 tomorrow, and Cocoa who will be 2 the middle of next month.

 

[jzgrlduff]

Has she had any obedience training or socialization?

 

[justine]

I think food is definitely a big part of it. I know how hard this is from experience.

Abbey was a picky eater and wouldn't eat all of her food until we got Sasha.. then she figured out if she didn't finish her food, Sasha would eat it. I recommend feeding them all at the same time, but in different locations where the two of them can't see each other whatsoever.

 

[Jacey_Dakota]

Has she had any obedience training or socialization?

none at all. I have tried working with her but it has not worked because everyone else in the house lets her act like an idiot. Over the weekend cocoa wanted to sit in the chair in the livingroom and someone was in it. So she barked so much to the point that the person sitting in the chair got up and gave in to her.

Im going to start looking for some where else for us to live. this isnt fair to my girls to have to deal with cocoa's troubles.

 

[imported_BigBrownDog]

There are dogs which do not wish to be in a multi dog household - and Cocoa sounds like one of them. Since you and your dogs are the guests there, I doubt very much you can expect Cocoa and her owners to change. Finding a new place seems logical to me.