How Do We Stop Dogs From Fighting In The Same Household? Why Do They Fight?

If you have multiple dogs at home, you may have to deal with fights occasionally. Fortunately, you can reduce fighting and build social health among your dogs by maintaining balance at home, minimizing aggressive behavior, and knowing when to act. You can establish a healthy society at home and prevent incidences of conflict among your dogs by taking proactive actions and intervening when required.

Why Do Dogs Get Into Fights?

Dogs fight for various reasons, including territorial resource guarding, toys, and food. They may also behave out of fear. When they feel threatened, some dogs go on the attack to scare the other dog away. Frustration can lead to violent behaviour, particularly in a dog who’s never learned to regulate his emotions. A dog could also be pushed beyond its tolerance limit. This might happen when a reactive dog is overwhelmed by particular stimuli or when a dog is in discomfort and so lacks patience.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOGS FIGHT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD

Manage your dog’s environment, so they don’t have the chance to get into trouble. Identify your dog’s stressors and remove as much as possible to maintain them below their bite barrier while you work on behavior modification.

Aggressive dogs are a big concern. Dogs in the same home fight for a variety of reasons. Even dogs that have been in a relationship for a long time may begin to quarrel.

There is usually a time of adjustment when a new canine enters the household. Fights can erupt for a variety of reasons. Fights are much more likely to happen when a dog’s stress level rises. The following are among the most common reasons why dogs get into fights.

Steps To Stop Dogs From Fighting In The Same Household

Male and female dogs maintain unique hierarchies in the wild. Dogs of the same sex are more likely in our households. Non-neutered canines are also more likely to fight with each other.

Taking Care of Their Owner

Dogs can protect a variety of resources. Things that are useful to the dog are referred to as resources. Of course, our dogs regard us as a valuable resource. We pay attention to them, feed them, take a stroll, play with companions, train them, socialize them, and provide them with tasty treats and chews.

Keeping Other Resources Safe

Certain dogs guard other important resources against other dogs. Of course, many dogs consider food, snacks, bones, and toys essential.

A dog will not attack if it is separated from its owner by more than a certain distance. However, if another dog approaches too closely, the dog with bone will attack. The length from which a dog would attack differs depending on the breed.

A change in the health or age of a resident dog

Some dogs may detect when a dog in the house is sick. Occasionally, the healthy dog may attack a sick dog.

Household or Routine Modifications

Any change in the household, such as when a child departs for college, can be stressful for a dog. Even normal changes, such as those that occur when someone initiates a job, can be upsetting for a dog.

Changes in the Social Group of Dogs

There is a transition phase when a dog comes to the house or joins a new dog.

It’s possible that a more powerful dog has died, and the other dogs have formed a new hierarchy. A new puppy might also throw a wrench in the established order.

Inadequate Socialization

Inadequately socialized dogs are more prone to attack other dogs. He might not be able to read the body language of others correctly.

The other dog, for example, maybe lure him into playing. On the other hand, the unsocialized dog interprets these as an attempt to attack.

The game may become more intense.

Dogs might well be playing suitably at times. The action then picks up. One of the dogs gets very harsh. A brawl may break out.

A Fight’s Warning Signs

Examine the body language of each dog. Of course, you must consider the entire picture because no one indicator suggests that a dog would fight. Before things develop into a brawl, separate them.

Before a fight, a dog may display the following body language:

Growling
Teeth bared
Ears pricked up

Hackles raised
A stiff body
Staring

Mounting

Deal with the fallout from a brawl. It’s a good reason to take the canines apart for up to four days after a battle has been broken up. You’ll need to deal with any wounds and offer comfort to each dog during this period. It would help if you also were cautious in how you reintroduce them.

Check both dogs for wounds and tend to them. Any puncture can get infected, so make sure to clean any wounds and take your dog to the veterinarian.

Provide comfort: Show each dog a lot of love and attention. For a few days, they’ll probably feel jittery and worried.

Reinstitute them: After a long time has passed, contact a friend to assist you in reintroducing the dogs. Meet in a neutral location and let the dogs go.

Allow two dogs to smell one another while leashed in a neutral location. The dogs have most likely moved on, and there are no symptoms of aggressiveness. If they’re still being hostile, separate them for a time and try again.

Recognizing When Should You Intervene?

When necessary, break up a quarrel. If your dogs do engage in a physical fight, parents may need to interfere with keeping them from hurting each other. To avoid getting wounded, try several ways that may be applied from a distance. The following are some examples of strategies:

Make a loud noise.
Using water, mist them.

Divide them with a barrier
Cover them with a blanket.

Final Verdict

It is preferable to avoid fights rather than intervene when one happens. Before things get out of hand, read each dog’s body language and softly separate them.

Maintaining a pleasant home necessitates obedience training and behavioral practice. If a fight has broken out, use a safe method to break it up, such as spraying the dog with water or creating noise.