Help!!! 5 month old Yorkies fighting
 

I have several Yorkies at home and we all live under the same roof. Recently my 5 month old female and 5 month old male have started fighting. They get along great then if we take one out of the house and come back it's fight time or if we are giving treats its fight time. Most of the time my 4 month old tiny female likes to instigate it when the two 5 month olds are playing then it turns into a big fight between just them two. They are fine with all of my other Yorkies. None of them are fixed and I do not plan of fixing them. I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced this before. They are not from the same litter and we got them maybe a month apart from each other. The male is the bigger one and we got him after the female, but the female it the one that starts all of the fights with him. Any information is greatly appreciated.

Hopefully some one can offer some advice. I know spading or nuetering can sometimes calm down an overactive puppy.

Sounds like your pack is in need of some intense training. Training should start on day one... and continue for up to two years at times. It's very very important that you teach your pup social skills. I'd start training separate and than together but considerate on individual training first. Make sure that you use the same commands / key works at all times. Short , Firm toned communication/words works best.

I would suggest leash training to start, keep the two that instigate the fighting on leashes when they are together and what ever you do "KEEP CALM". This will give you a little more control over the situation. Plus if a fight in inevitable when treats are given than don't give any treats to them while in the presence of the others. I myself gave my pups trained to where they never get a treat unless they are in the sitting position. I have never had issues with food or treats. Mine are happy to share. I make mine sit down and only the pup who's name I say and ask to sit get that treat handed to them. Some times the pup who's name I say will refuse to sit and to make a point that they will not get it until they are in the sitting position I will give the treat to the "good" pup who is sitting. Oh and Never just toss a treat, not that you do but that will only cause a fight among your pups.

I have them in training. They go every Friday evening. They are perfect in training. And with treats/training at home, I do make them sit or do whatever command I ask before giving them a treat. And they also know to leave it if I say that command. Like I said this is out of the blue that these two are doing this. I do keep them separate if I am not home, but when I am home and just busy cooking, etc. they are playing and eventually tie into it or when we get home with the 5 month old female we can't even put her down because as soon as she sees the 5 month old male she is growling in our arms, but only at him.

I do have all of my Yorkies in professional training. And the 5 month old female (Kaylee) is the best while we are at training. I don't give them treats unless they are doing whatever command I have asked and if something is on the ground they know to leave it when I say to. I keep them separated when I'm away, but when I am home and busy, cooking, etc., they will be playing and I guess get out of hand. But I understand that. What I'm really puzzled about is when we bring her with us or the other way around as soon as we walk through the door we can not put her down because as soon as she sees him she is growling at him in our arms and ready to fight and he is just sitting there excited to see us. They have never really been apart. We bring them everywhere together until they started fighting.

Why do you not want to get them fixed? Do you plan on breeding?

Yes I am. I bred my older Yorkies years ago and wanted to do it again.

Ok great.... training is very important, you are lucky enough to be able to afford a professional trainer. I had two girls that had this same issue with one another. I never could figure out why this was happened but I did take proper safety measurements to prevent it from happening when I put one down in the presence of the other. I just stopped doing it . . . I would have to walk into another room with the one that I was holding and put her down there. That was all it took. Neither seems to have an issue once I began doing it that way. Who knows why they do what they do, it might have come down to a jealousy thing and at times I thought that it was a pack leader issues trying to take out the sick pups. Pups have a huge sense of smell and can tell when people are sick so why not other animals, right?

The issue could have also been a dominance issue since at the time the one female was not spayed. That is generally a huge problem between unaltered females. One (the unaltered one) and the one that was my breeding female became very aggressive toward the other girls in the home. Could this be the case with your pups?

I don't think so. It is between her and my 5 month old male (Duke). She is fine with my other two males and females.

I was just sharing my own experiences. Hopefully you can find what is the issue and find a way to correct the behavior. I hope that you do before one of them gets seriously injured. Mine suffered a fractured jaw from what I can only guess was repeated fighting. So please be careful!

If you have them in training, surely your trainer has some advice.

Given her temperament, I would not breed her.

Neutering for calming may be a myth?
 

Hi this has been my experience in the last year with two boys from the same litter, not spayed. They used to fight frequently when they were juveniles. Now they only fight if we humans stress them out (19 mo). When they get stressed and the growling/posturing begins I can calmly say stop and it goes no further.

They have never needed treatment for the fights (despite one being twice the size at nearly 15 lbs). They rear onto their back legs, lock front legs, snap at the air and make a lot of noise. These fights are over pretty quickly without need for intervention. I think they are just arguments.

My mother-in-law kept telling us to have them fixed "because that will calm them down, just like her yorkie". I was dubious because I remember that her v. badly behaved dog didn't calm down until he was over 2 years old. And other dog owners said it didn't change them.

Eventually my husband asked a vet and he told us that neutering does not affect the behaviour, only training will.

Like human children it may be that your pups are e.g. overtired, overstimulated or arguing over resources (toys, treats) and taking it out on each other. Check that one isn't purposely bullying another - e.g. constantly pinning down or biting muzzle.

Jealousy/superiority complex?
 

Just read this. Sometimes mine growl and want to fight if we are holding one and not the other. The one being held seems to be protecting his superior position whilst the other is jealous. At this point they both go on the floor and they stop because neither is superior. Maybe your girl thinks only she deserves your affection or to go outside alone with you, in which case maybe you should never carry one dog into your home if the other can see this? Perhaps she has jealousy/superiority issues that need working on?

:thumbup::thumbup:

It actually does calm them down because the two males won't have the battleing testosterone. There really is no reason not to neuter unless your breeding.

I do not agree for the males. Even the skepvet I think it was 2013 published a review of recent research that indicates for males there is no overt health benefit. And for some breeds it actually poses a health risk. Females are a different story.

Non fixed male dogs will fight over dominance order and that is normally due to testosterone. Also the prostate can swell and cause severe urination issues. That does happen often. Learning about it now in class.

From the research I made the decision that neutering was not necessary for my small boys in our current circumstances; since surgery was not indicated then why put them through it. Although IF this happens THEN I would get either prostatectomy/neutering as indicated.

You might consider when they are seven years or so that when you get a dental have the doc do a prostate exam. That is what I have done with my males.

Having owned intact males and females for years there is an over emphasis on dominance and behaviour. Do fights occur why yes usually with neutered males.
Recently at a leash free park my big male encountered a beautiful intact large Alaskan malamute.
It went well. The owners just need to know how to handle the situation. After sniffing each other I gently interposed my body between my male and his. The other owner picked up on this and did the same. We had a nice relaxed convo with our two boys beside us. And later when I brought my female in that owner put his boy on leash. Wise decision as intact females do not like males showing too much interest in them and will very firmly correct them.

It is my experience and understanding that intact males do not want to get into fights and risk serious damage to themselves. Dominance is also established through body language and posturing. There are of course a few breeds that have either been bred for dog aggression and or been ill bred. Those you are careful of. Same park different day a boxer mixed with pittie breed walked in, looking at that dogs attitude we immediately walked out. Not risking a serious interaction. Don't know if the dog was intact and don't care, his body language spoke volumes.

Owners must train their dogs, it goes a huge long way to understanding them. Large or small dogs need training.