How to stop two dogs fighting? Advice needed.

Hi all, I am hoping someone can offer me some advice. My springer spaniel Tigger is one year old at the end of this month. My mum-in-law also has a springer Gyp, who is approx 4-6 months older than Tigger. (I cant recall exactly) We go on pretty regular walks together, and they spend a lot of time in open countryside offlead.

When Tigger was much, much younger he would jump up at Gyp and run alongside him etc, generally being a pup! As Tigger matured he stopped doing this and left him alone, I mention this only so you know Tig isnt still jumping up at him, on a walk Tigger doesnt run up to him at all anymore. Lately they have been getting into scraps with each other. It seems to start with them noticing each other or running into the others path then squaring up to each other. If one or the other isnt distracted they start fighting. Gyp has started barking and sort of 'herding' Tigger a bit but Tig usually runs off. I dont know what is different when they do fight, maybe Tigger decides he wont back down this time, maybe they are annoying each other in a way I cannot see...

Yesterday Gyp was barking at Tigger a lot throughout the walk but Tig ran away each time Gyp tried to square up. I had hoped things were ok.

However, today they had their worst fight ever and both drew blood. Tiggers nose is all bumpy and lumpy and he is feeling very sorry for himself. Gyp has a cut eyelid. They had to be dragged apart. I wasnt there on the walk today but my OH says he was going to leave them to sort it out but decided against it when one of them started squealing. They were up a hill in Wales so its hardly to do with not being able to avoid each other, both were offlead. My OH did say though that the path had narrowed when they fought, could that be relevant?

Is there anything we can do to nip this in the bud? Ive heard you should leave dogs to sort out their heirarchy but it seems to me that Tigger is already showing signs of submission by avoiding Gyp when he barks and squares up to him. Apparently Tigger gave as good as he got after Gyp growled at him but he is still a puppy and I dont want him scarred or badly damaged.

A bit more relevant information may help you to help me. Tigger is friendly with both dogs and people. He doesnt like other dogs circling him while he is onlead but just jumps about, doesnt growl or bark. Gyp is the only dog he has ever fought with. Gyp barks at other dogs and actually jumped up at a man recently who had picked up his little dog because Gyp was barking at him He is however really friendly towards people. Gyp lives with a schih tzu who is older than him. I think they grumble at each other but to my knowledge I dont think they actually fight.

Do any of you think this will settle down or should I avoid walks with Gyp? Please help cos if it happens when Im on a walk I will probably just

hi hun

i have 2 males in my house, i have 9mth old and a 2yr old and in the last month they have started to do this, it is more noise than any thing and feet looks really bad but is not it is them sorting out who is boss. I have let them get on with it for awhile then i just seperat them and make them carm down.

it can also happen if they have a good run and start to get hot i think the hormaones start to kick in so i always stop them from getting to hot while playing and make them lay down.

i think it is them just having a male talking to not to much to worry about my have had a few cuts but nothing to bad.

i would just try and keep them in a carm state if you can see that a fight is going to start then put them on lead and calm them both down.

sorry if not much help but this is what we do, they are both starting to mature and will have the odd the fight it is how they work things out.

hope it gets better for you hun

sam

i have to male rotties jj is four and indy is 3 they are half brothers same dad different mum.I can say that they have only had at least 2 fights,i found it very upsetting but has the mths now years have gone by touch wood they get on very well.

Y'see if I had two male dogs living together I would possibly expect them to have resolved the heirarchy probs (Im assuming that would be the main reason two dogs fight?) but Tig and Gyp only see each other tops three times a week on walks.

I also suspect they are pretty evenly matched and so doubt that Tigger will automatically let Gyp be boss just due to the slight age difference.

When they fight it is not just play fighting, they are tearing fur out and leaving puncture wounds. Have checked Tigger over since my last post and he has tooth shaped furless spots around his left eye and puncture wounds above his eye, under his chin and on his leg. Also has a slight graze actually on his nose but I am concerned they will severely damage each other. Neither one would stop with a command, so it would be impossible to calm them down, my OH had to pull them apart which is dangerous in itself.

Or maybe im just being soft and this is what male dogs do? If so, at what point *do* you step in?

We do try to forsee any trouble brewing and tell them 'nicely' or something similar and sometimes they will go their separate ways but Gyp doesnt do too well with his recall so we tend to focus on Tigger moving away.

Could you try using the Dog Stop device to distract them or keep them both on long leads?

could it be that they are maturing into adult males therefore maybe getting snipped may help...?

This is something that is being considered now.

They meet again on Tuesday so well see how it goes-if it happens again I think Gyp will be looking for another walking companion.

Gyp is at the age when a dog begins to mature emotionally and the 'hierarchy 'thing kicks in. It sounds as though Tigger has accepted that, but Gyp seems to be taking every opportunity to remind him - and you. Perhaps Gyp needs you all to treat him as superior to Tig too. Have you tried greeting Gyp first, feeding him first etc? I mean first before Tig, not you.

Are there any toys involved at all? as that can lead to higher levels of arousal and possible fights.

Also yes, narrowing of paths etc can cause tension, possibly due to hierarchy but also simply just because it causes tension if they aren't sure how to cope with that proximity to each other or how one could defer.

Difficult situation, it may be easiest to avoid the other dog unfortunately...

Wys
x

maebme,
Yes we are aware that 'age-wise' Gyp should be top dog but is it always the way that all pups defer to older dogs? It just seems that Gyp is going the wrong way about asserting himself and almost like if he has to then he doesnt deserve the respect, iyswim?
Im sure I read in a article explaining the whole alpha male thing (and dismissing the popular misconceptions of it) that a true alph male dog *doesnt* display aggression as they dont have any need to.
Obviously this is just theory because Gyp wants to be in charge.

Anyway, your ideas make sense. We have taught Gyp how to return for a treat and sit for it, both dogs will sit and receive treats and yes, ususally Gyp will get his first. When Tigger was a small pup he jumped up the first time Gyp got his treat first (he is our only dog so has never had to wait) but now will sit patiently and wait for his turn. Gyp also will wait for his treat.
We have tried and failed to get Gyp to retrieve (although Im sure if his owners put more time into it, it would surface) so occasionally in the past we have kept the dogs apart by throwing a frisbee for Tigger. Both dogs run after it but Gyp wont pick it up and bring it back so Tig does. We treated both dogs if they ran back though.

However, when the dogs go for their long walks in the hills, there are no toys involved.

It will be a shame to avoid walks but if Tigger is in danger so be it. I cant see Gyps behaviour changing without professional help personally.

I am waiting with baited breath to see how their walk went this morning.