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mchild3028

Boxer Pal
December of 2004 I bought a female boxer for a companion for my 8 year
old male boxer who just lost his best friend and was lonely. Well
things were great. About 8 months after that like August a freind of
ours who bought my puppies sister decided he didn't want her do to
lack of time he could spend with her so we took her because we were
worried about what would happen to her. Anyway they got along great
and have been like best of friends and great sisters. The problem is
recently My first little girl is starting to get jealous for some
reason and starting big fights between the sisters. They recently
gotten into a huge fight and by the time I got them apart they were
tore up pretty bad and now I have them seperated. Today I put leashes
on them and walked them together and they still are aggresive toward
one another so again I separated them. Does anyone have any idea what
to do? I really hate to see them like this toward each other. They
seem sad to be apart. I couldn't part with either one they are
family. Please help.
 
Lola's mum

Lola's mum

Boxer Insane
I'm afraid if you do a search on here the female/ female combo doesn't usually work. They fight regardless whether they're related or not, sometimes it does work though as some people on here have 2 females that have never fought.
I don't know what you can do, I think one of them has to be the alpha female and the other has to accept that for them to get along, if you have 2 dominant females they will both fight for that position.
Others will be able to advise you better but it could be worth reading up on it or getting a behaviourist in.

I wish you luck and hope this can be sorted.
 
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sgbtab

Banned
female/female is the worst combo. you really need to call in a behaviorist. when females start to fight and it usually starts when both reach adult which is around the 2 year mark. they will fight to rid the other of the pack meaning to the death.
 
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SandyHG55654

Banned
I'd try the behaviorist route but in the long run it would probably be better for everyone if you found a new home for the other female. Is it possible to surrender her to a rescue? Or I would start asking friends or family if they are interested in her before something tragic happens. Good luck with your girls.
 
courtney323

courtney323

Energetic Moderator<br><img src="/forums/images/mo
Hi mchild3028 -

At the risk of sounding like a complete downer, I think your best option is to rehome one of your females. As others have said, the female/female combination is the worst possible combination you can have, and it rarely works out to where the 2 dogs don't have problems like the ones you just described. These problems don't usually surface until the younger of the two dogs reaches maturity (around 1-2 years of age), which explains why they have seemingly been getting along great until now. The problem with females is that they are not fighting for simple hierarchy/pack ranking reasons. They are fighting to rid the other one of the pack altogether, which could very well mean death if you do not intervene.

In some cases, this can be resolved with the help of an animal behaviorist (not a trainer -- a behaviorist). I would contact one immediately, if you do want to undertake the task of keeping the 2 females in your house. Meanwhile, you need to keep them seperated completely at all times, unless you are right there to supervise their every move. Not to sound like an alarmist, but these fights will only escalate in severity if you don't take action soon.

One last question, are any of them spayed? If not, that will certainly magnify the severity of the situation you are in.

Good luck, and keep us posted!
 
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mchild3028

Boxer Pal
Yes they are both spayed. I walked them on leashes again last night and they were great. They have been running along side of each other through the fence playing. I haven't put them together yet just through the fence. They miss each other so much. I have been walking them separate with my male dog and putting him with each of them for equal time. I usually keep one in laundry room with fenced yard and other one in the house which is alot of work to switch them. I really hope I can keep both of them because I don't think I could part with either one. I am home most of the day so they are never really alone. Thanks for the help.
 
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mchild3028

Boxer Pal
I just read the article and it made me very sad. I just love both these girls so much and will die to give up one. Looks like for now I will just have to live with all the extra work to keep them both. I have a pretty big house and big yard so they will have to have there separate areas. I just don't think I could live with myself giving one away and wondering where they are and what there doing. knowing if there ok. I sure wish I would have known this before I took the other in. Thanks
 
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SandyHG55654

Banned
mchild3028 said:
I just read the article and it made me very sad. I just love both these girls so much and will die to give up one. Looks like for now I will just have to live with all the extra work to keep them both. I have a pretty big house and big yard so they will have to have there separate areas. I just don't think I could live with myself giving one away and wondering where they are and what there doing. knowing if there ok. I sure wish I would have known this before I took the other in. Thanks
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Please keep in mind all the advice given here and if the fighting gets worse you will have no choice but to rehome one. I'm sure it would be hard but I would rather see one go, than have it killed, I'm not sure if I would want to keep the other dog if it had killed another either, in that case you may lose them both! (worst case scenario) Just so you are aware. Hope it all works out! Good luck.
 
deckers007

deckers007

Boxer Buddy
I was on boxer world myself a couple days ago with the SAME problem mchild.

I also had gotten a female from a litter and eventually took in her sister when my parents decided they couldn't keep her.

My mother's situation has since changed, and as mine were starting to fight (scary fights they were!), she offered to take a dog back in. We let our little Ruby go to my Mom's just this Sunday. We miss her like crazy but definitely know it was the best decision.

The others are right - this is a problem that takes a lot of work and dedication.

If my mother hadn't been able to take one in, I still would have *seriously* considered finding one of them a good home. It would be the HARDEST thing for me to do (I even cried when she went to my Mom's Sunday which is just 5 minutes away!) but I know it's what would have been best for the dogs themselves. I too, have a lot of property and a large enough house but I was more concerned with the fact that if the dogs had to constantly be seperated or watched (and they weren't even close to that point), it wouldn't be the best life for them. As much as we often think of our own heartache, we have to remember our dogs feelings too and wonder if this is the best life for them.

Of course, the decision is very personal, and different for everyone. But I just want to say that as hard as it is to consider finding a home for one of them, it is, to me anyway, a HUGE relief to have done it. A gigantic weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am able to focus on our one boxer so much more, and know that the one that is at my Mom's is also getting more attention than she did when she was at home. (Neither of them has to share their parents anymore ;))

Good luck with it, either way. I agree with contacting a behaviorist for starters and going from there.
 
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