Help needed urgently!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I have trouble in my pack and I need help, I have 2 dogs a Flat Coat bitch (23months) and a Border Collie male(8years), I have just took in another Collie bitch(21 months) who needed a home due to her breeder becoming ill, since her joining us my original 2 have had some disagreements over top dog but has been resolved, now it is the 2 girls. Could it be because of similar ages? both are un neuted and are show dogs, at the moment the flat coat is top and my poor old boy is way back down at the bottom, if anyone has any ideas how to solve this please let me know, I myself have now been caught twice in the crossfire, and I don't want either of them to get hurt or marked so far they havn't hurt each other but it could only be a matter of time before they do.
Most of the time they are best of friends playing like mad it seems to start for no reason, as soon as it finishes they are playing again.
Please if you can help, let me know.

Shelly

I am slightly confused as you say they play together afterwards - I assume after a fight? If so, is it really a fight? Is there blood drawn? or is it play-fighting?
If 2 bitches are seriously fighting it can get very nasty. I would separate them immediately and not leave them together unsupervised until you see which way it is going. Two young un-neutered bitches plus one male seems like a bit of a difficult situation TBH.

I would say the only way to help them sort out who is boss if they can't do it by themselves, is to make sure you pick one and do everything first with that one. Fedd/play/fuss/walk first.

How long have you had the new dog?

The most important thing is to keep calm yourself. As mentioned, try & assess if this a real 'fight' or not. The more you interfere the worse it could become. A wise friend once said 'do not allow them to become enemies. I would certainly not leave them together unsupervised, but do not make a meal of putting them apart or putting them back together. I know there are wiser people than me out there, but this is not a 'pack' thing, just dogs who have established themselves & another who has to make its way in.
Katia

I would never allow 2 bitches to try and sort out their problems by themselves... you could end up with a very potental dangerous situation or (dont want to sound OTT) but even a dead dog.

Bitches fighting can and usually is more serious than a "sorting out the pack order", and sadly in less likely to be resolved by doing any of the "feeding" doing everything with one first , routine.

Sadly you have brought a new bitch in (with all the best intentions) and for what ever reason they have taken a dislike to each other.

Unless you feel confident to make sure 1) you can sort this out, 2) make sure you never leave them alone together , I would if in your position, be looking to find an other home for the Collie bitch..one where she is the only bitch in the home , just to make sure this does not happen again.

Your first loyalty is to your existing dogs, they need to come first, and specially your old man.

I am really sorry you have found yourself in this position.. and hope with all my heart , you can sort it out, but you must be realistic, and understand the implications of fighting bitches....once they take a dislike to each other , they can do so for life,

There is a saying .........

Dogs fight for breeding rights........Bitches fight for breathing rights!!!!!

And sadly it means what it says on the box.


I am sure you are experienced enough to determine whether this is fighting or playing... but maybe if you have to hold on to the Collie, it may be wise to gain the help of a behaviourist, to see if anything can be done.

Otherwise , not sure any other option is open to you, other to find this girl a new home.

Fair play, I've been lucky as I tend to end up with females in the house with Jess lol, but they have always been ok.

Other than that I've had no experience of f/f packs.

I agree about maybe letting the new Collie go if what you have said is true. For the safety of every dog/human involved.

Like you, I know many who have all female , or both female and male packs..and never a cross word!

But for some reason , even females who have lived in harmony for yrs together can suddenly take a dislike to each other...(know some one this happened to) but she is lucky she has kennels, and can keep teh 2 girls seperate.


Hopefully , if they do play together in between fights, it might be resolvable, but the trouble is.. each fight will enhance the next fight..till (unless it is solved) will escalate to them never being able to be in the same room together.

Sadly female fighting is far worse than male or male and female... those sometimes can be fixed.

I feel for the poster, as she has done a very kind thing taking the dog in.. only to find herself in this situation.

The fact the bitches are the same age may be a factor too..

I feel I have to agree with jackbox, I have always had females, and have to say if this is not play fighting and the more serious kind, bitches will fight to the death.

I think you need to establish what kind of fighting it is, and if it is the serious kind, like jackbox says, never allow bitches to sort it out themselves, there could be serious results. Once bitches do seriously fight, they need to be kept separate. Best wishes

It can take time for them all to adjust to having a new dog around. I never allow any bullying or for playfighting to escalate to nastiness. I step in and sort it out before that happens. They have to abide by my rules otherwise mayhem would ensue. Stay calm and focused on simply getting them to all get along. Pack order is irrelevant, they can sort that out themselves but it's no excuse for unacceptable behaviour.
The dogs don't get to decide who lives in my house, that's my job.

Hi,

Everything said so far has hit the nail on the head. You need to consider your 2 dogs first before the new bitch. I know it soundsharsh but the dogs are not happy together if they're fighting.

Also, you need to recognise when things are likely to escalate from play, to play fighting which is a part of normal doggy behaviour (if you saw my lot you'd think WWIII had started!) and then from play fighting to a full on real fight.

If you do end up with a real fight I'd say there is a VERY high chance of one or both dogs being fatally wounded. Tha's just the way bitches are.

I've bene hurt before gettgn in the way of my dogs because I'd rather get bitten than have any of them hurt. But there's no way I'd get in between 2 fighting bitches.

I sincerely hope you can resolve this. Whatever you decide, good luck and please be careful whilst you still ahve the new dog - at least until it's sorted.

Laura xx