Sophie fighting please help

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frazejax

Boxer Pal
I have two boxers a red male called Blaze and a white female called Sophie. We got both dogs from a rescue but got Sophie first and Blaze a year later. Sophie is becoming more and more aggresive to Blaze. If I start making a fus over Sophie and Blaze come over aswell, Sophie starts growling and 9 out of 10 time she goes for him. Another example is when we bring the shopping bags into the house, she sudenly goes for him for no reason.

Please help

Jackie/Fraser
 

gregory'sdad

Boxer Booster
Being Pack Leader

With more than one dog, you have a pack. You must establish yourself as the pack leader. Each dog in the pack may make efforts to establish his/her dominanace...thus the fights. If you are the pack leader, the others will not fight because they know you to be the leader. You must remain calm and dominant with your dogs. If the alpha female shows aggression quickly correct her and don't let her back talk. If she mumbles at you...correct her until she is calm and submissive. Once that pecking order is established, you should see a reduction in quarrels.

Also, if you are favoring one dog over the other you need to stop because that can cause tension between the dogs.
 

frazejax

Boxer Pal
Hi, thanks for the advise. My problem is that I am to soft and give-in to her when she puts her sad face on.

I will give youe tips a try.

regards Jackie/Fraser
 

gmacleod

Elusive Moderator
Staff member
Jackie, can I suggest that you get yourself a copy of Jan Fennell's book "The Dog Listener". We recommend that one a lot on this site :)

It's more than a training book, and deals extremely well with the concept of leadership (and how to establish/keep it). I think that one could really help you out. Here's Jan's site: http://www.janfennellthedoglistener.com/ You can order books from there, direct from Amazon, or just go to WHSmiths (pretty sure they stock it).
 

lhsdavis

Boxer Booster
I have had ashley for 5 years and Noah for almost 4 and last year they started fighting also. (I had both dogs since they were puppies)I did read the dog listener and went to a trainer but in the end the thing that helped was remembering the little things that set them off(mostly to do with me). I have to feed them separtely now, Noah had started going for ashley when I would bring their food bowls out, I guess because she likes to share and he got tired of it. I dont play with them together outside, I play with one and then bring the other one out to play. I dont put myself in small enclosed areas with both of them as that set them off once. I separate them for bath time because Noah doesnt like ashley around when he is getting a bath. I had to stop sleeping with them also because Noah would try and growl at ashley when she would go to get on the bed. I now pretty much separate them when they are inside the house just because I dont want a issue. In the morning when I go to work they both go out(after making sure ashley isnt crowding the door when I let Noah out). They havent ever got into a fight when I wasnt there, and Ashley was really depressed after the last big fight and where I totally separated them for 2 weeks. She wouldnt even get off her bed and Noah missed her too, so Ive learned to adapt and sense issues that come up, and it has helped. They do get into occational spats now but it hasnt been the bloody ones I had, and they are over quickly. And they are both still worth every effort I make
 

gregory'sdad

Boxer Booster
Pack animals

Lhdavis,
Look into a behavorists, because dogs are pack animals. They have to learn to live in a pack (your family) and behave. That is where you, the pack leader, have to have total control. Seperating them, feeding the at different times, only playing with one at a time doesn't deal with the underlying issue - dominance. You must set yourself up as the pack leader and they will follow suit.
 
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