I have 2 dogs. They hate each other. One dog will growl as soon as the other dog is within line of sight. Unfortunately, since the other dog came off worse in the couple of fights they had, if she is backed into a corner she jumps on the dog that growls at her.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get them tolerating each other? They were friends once, and would play for hours. At the moment, they are separated, but I would welcome any suggestions on how to encourage them to be friends again.
There was a lady with the same situation on Emergency Vets (or some other Animal Planet show) a while ago. I think she had a dachshund and a German Shepherd. Anyway, the problem, according to the animal behaviorist, was that the dogs didn’t know which one of them was the alpha dog. The solution the behaviorist came to was for the owners to decide which dog was the alpha dog, and for them to start treating the two dogs accordingly-- the alpha dog would get her food first, would get petted first, would be played with first, etc. There was an adjustment period for the dogs and owners both, but eventually, it worked.
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- This is bizarre: of every woman I know who has a cat, every one has an alpha cat! - MC
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One dog was the alpha dog. She got fed first, patted first, toys first… everything. She’s the one who growls at the other dog. She’s also the bigger dog, but slightly younger than the other one. When alpha dog and beta dog were fed together, alpha dog would eat beta dog’s food without beta dog doing anything about it.
Half the problem seems to be that beta dog only looks to humans as authority, and that she won all their play fights (when they actually were friends.)
So, any other ideas?
Well, if Beta dog won all the play fights, and will only look to you (who, for purposes of this structure are super-Alpha dog), then Beta dog is now really Alpha dog
IMHO, you need to get a Gamma Dog so Alpha and Beta dogs can radiate their negative energy and positrons to a nuetral third body.
(smartass radiation fact-fixing reply coming in 3…2…1…)
>> I would welcome any suggestions on how to encourage them to be friends again
If the palestinians and the Israelis can’t do it, what makes you think your dogs want to be friends? Amybe they just enjoy hating each other and fighting.
Maybe you can try putting them in a situation where they are forced to be together but cannot fight. Like putting them in a small space separated by chicken wire. I figure after a while they’ll learn to get along after they’ve sniffed each other’s butts thorugh the mesh wire.
Anopther thought is that if they were well trained to obey you, they would obey your commands. It seems you’re not much of an Alpha either…
As a last resort you can just keep them apart… or shoot one of them…
I say, “put 'em together!” Whichever one is beta will figure it out sooner or later. Don’t interfere with their fights, this will only prolong the process. Dogs generally won’t kill each other.