Fighting
 

How do you handle a fight that breaks out between your dogs? Do you reach in and pull them apart?

Yes. Stand up, clap your hands saying "No!", walk right to them and step in between them or take a pillow or book to place in between them and then send them to their corners to cool off. Take one outside and get the other chasing a ball or something and then switch to take the other out and toss the ball for the first one. Keep them apart at least 15 mins. or longer if you can. Remain watchful once they resume companionship and be sure you have removed all toys, chewies and things they might be fighting over. Watch for body language that indicates trouble is brewing and speak sternly to stop the focusing and alerting behavior as soon as you see it. When the dog listens to you and resumes a normal body attitude, slip him/her a treat or give a little pat to mark that good response.

How come I seem to be the only one who comes out bleeding? This is from today's fight:
Attachment 388385

Hey Jeanie,
When watching the dog whisperer, he said that it's better to lay both dogs together when they fight. That way they'll go back to normal.
I've never witnessed a dog fight, or had to deal with one.
I'm just wondering if it has the same effect when doing your Technic.

Definitely don't do this. Alpha rolling is extremely outdated. Do a bit of googling on Cesar Millan.

I agree with yorkietalkjilly, great post!

Thank you Britster :)
So that is definitely a no no?

Girl, that looks painful! It's a price we pay when we have two terriers or two dogs trying to work out who's going to be alpha. I usually just walk in between two fighting dogs but I only usually interrupt this struggles for hierarchy if one is yelping, being injured by a biting into the underside of the exposed throat, eye, nose, ear or face or being constantly bossed by the other and is really troubled by it by showing symptoms of avoidance, cowing about or growling in fear. It's quite normal for dogs to have this struggle when one of them is a maturing puppy or really any dog trying a coup and they are settling the alpha issue so I usually just let them go. Fights sound loud and awful but usually are not and no serious biting is done unless one goes postal or a person sticks in an uncovered body part into all that intensity. Even the best behaved dog in the world may bite someone under those circumstances as they are usually in a red zone at the time and are not thinking at all.

I just walk in between as I usually have on jeans and I usually walk toward and into the one who seems to be the most intense dog - the one who is jerking about the most, often the one on top, repeatedly biting aggressively, growling loudly or has wrapped his paws around the other one. In big, powerful dogs, such as pitbulls or GSD/Rotties, lifting up on the collar or neck skin and pulling/twisting it and holding on until the breath is cut off is a good way to take the fight out of him for long enough to get him back and away from the other dog. Others grab the more intense dog by the back of the neck and lift up a bit or pull back(have to use much caution on tiny dogs with iffy tracheas) or use one of the tools such as a book or magazine lying about to stick into the face of the toughest dog.

If the skin is broken on that wound, watch for signs of infection and get seen by a doc. Hope you aren't hurting too badly tonight!

That looks so painful. I hate that you keep getting hurt. I'm so glad your boys aren't getting hurt, but your wounds look awful. It's amazing that your beautiful little Que Tee isn't terrified seeing her brothers fight. You have a confident and brave little girl. I'm so glad that people are here helping you with this. It hurts me to see how this is hurting you.

I would say so! :) And hope you don't think I was being snarky, I just re-read my post and it could've come across that way... I used to love CM, but fortunately learned about real dog training.

Check out this thread, http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...own-holly.html

Well, I do strongly disagree with that and I'll tell you why I don't like it in dealing with dogs. Alpha rolling is really a form of intimidation that an owner or trainer really doesn't need to use and with a big, powerful dog, leaning over it close enough to physically roll it over can put your vulnerable face and throat far too close to those dangerous teeth. Physically intimidating a dog is far from necessary when dealing with them in close quarters and if done by a psychologically weak person, the dog will sometimes leap up and bite as soon as it sees its way clear since the alpha rolling to expose its belly can really scare the occasional nervous or fearful dog and they may not react well to it at all. But dominating a dog isn't necessary to train it and domination of some dogs can break their trust in their owner or trainer. I just wouldn't do it as there are so many better ways to stop a dog fight and gain the respect of a dog. I'd just Google the terms "alpha rolling" and read some of the dog experts' and others' opinions on its use if I were you and gain some more input on the subject and then see what you think about it.

I didn't feel that you were being snarky ;)
I read the whole post, i've seen that clip before but never noticed what really happened. I also am/was a big fan of CM but after watching this and reading Jim's blog, I'm starting to doubt him.

Thanks Jeanie for the explanation and suggestion.
Reading some articles about alpha dogs made me feel bad! (I used to watch CM's show and kinda follow what he does)
This made me open my eyes, and this is why I love YT. Every day you learn something new!


Oow and Jacqueline, I hope you feel better and I hope the situation with your dogs get better :)

I was always told to never get between dogs if they are fighting!!! If they are going to live together they will work out the pecking order and live with it. I've never had dogs who didn't need some time to get adjusted to our household when they first joined us. It's awful to watch but one will assert themselves as the dominant and the rest will become submissive to the dominant one. Always works out that way that I've ever seen. If you step between dogs you WILL get bit! Need to let them work it out and they will.

That bite looks awful, My husband got bit breaking up a fight once and he cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and then put antibiotic ointment and wrapped it for about a week and it healed.

My girls get into a brawl over toys...ugh and it scares me bc I am afraid that Daisy is going to hurt Pixie so I break up the fight and pick up the toys when it hap pens. My husband says let them got they are just making noise but since he got bit I think he has changed his opinion.

Never reach in to stop a dog fight! Spray with in the face with a squirt bottle!

I would grab one dog (the more aggressive of the 2/ the one who started the fight if known) by their rear legs and pull them upward so they are sort of hanging upside down- Front leg are still on the ground.

These boys have been together for four years. However, a new little girl joined their family in February. She isn't the instigator, but she is a feisty little one, and the dynamics have certainly changed. I've also heard it's best to let them work out their issues, but I'm certain it would be very difficult for me to watch my little loved ones fighting, and I know I'd be terrified of them hurting each other.