Trouble in my house! (fighting dogs)

[Treacle26]

Hello,

 

Can anyone help? i've had Sass for just over a year. She's a crossbreed dog, we think she's Doberman/labrador.

I have also just adopted Patch who is a collie cross and 7 years old. I got him from the RSPCA, we have introductions and everything was fine.

 

I have had him for about two weeks now and although 99% of the time they are fine together, Sass can be very tempermental! She can turn on him if she feels he's getting too much attention (and it's a full on, drag them apart fight)

 

I've had to take Patch to the vet's this week as Sass ripped some fur out from under his neck and it got infected (after only one day)

 

They also play together but if Patch nips her too hard it'll turn into a fight again. I know the above seems bad but as I say they are ok together MOST of the time. I just need to do somethig about her jealous behaviour. I have to separate them when i go to work now and it makes me uneasy when they are close together.

 

I don't want to give either of them up as they are both part of the family

 

PLEASE HELP

[claire1979]

Hi,

 

This is a classic dominance problem, Sass feels threatened by Patch and is telling him in no uncertain terms she is boss! You need to demote Patch by doing everything with Sass first, She gets love and kisses first, she is fed first, she goes out the door first. This does not mean you love Patch any less but Sass must feel you accept her as the boss too or she will continue to tell you this!

Other things that might help, dont let them 'rough and tumble' till they know each other better, feed them apart (including titbits) dont play with toys together if they have toys play with them each seperatley.

If Sass does attack Patch unfairly a time out can help,

Intregrating dogs can be difficult but this does not mean it cannot be done. Be consistant and fair.

 

Also if they do fight keep out the way, water should stop them you dont want to get bitten!

 

Hope this helps

Claire

[Treacle26]

I do make sure that she is getting lots of loves and everything first, over him. Obviously I make sure that she knows i'm the boss.

 

When she does attack him I take her to the other room and close her in until she calms down.

 

I've also bought a baby gate today so that although they will be separate during the day, they will still be able to see one another. I don't want to xcut them totally off from one another otherwise they will always view each other as strangers.

 

I do have a behavourist coming tomorrow but i need all the advice i can get!

[Treacle26]

Just to update you. The behavourist came round and witnessed the behaviour. He said it's not Sass that is the problem but Patch. They had a fight while they were here and they said that it isn't something that can be sorted.

 

I've got to take Patch back to the RSPCA tomorrow!

[amandakm]

really sorry to hear that sweetie, it's soooo hard when things don't work out, we've had this problem once in the past, we have three dogs now who get on really well, but before we had our third girl (Rosie lurcher) we had a dalmation/labrador cross pup, she was so dominant and boisterous she made our resident dogs miserable, we had to re-home her, we felt dreadful, but she was born to be an 'only' dog, maybe this is the case with Patch.

[Treacle26]

Thank you! i don't know what i'm going to be like when i take him back. I better take tissues.

[Godzilla]

Just to update you. The behavourist came round and witnessed the behaviour. He said it's not Sass that is the problem but Patch. They had a fight while they were here and they said that it isn't something that can be sorted.

 

I've got to take Patch back to the RSPCA tomorrow!

As a matter of interest, who was the behaviourist you used?

[Treacle26]

They are called Dog Whispers. They are working with the RSPCA in Bawtry.

[tess667]

I'm so sorry for you Treacle, we've had to return a dog to a rescue centre before now and its heartbreaking