Dear Critter Corner: We have 2 young male dogs that have started to fight with one another on occasion. The fights have not resulted in any injuries yet, but they sound horrible. Do you have any recommendations on how to get the two to stop fighting?
I am sorry to hear this. It must be a stressful situation for the whole family! First, you should reach out to a professional to help you address what is going on with your two dogs. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to manage the situation.
An important piece of the puzzle will be to find out what may be causing the fights to start with. This can be a valued resource, such as a special treat, toy, resting space, or person. If the fights are over resources, you can help to manage the environment by removing the resource causing the problem.
Given that both dogs are young, there shouldn’t be age-related issues like arthritis, but if you are noticing that one of your pups is more sensitive in general, a vet health check may be warranted to rule out any underlying health issues or injuries.
Depending on their ages, there may be a possibility that this is playing into the problem as well: Young adolescent dogs that are coming of age may challenge each other to establish where they fit in the pack. This can happen when one is a newly adopted dog or if the age gap is such that one is entering into adulthood and the other is just entering into adolescence.
Management can be a big help. I would keep them separated when no one is home so that you are sure that a fight won’t break out when you are not there to interrupt it. You can also practice crate time or alone time throughout the day so that they are managing their emotions during that time.
Finally, make sure that they are getting enough exercise to help burn off steam and give you a better chance to have them settle in the home. Teaching your dog to go to their spot can be a helpful exercise when there are issues in the home too.
If you need additional help with training your pup, check out our website for upcoming classes or schedule a consultation to address the specific behavior.