Managing Dog To Dog Aggression In The Home
"The Dangers and Stress of Dog-to-Dog Aggression in the Home: How to Keep Your Dogs and Family Safe
Dog-to-dog aggression within the home can be a major issue for pet owners. This type of aggression can cause stress for both the dogs involved and their human family members. It can also lead to serious injuries and even death. In this article, we will discuss the dangers and stress of dog-to-dog aggression in the home and suggest safety protocols and training activities to help keep your dogs and family safe.
If you have children in the home with aggressive dogs will have some very serious and tough conversations. Even if the dogs are not starting their aggression to the child — a child can easily be caught in the crossfire.
Learn Some Reasons Why Dogs Who Once Got Along May Not Be Compatible Any Longer
Two dogs that don’t get along in your home is a very stressful thing. It can be managed, but crate and rotate is not fun or easy for anyone. And you still have risks.
What is Dog-to-Dog Aggression?
Dog-to-dog aggression is when one dog displays aggressive behavior towards another dog. This can include barking, growling, snapping, biting, and even fighting. This type of aggression can occur between dogs that live together in the same household even if they have previously been compatible.
It’s important to figure out what they are fighting over. Resources? Toys, Bones, Space, You? Is there a personality or energy mismatch? Is there something going on with their health we need to address? Like all aggression cases, we seek to find the root and address it. It may be nutritional changes, detox work, emotional work, etc. I ask that you be open to exploring all possibilities — not just obedience.
Safety Protocols for Managing Dog-to-Dog Aggression
To help keep your canines safe, there are a number of safety protocols that pet owners can implement. These include:
Crates: Welcome to crate and rotate for a very long time. You will need appropriate quality crates for your dog’s size & intensity level. Separating dogs that are displaying aggressive behavior towards each other can help to prevent injuries. Placing the dogs in separate crates can provide a safe space for them to calm down and can also help to prevent further aggressive behavior.
Fixed Mounted Baby Gates may be necessary to add an additional boundary between the dogs so that one cannot approach the crate of another.
Muzzles: If your dog is displaying aggressive behavior, a muzzle will need to be used as a safety measure to prevent bites to both the other dog and family members should an incident occur during your training. It will be essential when you begin to try and bring the dogs back together for walks, training, and relaxation time.
Tethers Outside: Fixed mounted cable tethers that you can put each dog on following an incident or when we reach the point of learning to coexist again. We’ll use them for outdoor “Place” while dogs learn to relax in the proximity of each other — knowing that if one makes a mistake they cannot reach each other.
Tethers Inside: Fixed-mounted cable tethers that you can put each dog on following an incident or when we reach the point of learning to coexist again. We’ll use them for indoor “Place” while dogs learn to relax in the proximity of each other — knowing that if one makes a mistake they cannot reach each other.
Leashes: Keeping dogs on leashes when they are around other dogs can help to prevent fights from breaking out. This is especially important for dogs that have a history of aggressive behavior. The leash must be comfortable and appropriate for you to handle and not drop.
Proper Collars — when out of their crate they must be on secure unbreakable (no plastic clips) collars. We recommend prong collars with a safety carabiner to a well-fitted martingale or choke chain to avoid any escape from the collar.
Door Locks and Gate Locks: Locking doors and gates can help to prevent dogs from coming into contact with each other by accident.
Training Activities to Help Manage Dog-to-Dog Aggression
In addition to safety protocols, there are a number of training activities that pet owners can use to help prevent dog-to-dog aggression. These include:
Obedience Training: Teaching your dog basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, and come can help to prevent aggressive behavior. This is because dogs that are well-trained are more likely to respond to commands and are less likely to act aggressively.
E-Collar Training: E-collar training is a safe and effective method of communication between the dog and the trainer. This can be used to teach dogs to respond to commands and correct behavior.
Leadership and Consistency: Establishing yourself as the leader and being consistent with your commands can help to prevent aggressive behavior. Dogs that understand their place in the pack are less likely to act aggressively toward other dogs.
You need to learn to read body language.
You will need to learn to break up a dogfight and protect yourself. I will show you how.
You will need a first aid kit on hand.
Common Mistakes in Managing Dog To Dog Aggression
Separating them after a fight to different rooms. See The After Fight protocol to create a safe way of decompressing the dogs.
Isolation into different rooms and trying to prevent any visual contact. They know the other is present. If they cannot see what’s taking place they may work themselves into frustration or jealously-like state of mind. It’s better they that are crated next to each other. We may begin with a visual barrier between them for sleeping, but in order to bring them back to coexistence, they are going to have to learn to relax in proximity to the other.
Not walking them together and not working them together. Distance can be our friend along with those secure collars and muzzles — but we must start to bring the dogs back together to start to reduce the risk of a future fight.
It is not easy. Nor is it quick. It is stressful.
The K9 Coach Offers In-Home Dog Aggression Training in North Myrtle Beach SC and surrounding areas. We also offer support via Zoom and where appropriate are open to travel. See What to Expect in Dog Aggression Training