Help for fighting dogs

[v-girl]

I have two mostly huskies mixes, one father (2 years) and son (11 mos.). They are the only 2 males in house. They can and do play together, but it will eventually lead to a fight these happen mostly outside. Most of the time it is a lot of noise and when I walk out to them they stop. Though there are a few times it has gotten nasty. Besides keeping them seperated which I do when I not near, what else can I do to keep things from turning into a fight. I don't have time to babysit every time they go outside, though I do go out with them quite often. It seems that the father atangozies the son, and the son defends "territory". The father seems to want to get his son to play and chase him, but the son seems to have a very serious attitude and is much more on the defense. Sometimes it is over a possession, but almost all there fights have nothing to do with possessions. Anything of high value is not in their grasp. I also have the mother and daugther and the daughter and father tend to gang up on the son.

If I'm around I stop things before they start by calling someone's name and distracting them by getting their attention. I wondering if anyone else has had the same problem and what they did about it.

We do not have any trainers for miles, nor do I have the money. Any books/dvd/websites that anyone may recommend?

 

[Criosphynx]

Are the dogs altered? How much exercise are they getting? Are you practicing any obediance now?

 

[adojrts]

I am assuming none of them are spay/neutered, well its going to get worse, guaranteed. The problems tend to esculate as the dogs mature.
Especially if two are picking on one. If you can't afford to fix them, then you have to manage them carefully or find the biggest offender a new home or a new home for the one being picked on...............

 

[v-girl]

The father is not fixed and everyone else is. I used to walk/run with each of them at least 2-3 miles, but I am unable to do that at this time. I'm trying to find a treadmill to help with that part of the load. But this was going on whether I ran with them or not.

I work with clicker training methods, but I'm not doing anything right now on a regular basis. They all have basic obidence training.

And regardless of what they do or don't do, giving any away is not an option.

 

[Criosphynx]

The father is not fixed and everyone else is. I used to walk/run with each of them at least 2-3 miles, but I am unable to do that at this time. I'm trying to find a treadmill to help with that part of the load. But this was going on whether I ran with them or not.

I work with clicker training methods, but I'm not doing anything right now on a regular basis. They all have basic obidence training.

And regardless of what they do or don't do, giving any away is not an option.

perhaps the dogs are wound up and bored? Is is possible to segregate them until you can actively stimulate them??


(god that sounded dirty i think....:rofl1

 

[Doberluv]

I am assuming none of them are spay/neutered, well its going to get worse, guaranteed. The problems tend to esculate as the dogs mature.
Especially if two are picking on one. If you can't afford to fix them, then you have to manage them carefully or find the biggest offender a new home or a new home for the one being picked on...............

I agree with adojrts. Forget trying to train them out of this if it's happening outside when you're not around. Either re-home one of them or manage by keeping them seperate. It will escalate as they mature....no doubt in my mind. (been there, done that) I had a problem, but it was within a very limited context. I was able to modify the behavior but it only happened in one room of my house when I was in there...a possessive thing where one dog got p.o'd at the other dog for being brazen enough to be near me in this particular room. LOL. I taught him that it was a terrific thing to have the other dog there, that the good things in life only happened in the presence of the other dog. In every other context they were fantastic buddies. Crazy dogs.

You may even run into the same problem with the two girls. Some dogs just don't get along, especially same sex. I happen to be lucky with all my present dogs.

Some people have to rotate dogs so that they are never together. Very difficult. But you have a responsibility to prevent fights. One day it may well get serious so that one gets terribly hurt. The more chances they get to get into it, the more they'll get into it. It just sort of tends to snow ball. Sorry you're having this trouble.

 

[v-girl]

Thanks to everyone for tips. I've been keeping them sepersated outside and rarely have problems in house. Though I keep a close eye at all times. And I've been only letting them out together when I'm out with them and have some constructive play or training. It has been working out and is taking the stress off me.