Doggie problem

[VeronicaF]

Hi Guys, as most of you know I have Bronson, and Charlie, Bronson being a st Bernard, and Charlie being a jack Russel
we have recently last week infect got Charlie castrated.
they usually get on fantastic,
but lately they have had a couple of very bad fights over something,where we have had to split it up, and this being before Charlie got castrated, and tonight too!!
its very scary
them both telling each other who is boss
now before we had Charlie, Bronson lost his brother and didn't sleep or eat and he was depressed,until we got Charlie,then when Charlie was in vets last week again Bronson was depressed without him
At this moment I have put Charlie in his cage and Bronson has been put in same room(kitchen)
they know we are cross to have done that to both of them
so they are very quiet not moaning or anything
but how should we go about trying to stop these fights ?
will it settle as time goes by with Charlie being done?
thanks love Vxxx

[sharon]

Hi V, have you thought about reading Jan Fennels Dog Listener? there is a whole section in there about family dogs fighting and how to deal with it, and how to act yourself around them, she had big problems when her lead dog died so spent ages studying this very problem.

I could loan you the book if you want for a free reading!

Let me know, you can PM me if you would like the book and I will post it to you.

My little dog has a friend come who sometimes starts fights but they are both terriers, the size difference problem must make it very scary.

[fluffypony]

How old is little Charlie? Could it be that he was just starting to feel his macho grown up hormones and has been testing the water for possibly moving up in the pack? Has Bronson been castrated too, and how old is he? Who has been top dog between then up until now, and what sort of thing triggered the fights? Food, attention etc? I know that in some cases, neutering has a temporary affect on some males, causing them to be be a little more aggro with other male dogs. Just because the hormones have dropped and they don't feel quite so sure of their *manlyness* so have to make an extra effort to prove it. This happened to my very genial rescue lab, and we had a few hackles up on walks when meeting males, but it soon passed and he settled back down into the big old softy he is But as yours had started fighting before the castration, sounds more like it could be something else. If Charlie was a pup and was starting to feel grown up, it wouldnt surprise me if it was the trying for a new higher place thing! Feisty little chaps terriers are, so many people think they are easy because of their size.....but nope! ;D

[touchstone]

Hi V, I would try not to worry too much, if he was only done last week he will probably still have his hormones surging as I think it takes a while for them to die (thats what my vet told me as one of ours was getting, ahem, fruity with my leg every time I was on the 'phone! Very embarassing, he's quite a big dog and you try keeping your voice normal when that's happening! Anyway I think it could well be that he's just feeling he wants to assert his male dominance over the other dog still and hopefully it will die down with his receding er, parts!
Are you getting Bronson done too? Just we have a neighbour who has a St. Bernard and it can be quite aggressive, she had to have hers neutered.

[VeronicaF]

Thanks guys, They have been alright today, no fights so far!
Charlie is about 10 months old now, Bronson just over 2 years
Thanks Sharon I have got that book, will look it out.
no sadly we haven't been able to get Bronson done as he has very very bad hip Dysplasia(like his brother Gus had) but luckily he isn't suffering with it, (yet)
and we are worried and vets were that the pulling on legs getting it done might cause more problems, but its something we are going to have to think again I think, might have to take that risk with his legs
we will see how it goes
the fights seem to have started from nothing
Charlie had been the boss since we got him and Bronson didn't mind
but the fights have been or seem to be other things
like Charlie wanted to hide his toy in Bronson fur Charlie's thinking I think--"(him being a very big dog, very good place to hide things)"
but Bronson moaned at him then Charlie moaned back next min they were fighting bad
it was scary
same last night
Bronson touched Charlie's toys he was playing with and Charlie told him off, and Bronson had a go back, next min they were fighting again
so I took both toys off them both once we had broke up the fight
Charlie is a real bossy boots
when we tell Bronson off Charlie seems to think he can moan at him too at same time
I have always fed them separate
I feed Bronson first then Charlie, but sometimes Bronson guards his food, I then take it off Bronson when he does that.and next meal Bronson eats it straight away no problems

so I will keep my fingers crossed that this settles down very soon and will read up on that book too
Thanks guys love Vxxx

[VeronicaF]

Hi Guys, just an update
I have had no more fights arguments with them both since writting this thread
so thanks guys
click on photos to see bigger image is it works

[VeronicaF]

[touchstone]

Great news V, It must be pretty scary when they go at it, I have two male dogs of similar size who occasionally have a set to and it is pretty frantic with them going at it hammer and tongs and me yelling and trying to bop them one (probably completely wrong thing to do as we all end up in a brawl lol!)
Luckily they are few and far between. Glad to hear things are improving,they look happy enough in the pics! Best wishes.

[vbm]

problem?....

[VeronicaF]

Hi Guys, just another update, it looks as if having charlie castrated has solved the problem we had with them fighting,as we have had no more problems since
so anyone else having problems of thier dogs fighting I hope this thread help?
love Vxxx

[dianne]

Hi Veronica, our dogs fight occaisionaly, we have two, plus a lodger dog! no it's not a new breed, it belongs to my step daughter who keeps going abroad for several months and leaving her animals with us.
To avoid the fights the dogs can't have toys, as no matter how many toys are available they all want the same one. Also they have to be fed in different rooms. So no food or toys to fight over and the fighting is extremely rare.
Good luck

[sulasmum]

Hi V, I have two terriers, father and son who got on fine until I had Ash castrated then the fights started. I now have to keep them separated, but am hopeful that when Bramble has been castrated things will get back to normal. Its a case of Bramble trying to be top dog since Ash had the snip. Hope it all works out for Charlie and Bronson