Dogs got into a kerfluffle (bites, skin, training, teeth)

[mizzile]

This whole thing now confuses me a lot, you have these two dogs and now per your other thread you have another young (9 months) dog that has behavior issues too? How many dogs do you have and what kinds of dogs are they?

You really don't sound like you have enough experience with dogs to be able to handle these situations.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by mizzile

This whole thing now confuses me a lot, you have these two dogs and now per your other thread you have another young (9 months) dog that has behavior issues too? How many dogs do you have and what kinds of dogs are they?

You really don't sound like you have enough experience with dogs to be able to handle these situations.

The other thread is older, when Dante was 9 months, he will be 18 months this June. Same dog, but Steve is new (we got him in Nov.).

Well maybe I don't have enough experience, but I find that unfair.

The other thread was about husband and kids rough housing with Dante, and I wanted opinions on it. I got it on the thread and from the trainer, both said probably not a good ideas so I had husbands and kids stop.

Not sure what you think I did wrong to have two dogs who got spifey with each other, I made them stop. Just looking for any additional advice to ensure continued peace.

I handled both situations, but I always try to get as many opinions as possible to ensure I am taking the right course.

You'll find another thread where Dante growled when I moved him on the couch, I asked opinions then too. There I followed the minority view, Dante ended up in trouble, got scoldings, lost privileges for a month and has never done it again.

[Rowan123]

I'd get a trainer. As Dante gets older he could become more insistent about being the one in charge. IMO there is very little downside to getting a trainer. You don't want it to escalate to the point of no return. Contrary to some of the posts on this thread, dogs don't always work it out. If it escalates they could be "enemies" forever.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by Rowan123

I'd get a trainer. As Dante gets older he could become more insistent about being the one in charge. IMO there is very little downside to getting a trainer. You don't want it to escalate to the point of no return. Contrary to some of the posts on this thread, dogs don't always work it out. If it escalates they could be "enemies" forever.

I have a very good trainer! He feels there is no problem with the current dynamic between the 2, but of course that could change, though he doesn't feel it will.

[Rowan123]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I have a very good trainer! He feels there is no problem with the current dynamic between the 2, but of course that could change, though he doesn't feel it will.

Well I don't know that I agree with the trainer (of course he is there and knows the dogs and I only know what I've read). I've had pack dynamics change as my dogs got older. Dogs that previously (for years) got along well suddenly didn't. It usually happened when one dog had gotten older and the other was still in his prime. An 18 month old dog IMO still has a lot of puppy in them. I don't know that I would consider it fully mature from a personality standpoint which is why I would try to address the issue. For your sake, I really hope I'm wrong and your trainer is right.

[Mikala43]

He has definitely not out grown the puppy stage.

[Spottednikes]

Walk the dogs briskly together for about 45 min a day. Dont let them stop and sniff.
It helps them bond and gets the excess energy out.

[mizzile]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I have a very good trainer! He feels there is no problem with the current dynamic between the 2, but of course that could change, though he doesn't feel it will.

Then he is not a good trainer.

I can tell you don't want to hear it and you only want to hear the fluffy happy "everything is fine" comments.

But you are in for an awakening someday.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by mizzile

Then he is not a good trainer.

I can tell you don't want to hear it and you only want to hear the fluffy happy "everything is fine" comments.

But you are in for an awakening someday.

Wow, you sound like your rooting for that to happen, not to mention all warning and no advice.

My trainer? K9 unit for over 30 years, so yeah he's probably knows nothing.



@spottednikes: thanks for the idea.

[JrzDefector]

Originally Posted by mizzile

Then he is not a good trainer.
I can tell you don't want to hear it and you only want to hear the fluffy happy "everything is fine" comments.

But you are in for an awakening someday.

Either that or you get warm fuzzies trying to scare people. Do you even have dogs? And if you do, are you scared of them?

You're dismissing the expertise of a trainer who has worked with these dogs extensively over a "fight" that was a first-time disagreement after several months of living in the same house, resulted in no injuries and was brought to a halt by a thrown cell phone.

Yes the OP needs to be vigilant, but this is nothing to freak out over given that it has happened precisely ONCE. You are fearmongering.

The OP needs to keep the dogs separated when they're left alone and monitor their behaviors when they're together, at least for a while, but there is currently no reason to think that her dogs are destined for a fight to the death or even to the point that one would need stitches. Dogs squabble - I don't know anyone with multiple dogs who hasn't had a fight break out from time to time. And yes, sometimes things can escalate and become irreparable, but there is nothing to indicate that the OP's little pack is anywhere near that point.

OP, it might be helpful to get their recall to the point that you can call them away from each other to engage them in play that you are directing when their roughhousing seems like it's heading toward out-of-hand.