IMO keeping them seperated, but so they are still close by -with the use of crates or stairgates can be very helpful...they can learn to trust each other - but you are safe in your mind that neither of them will get hurt.

I took on a foster bitch and she was very aggressive...3 weeks after keeping them seperated with the use of crates and stair gates they ended up getting on great - they were never left alone when my partner or I weren't there to keep an eye on them.

My foster had been through quite a tough tiem - like your honey and although she kicked off straight away we were there to eal with it.

Walking them together will help - do you have someone who can walk honey whilst you walk your other dog?

The attack may have happened as your other bitch is in season and feeling a bit low.

I am like you and couldn't give up on her, just cos this happened...with a lot of hard work you may be able to have them living as happy pack, but it may not happen and you may have to have them seperated for life if she kicks off everytime she see's your other dog.

At the end of the day safety of them both has to be put first and if keeping them seperated can help - then I think it's needed.

x

I always do this with new dogs before they come into the home.

This make them form a pack on neutral ground.

Ours is probably a very different situation, but we introduced a 7 week old beagle boy to our home when our beagle girl was 12 months old.

Beagles aren't aggressive animals, but in the early months we did have a few scraps over things like toys, bones, chews etc.

We removed all toys and any objects that they might fight over. We made sure we had 2 of everything and whenever we had time we'd give the dogs a toy each and supervise their play/chewing. We also fed them together but supervised. At first they'd try and take each others toys or food and we'd get the occasional growl and snap. But we always intervened before there was any real hostility. Never telling off - just guiding the offender back to his/her own things and making a fuss of them when they get it right.

They just learned to stay away from each others things and they'll happily lie side-by-side gnawing on bones. They'd probably still try it on if we weren't supervising, but I don't think it'll be long before they're 100% fine sharing their things.

We taught both of ours to 'give' by offereing them something much better in return. We frequently do swaps so that they're used to having valued things taken away from them - they always get them back so there's no need for them to find it upsetting. Then we try to involve both dogs in the game. Make them realise that giving up valued possessions can actually be positive because something nicer always comes along.

If a resource (food, toy, person) is very valuable to a dog then it's understandable that it's going to be possessive. Perhaps if you can reassure this new little dog with an unhappy background that there's plenty of lovely things for her and she doesn't need to fight for things any more. But in my very uneducated, inexperienced view, fighting over valued resources isn't a sign of aggression or a sign of dogs not getting along.

The thing is that they both love each other to bits...Honey is very relaxed and calming and Misha who is normally very boistrous feeds off this calmness...She has learnt so many good things from Honey, such as walking on the lead properly, not pulling and not jumping up and down on people..Misha has, what i would call ADHD and she is very very energetic, getting very excited when seeing new people. As soon as HOney arrived, Misha had a companion to play with and would always release her energy in the park with Honey..We no longer have to entertain Misha and trying to exhaust her so she is not up to no good in the house...
And it is clear that Misha loves Honey too, but she is not as good showing it as Honey is...Even with humans, she is not very affectionate...
So it really is not that they are trying to kill each other...It always starts with Misha sniffing around Honey for a while until Honey gets annoyed, and moves to another place...The incident in the park came out of the blue and we don't know if it might happen again...There are two of us to walk them both and even with one person walking them they are fine on the lead, minding their own business and sniffing their own things...It just came as a surprise that Honey reacted that way as she has never shown interest in the stick...
The problem with both of them is that if a fight breaks up it is very very difficult to break them apart due to their strenght...Misha now weighs nearly 50kg and Honey is very strong and agile...So we are worried if another fight kicks off we will end up with one dead dog and one nearly dead dog...
Can anyone suggest a good dog behaviourist/therapist?? They are such lovely creatures and so good for each other that we are desperately trying to overcome this problem. Many thanks...

Watching Cesar Millan last night he was working with 2 pitbulls who were fighting. The one who started the fights was very excitable and he said that the step up from excitable for this dog was aggression. His tactic was to not let the dog get into an excited state of mind at any time.

Just a thought

As for behaviourists, I would ask your vet as they usually have a list of local recommendations

It's good you are asking for a good one, as not everyone does so, and picking one out of yellow pages or the local paper is not the best way to go about it, as you may imagine! I'd suggest looking at:

http://www.apbc.org.uk/regions.php

always ask about their experience because even within an organisation this will vary...another you may like to consider is Steve Mann, he is in Hertfordshire but I'd think he'd be pretty good for consideration

http://www.alphadogtrainingschool.co.uk/

Wys
x

souunds like dogs being dogs....and if your new one got the massage,there should be no more troubles with the bone ..if there are its up to you to curb there natural instinkt to protect there bones ...i have to be in tune with my 3 and if ,left alone they will work out little sqables,but that might result in a trip to the vet..or worse ...dont seperate the 2 but allow for time individually....and there are some dogs that simply cant and will not get along ,we are not able to to this with everyone and its the same for dogs ,,,as far as your vet said ,sounds like the standard reponce ...owning powerfull dog s has it moments and iv been there also.....be in tune and pat attention is what i have to do ..its a way of life for me...manage them the best way you can and love them lots.....behaviour training for you would be great so you can better see things comming .that was the best thing i ever done for my pack...

This is very interesting as it might have been the excitement what caused the fight..We haven't been with them in the park for a long time for a run around as Misha is in season so they only get walked on leads for the time being...It was a lovely sunny day and they got carried away, panting and running around as they usually do...
We no longer allow them to run around like mad, they are now always supervised and there are always two of us walking them..

We watch Cesar Milan most evenings..That guy is a genius!!!

my three will play HARD,draw blood and make lots of noises ,growels and snarling ..extreamly excieted,one wrong move and the fun is al over all it takes is 1 dog not able to get up,they are very powerfull and can do damage buy sending a message.they have to be supervised and i know enough ,not to put them together if ther is tention ,one is excited and the others are not , i leave the fenced yard for them, its there territory, its were they can be free and be dogs with little supervision, i will let nature takes it course and whatch the pack dynamic at work,only to interfere when harm is comming ,they all get along in general but when you have 3 gladiators,something WILL happen.....in the house ,my turff, they are angels ...phil