Help! My two dogs keep fighting!! What can I do?
This is a very scary situation to be in. Take a deep breath and explore this article. In this post, we'll go over why two dogs might be fighting and what you can do to help create a more peaceful household.
This post does not replace professional dog training advice. Please consult a professional dog trainer for specific instructions on how to manage your fighting dogs.
My Two Dogs Keep Fighting
Why do my two dogs keep fighting?
Inter-household dog aggression is defined as two or more dogs who live together where at least one of them is showing aggressive tendencies towards the other dog.
As a trainer who offers only private lessons, (where I go to the house and teach the owner how to manage and train their dog), inter-household aggression is the one that requires dog owners to turn into dog trainers.
There is a new level of management, skill training and blood, sweat, and tears that owner's have to be willing to take on to rectify the situation. It is not for the faint of heart, and it requires lifestyle change that not every owner is willing to take on. This is why there is regression, people give up, or decide that since their dogs are fine "99% of the time" they neglect responsibilities.
My goal for every household experiencing this is a 0% failure rate. I NEVER want you or your dogs to experience another fight again. Sometimes, we get complacent with training and people relax restrictions too soon, which leads to failure. Restrictions in the house are absolutely necessary in order to keep your dog safe AND happy (no one likes living in a house where your roommate might fight you at any given moment).
As a professional dog trainer who has successfully and unsuccessfully helped owners work through inter-household dog aggression, I have learned what it takes to help people manage both dogs, what absolutely doesn't work, and how to advise people who are on the fence about managing their dogs' behaviors.
Don't have a dog trainer? Schedule a consult now to discuss a custom plan for you and your dog!
To be honest, this is probably one of the most un-sugar-coated posts I've ever written. I probably sound like a real pessimist! But, I have experienced too many people who are blind to the reality of dog training, especially when it comes to their own dogs who have such a special place in their home and hearts. This special place in our hearts can make it hard to set boundaries with discipline and structure. But I always remind people that there are two ways to spoil your dog:
1) You can give unfiltered, unlimited freedoms and affection. Sometimes this makes a dog's world smaller due to their behavior. Free furniture, free range of the house, free toys, free food, off-leash time and free affection.
2) You can give your dog structure, clear expectations and boundaries. You can educate them with training and management. Their life might get bigger and then they can have off-leash walks, bike rides, trips to the pet store, camping, travel and more because they understand what the expectation is and that you are a reliable, consistent leader in their life.
The goal of this post is to help ground you in reality, help you make decisions, and to keep you and your dogs safe.
The good news is, you're here and reading this! Which means you've already taken the first step to educate yourself on what you need to do to improve the relationships between you and your dogs!
Related: “I Know He Knows What I’m Asking” | What You Need to do for a Dog Ignoring Recall
How do I stop my two dogs from fighting?
There are three main options that comes with aggression. We will discuss these throughout the post!
Here's what an owner must know about two dogs fighting:
1) Two dogs fighting in the same household does not go away on its own.
Aggression is rarely something that dogs "work out" or grow out of. It is the responsibility of the dog owners to provide intervention. This means introducing structure, leadership and obedience into the lifestyle of the household.
One of the ways to build leadership and structure is with making sure you have a rock solid "place" command. Place is a a command that helps teach your dog impulse control, accountability, relaxation and eventually, how to share space with their roommate peacefully.
Related: Teaching a Dog to Sit (So They Actually Listen the First Time)
As Rip Wheeler from Yellow Stone says, "If you want to fight someone, you fight me."
This is the order and leadership you need to have with your dogs. Your dogs do not fight each other if they have a problem. They come to you. This is something we work on in training!
At the same time, an owner is responsible to manage their two dogs. This means not allowing the dogs to have the opportunity to fight by being aware of "hot spots" and triggers around the house. Management without any training or intervention can fail, but change is possible!
My dogs are fighting all of the sudden
2. Dog fights never happen "all of the sudden"
There has almost certainly been tension between your two dogs for some amount of time before a fight breaks out. Dogs do not use leashes, collars, or vocalizations to communicate with each other. They use body language, space and micro movements that the average person doesn't usually notice.
This can be anything from the dog going from panting to a closed mouth, a weight shift from the left to the right, a dog turning their hip, or the corners of their mouth shifting forward 1/8".
That type of body language is subtle- and it is imperative you become aware of it in order to manage your fighting dogs.
Related: The Dog Training Principle Your Obedience Class Didn't Tell You About: Space
Why are my two female dogs fighting all of a sudden
3. Two female dogs fighting are particularly difficult to resolve and not a task to take on on your own. This is likely something that would require a board and train.
It is not fair to you, your family members or your dogs for you to take on a task like this overnight. Trying to resolve two females fighting on your own can be particularly stressful.
That being said, I've had several households that have been able to manage their two female dogs by implementing strategies to manage and intervene as needed in in-home private lessons.
This is a situation where strict management is imperative and a plan to integrate the two will be very important to keep both dogs safe.
Please reach out to a professional, and in the mean time, keep your dogs separate. Two female dogs who are fighting will likely continue to escalate their fights.
Why are my two male dogs fighting all of a sudden
4. "They're fine 99% of the time" doesn't matter.
This argument is a moot point for any dog trainer to here. Most fights don't last more than 1% of the time anyway. The fights that occur will become more frequent and more intense the longer you put off intervention.
It does not matter if the dogs can play together well or sleep next to each other. It is a good sign that they can still have positive interactions. However, we want to have the same control over the dogs whether they are cuddling on the couch, playing, or when the food bowls get set down for dinner.
Plus, during these interactions where they aren't fighting, you may be missing subtle conversations that don't escalate, but aren't healthy and continue to build stress between your two dogs.
If they seem to still be getting along well, we will definitely need to work on an integration plan and management that strengthens the relationship between you and the each individual dog.
Related: Place Dog Command | The Most Under-Rated, Under-Taught Obedience Command
My dog attacked my other dog and drew blood
5. If either of your dogs have needed medical attention, it is time to consult a professional dog trainer who has worked with aggression successfully.
Consulting a professional is always a good idea when it comes to your dog's behavior, especially in aggression cases, and especially when there has been blood or medical attention needed.
Just like the case of two female dogs who are fighting, it is not easy to become an expert in managing and resolving serious aggression overnight. Taking this task on your own does not set you, your family members, or your dogs up for a good, successful, quality of life.
Management almost always fails, and significant, serious intervention is needed in this case.
If your dogs are drawing blood on each other, there are really three options you have. 1) continue as things are assuming the risk of escalation, injuries, vet bills and even death, 2) put one dog or both dogs in a board and train program 3) rehome one or both of the dogs. Please consider rehoming carefully. If you have an aggressive dog it is not responsible to pass the problem on to someone else to solve.
There is no shame for considering or making the decision to rehome if it is going to increase the quality of life for everyone involved. It is not an easy decision, and not one to take lightly. We'll talk more on this later.
How to stop dogs from fighting for dominance
6. Stopping inter-household aggression requires commitment from the owner. There is no such thing as a 99% commitment here.
Managing (making sure dogs do not have an opportunity to fight) without intervention almost always fails.
Having an upstairs and downstairs dogs could foster a sense of frustration between the two dogs if there is no training going on that will help build up their sense of trust. Just because they can't see each other doesn't mean they can't smell the other dog or feel their presence, which can leave one or both dogs not being able to relax in their own home.
If there is any part of you that is hesitant about training, it's time to find a trainer to help you assess the situation or consider rehoming one of your dogs and consider the risks and liability of rehoming. This is not an easy decision and not to be taken lightly.
You are not a failure if rehoming crosses your mind. If you are considering rehoming, it is because you have honestly considered what you and your dogs need in order to have the best quality of life in their time here.
However, you have a responsibility as an owner to ensure your dogs have a good quality of life, even if it's not with you. You also have a responsibility to you and your other household members to keep them safe.
Remember, you're here reading this post, and if you've made it this far, it's because you are wanting to do the best for your dogs.
Have questions about your dog? Schedule a consult now to discuss a custom plan for you and your dog!
