Dogs Fighting in the Home

The most common reasons for dogs to fight within the home are:

1.     There are too many dogs in one home. The more dogs you have, the more work you have. Often, we think the dog needs a friend to provide entertainment and exercise for the other. This can work out if you choose the perfect friend for your dog and teach them how to get along. In most cases, adding an additional dog causes stress and competition, not happiness. With more than one dog in a home, it is rare that they get enough one on one time with their owner or get walked enough. Their needs as individuals get ignored.

2.     Lack of understanding, education and training applied to the dogs. Dogs are predatory animals and are naturally possessive and competitive. They need help managing their resources; food, toys, sleeping areas, spaces, and affection. Problems occur when all the dogs rush one thing like an open door, or a new toy on the floor. It is tough to train more than one dog at a time. It takes more skills. Most families choose to manage things like feeding time, rather than teaching the dogs how to eat together safely. Management does not teach or solve problems. Affection run amok is a common reason for dog fights. We pet them, pay attention to them, and allow them access to what and whom they want without any rules or boundaries. This leads to low self-control, high possessiveness and a co-dependent relationship between dog and owner.

3.     Poorly matched dogs, such as: an old dog and a puppy, siblings or dogs the same age, a large dog and tiny dog, etc. The best matches are usually dogs of similar size, similar playstyle and energy, and only a few years part in age. Best case scenario is to train the dog you have, and then add another a few years later and apply the same training to the new dog.

4.     Dog play left unattended. There is healthy dog play, and there are dog fights, but did you know there are other things in between that can lead to big problems? Dogs, like children, that are left alone too long, will end up in a fight, because they do not have the coping skills to manage their emotions well. In every pair, there is usually a pushy dog and a less pushy dog. The less pushy dog tends to allow play when he doesn’t really feel like playing and allows types of play that he doesn’t really enjoy, in an effort to keep the peace. All individuals when pushed too far and too often, will snap. Dog play needs to be monitored and shaped to be mutually safe and fun. Dogs need to be interrupted and stopped often before the play goes too far. Dogs need human intervention!