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Simon Foden has been a freelance writer and editor since 1999. He began his writing career after graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in music from Salford University. He has contributed to and written for various magazines including “K9 Magazine” and “Pet Friendly Magazine.” He has also written for Dogmagazine.net.
Fighting among cohabiting puppies is a natural and essential mechanism for establishing pack structure. Sibling puppies fight just as much as non-siblings, especially if they’re still together once they’ve stopped relying on mom for protection. Prevention is preferable to cure when it comes to stopping the fights, so learn to spot the signs early.
Behaviorist Dr. Myrna Milani recommends assisting the dog most likely to win by pulling the weaker dog’s hind legs and putting him on his back. This forces the fight to its natural conclusion, but doesn’t interfere with the existing dominance dynamic.
Observe your puppy’s body language and take action before a fight begins, either by separating the dogs or distracting them from each other. Raised hackles, stiff straight tails and fixed stares are some of the more telling gestures that precede a fight. Once you learn to spot the signs, you can intervene before a fight begins.
A little fighting is a natural part of the growing up process for dogs. Learn to identify play fighting, characterized by wagging tails, alert expressions and “bowing,” and distinguish it from aggression-based fighting, characterized by fixed stares, stiff tails and tense posture. Puppies assert dominance with play fighting. If you constantly interrupt puppies when they’re play fighting, you rob them of the opportunity to establish a social structure which will lead to more fighting with adults.
What should I do when one of my dogs challenges another?
A common owner error is the desire to make life “fair.” This often results in owners allowing subordinate dogs or ones who would normally have less interest to have access to resources, such as attention, treats, toys, or entry into territory that they would not normally try to obtain in the presence of the other dog, if they were not encouraged by their owners. Often the subordinate dog does not behave in a manner that would challenge the confident dog when no one is around to “protect” it. If you encourage or come to the aid of the subordinate dog rather than discourage its behavior, you may increase the chances that the more assertive dog will challenge it. If you then punish the assertive dog for aggression, the subordinate dog might be encouraged to repeat the behavior. In addition, the use of any discipline or punishment techniques might lead to increased anxiety when the dogs get close to each other. In many households, there is no fighting when the owners are gone, which is likely an indication that the owners interactions are in some way encouraging the dogs to interact in a way that they would not when the owners are away. Whether the owner’s actions are in some way encouraging the behaviors that lead to fights, or whether the owners are responding inappropriately to one or both of the pet’s actions, needs to be determined.
Another potential problem may occur when the relationship between individuals is context dependent. In other words, one dog is more motivated to receive owner attention while the other defers. However, the dog more motivated for attention may be the one that is less motivated by food and will therefore avoid and defer during feeding.
Before treatment can begin it must be determined if either dog is using appropriate canine social communication skills. If one dog is not responding appropriately to the deference and appeasing signals of the other dog, is attacking over low-level threats or does not allow any approach by the other dog without displaying aggression, then fear or anxiety are likely factors. Anxious dogs will often respond defensively and are not able to accurately assess the situation and choose an appropriate response.
Do your dogs play rough or fight?//Proven method to fix it.
If your sibling puppies are fighting, you have a normal family of dogs. Depending on the severity and frequency of the dogs aggressive behavior, you may need to break them of this habit. Understanding how to stop puppy siblings from fighting starts with understanding which pup is the problem and the possible causes. Using a few tried and true training methods, you can soon have your pups playfully interacting without excessive aggression and fighting.
Nipping, barking, knocking each other over, and chasing are normal for puppies. They are experiencing most things for the first time, and theyre excited and want to play. Even some growling can be an indication of excitement rather than anger. Observe your dogs to see if they are simply roughhousing or if there is real teeth-baring, fixed stares, upward-pointed tails, and threatening growls. Some forms of growling, snarling, or nipping are canine communication thats natural and necessary.
You might find that your pups only fight when certain situations are present, such as at feeding time or when playing with toys. Dogs like routine and dont like to share. That means each pup should eventually get his own bed, water and food dish, blanket, and toys. This will cost you more but will reduce anxiety and fights. Noting patterns will also help you work with a trainer later if you cant solve the problem.
Try to determine if one dog is starting most of the fights. This might indicate that this puppy is nervous, fearful, anxious, jealous, or just wants to become the dominant dog. In some cases, two dogs want to be in charge. If you find that one of the dogs is clearly the instigator, you can separate her from the other dog or dogs and begin training her by herself.
Youll need to use voice commands and give instruction to your dogs when training them. If you havent established yourself as their pet parent and havent taught them commands, you wont be able to use any commands when the dogs start fighting. If necessary, train the dogs separately to help them learn, understand, and obey your commands.
At some point, dogs who live or play together need to determine who is the more dominant dog. If you try to break up fights or try to help the submissive dog become dominant, you can harm the dogs by not letting their natural relationship develop.
As long as the dominant dog is not injuring the submissive dog, let the relationship develop. Once one dog submits to another, he will feel safer around the dominant sibling who is now in charge.
One problem in trying to separate fighting dogs is that you might get bitten, or the dog might turn his aggression on you. Dont grab a dogs collar or the nape of the neck during a fight.
If letting things play out naturally doesnt work, try separating the dogs and working with them one at a time. Bring the pets back together in the same situation (such as feeding or playing with a dog) and see if that triggers the aggressive behavior in the dominant dog. This will help you pinpoint the situation and try to help alleviate the dominant dogs fear, which is probably causing the issue.
If you separate the dominant dog long enough, she might get lonely for her sibling and choose to end the aggressive behavior rather than lose her companionship. Dont do this to prevent common dominant behavior â only when serious fighting is involved. You can also try to redirect the dogs attention if you see they are about to fight. You can do this with a voice command to one of the dogs, by introducing a toy, or by standing between the two dogs.
If youre worried about biting and injury, use a muzzle when walking dogs together until the problem is resolved. Use leashes that let you keep the dogs apart when trouble starts.
When training dogs, avoid yelling at them, threatening them, or even giving them light smacks to get them to behave how you want. This can confuse pets and cause them to change their behavior only to avoid your wrath. When youre not around, theyll go back to their old behavior. Instead of punishing dogs for bad behavior, reward them for good behavior with a treat, a caress, praise, or a kiss.