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Thanks for your helpful suggestions. I have an appointment with a behaviorist who specializes in BAT. She recommended buying Baskerville Ultra muzzles to use as needed for safety while we sort this out. So, I'm figuring out what sizes to order now. Where would I buy a break stick? I'd never even heard of that before.
Both dogs are staying here. Period. If that means keeping them separated permanently, so be it. However, I'm certainly not resigning myself to that at this point.
That is also what I would recommend, except that I would go with the nylon mesh muzzle.
I also had two females, and one (the female Alaskan Husky) continually attacked my older, and bigger, female black lab. They were fine as long as I was around, but if I was away the Alaskan Husky would always start the fight. I ended up muzzling her using a nylon mesh muzzle, which allowed her to drink, but not bark or bite. For almost two years I muzzled the female Alaskan Husky whenever I went to work, and removed the muzzle when I got home. That lasted until my older female black lab died. I then got a male Boerboel to prevent any future problems.
However, the Alaskan Husky attacked the new male puppy as soon as she was left alone. So she went back on the muzzle until the male matured. Now my male Boerboel is more than twice her weight and has no problem putting the Alaskan Husky in her place.
They still play together, but their play can get a bit rough. That is when I have to step in to calm things down.
OP,
Hypothyroidism can cause inexplicable aggression, even if the dog(s) show no other symptoms of the disease. Have you had their thyroid levels checked recently .... a FULL panel? If one or both are hypothyroid, the meds are inexpensive and make a world of difference.
tdna, well, just so you know.....
you never go in and try to break up a dog fight, you are going to get bit, and one day they won't stop, period. So, if and when it happens again, throw a lot of cold water on both of them, and they will stop...I mean a lot...like a bucket...but never try to physically break it up once they've gone at it.
These are animals, animals, not children, not people, and once turned on, they will eventually fight until someone get hurt badly...
again, when My sister adopted the female she got, the dog was all chewed up from another female. the man cried to have to get rid of her, but he did the best thing for the dog, and not for him....that was the most kinest act and selfless move he could have made.
Both dogs are staying here. Period. If that means keeping them separated permanently, so be it. However, I'm certainly not resigning myself to that at this point.
I wish you and your babies the best of luck. I just want to echo the importance of getting your bite checked. I was bitten by my poodle last year, and after waiting a couple of days, I finally went to the ER at my job and I had to get IV antibiotics and take a 7 day oral course of it. I told them the truth and they didn't even report it.
crate and rotate is a very common and absoluty doable practice in multi dog homes (very very common with bully and mastif breed owners) its not somethign id suggest if you have kids/lots of visitors (as eventually someone WILL forget and leave a gate open ect) but for a single adult or couple...its not "difficult", its just time consuming... and once the dogs are used to the routein they dont mind it as long as weveryone is gettng equal time/attention ect.
I'ts been working fine rotating them using a baby gate. I'm making sure I spend equal time with them and the girls are getting to spend equal time with Jack. He's the most even tempered dog I've ever met and he has a very calming presence. Plus, the girls adore him. The girls have also been visiting each other through the gate and that is going well. They both seem relaxed. At this very moment, they're sleeping head to head on opposite sides of the gate. I think that's a good sign.
I'ts been working fine rotating them using a baby gate. I'm making sure I spend equal time with them and the girls are getting to spend equal time with Jack. He's the most even tempered dog I've ever met and he has a very calming presence. Plus, the girls adore him. The girls have also been visiting each other through the gate and that is going well. They both seem relaxed. At this very moment, they're sleeping head to head on opposite sides of the gate. I think that's a good sign.
Be careful with the baby gate. My agility dogs can easily jump it. If it were me I'd use the crate method and rotate them in and out. Good luck.
That sounds promising. I'd be cautious about the gate, since the husky particularly could clear it in a heartbeat, but dogs seem to see it as a psychological boundary and I think one of the dogs would have to be awfully worked up to jump it. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
crate and rotate is a very common and absoluty doable practice in multi dog homes (very very common with bully and mastif breed owners) its not somethign id suggest if you have kids/lots of visitors (as eventually someone WILL forget and leave a gate open ect) but for a single adult or couple...its not "difficult", its just time consuming... and once the dogs are used to the routein they dont mind it as long as weveryone is gettng equal time/attention ect.
The question isn't so much if a person is capable of maintaining a house of seperated and rotating pets, the issue really should be in who's best interest is this setup for? Truth be told, its the human who is deciding that the animals which may no longer get along will be kept in the house seperated for the benefit of the human. The animals are not benefiting from this, only the human by clinging to their possesions and refusing to let the animal be rehomed into a life that may be much better for them. And, that brings us back to something I said alll along, we CAN do this because to us these pets are nothing but property like a toaster!
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