They keep fighting (long sorry..)

[TYS0NSM0MMA]

I am having a real hard time with Tyson and Sable, they keep fighting and Tyson always loses. It usually ends up with a trip to the vet or a trip to my make shift clinic in my basement! Its sad that I have had to get 3 rolls of vet wrap in the last few months to bandage Tyson's wounds from Sable.

Sable is obviously the better fighter (we dont want that! cant we all just get along?!) Yesterday they got into 2 fights! hubby and I had to do the hip grab and pull then isolate them because they were both snarling and trying to kill each other and neither one lets up either. We dont yell or scream at them or anything because it doesnt work we can onlly grab thier hips and get them apart that way safely so we dont get bit.

Tyson got bit really badly last night, I cleaned him up well and wrapped his leg he had 4 puncture wounds all on one leg and Sable had nothing on her. We changed the dressings once last night and then again today. I actually had to go to PetSmart to get vet wrap because I ran out! and I dont like the type they carry because it is too thin, I prefer to buy the wider stuff for horses b/c if it slips then it is still covering it.

Tyson keeps trying to lick his leg so we may have to get an E-Collar for him :( I am at a loss of what to do, the fights are getting worse, Tyson and her have to be separated now when they eat or he wont let her eat and she loses weight real easily. You cant buy them any new toys or they fight over them, they fight over us (hubby and I), they even fought over my sister who Tyson had met once and Sable has never met!

I worry everytime I leave the house that they will fight (or worse), Tyson usually starts it but Sable always finishes it. Sable will usually jump on Tyson's back and he will growl a bit then get this look on his face like "get her off of me NOW!" and even if she does get off he still goes at her and as I said neither backs down. We have been working on this since July and it hasnt gotten any better. Its horrible to see because she gets on his back and grabs his neck and pulls from side to side and he is all teeth and is usually just showing them and growling but she always gets on top of him or gets his legs.

I know they have fought when we arent home and we have tried crating them both (in separate crates) side by side, facing each other, in the same room but apart, and they both freak out and bark so loud the by-law police gets called on us!

I am not working right now so I can't afford a behaviorist, and I certainly can't afford these vet bills!

I don't know what to do, but Tyson has had over 4 homes already in his short life and I couldn't give him up, Sable has been with her 1st owner and us, and I dont want to give her up but she is so dominant (she goes after other dogs at the park and does the same neck thing to them and tries to drag them down to the ground, needless to say we dont go to the dog park with her..) She is such a sweet dog, but maybe they need to each be only pets? we got her to keep Tyson company b/c of his sep anxiety, and it has helped him that way but she is slowly tearing him apart... I dont like and dont want to live constantly in fear of the worst and always having to gate them apart.

I need some advice, I am so upset about all this and I dont know what to do, Tyson's leg was borderline needing stitches in 3 places... its getting worse than the first few fights they had.

What fun is a house with no toys and no interaction with each other? Its not fair!

Help us please!
Colly

 

[TYS0NSM0MMA]

any advice would be a huge help,
I have ordered a copy of the dog listener which should be in soon,
its difficult because I have to keep Tyson and Sable calm and quiet (HA! try that with a boxer!) They both know the "settle" command but Sable just wants to play and Tyson either doesnt feel well or is being "moody" or maybe just sore and doesnt want to play so its hard because she tries to jump on him to get him to chase her and play and he just gets mad at her.

I could really use some advice from anyone who may be able to help, or even rationalize things for me. Sometimes its easier to figure things out when you arent attached to the situation.

Im sorry this is long but I wanted to give as much info as possible.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Colly

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

The Dog Listener is a good book which may indeed help. Jean Donaldson, author of "The Culture Clash" has a new book out called "FIGHT! A Practical Guide To the Treatment of Dog-Dog Aggression" which I think would be VERY valuable to you. Get a copy ASAP.

Since you can't afford a behaviorist, your only option at this point would be to keep the dogs separated as much as possible. Only allow them together when they show good behavior together. Otherwise, at the first snarl, separate them again and ignore them. Get them both crates and keep them separated, especially if you are not around to supervise. That would include going outside to potty, and for walks, around the house, all times.

Best of luck.

 

[Jan]

I don't have a huge lot of advice for you. I would definitely separate them when you're not home. As long as they are well behaved they wouldn't need to be crated, but I would have them in separate rooms. I definitely wouldn't have them in crates facing each other. The last thing you want is them staring at each other. :(

I know you probably love them both, but the best thing for them may be to find one of them a new home. They are probably living under constant stress. Did you get them from a rescue? I'm sure it would he hard to part with one of them, but they may be happier in a single dog homes.

 

[TYS0NSM0MMA]

we have discussed it and both hubby and I are more attached to Tyson (we have had him over a year) and with his past of being abused (we found that out because he was terrified of the broom when I first used it he barked and tried to, I roll my newspapers up to recycle them and he snapped at it once and all I did was walk over to the recycling bin and drop it in and he freaked out! So I took the end off a broom and got him used to it and then "pet" him with it and said "nice, good boy Tyson, thats nice" same as the newspaper and that worked great, he is okay with them now, still a little leary but much better), and has been passed around so much we couldn't possibly subject him to that, I don't think he would survive the stress of it. I am looking around a behaviorists locally and seeing if I can get a decent rate (I already sold my truck to pay for Tyson's surgery and to catch up on our bills, so that money is gone and I can't re-finance the house either) I have thought about selling some of my stuff to pay for it, but I hardly have anything as it is. A TV, my bed and my couch and a table and my kitchen stuff.. not much that I can do without. I dont want to sell the TV since it is my escape but i guess I may have too :(

I can't sell the other car (I need a vehicle to get a new job or atleast a temp job until I get called back to work)

We have 2 crates and I only say facing each other because we have tried every position to see what works best. My dad thinks I should crate one of them and let the other run lose in the house (bad idea in my mind) he says to take turns (they can't possibly know "oh well its my turn this time and next time it will be their's)

I just feel so sad about this, Sable is so sweet and sucky, but has a high prey drive she even goes after our birds and birds in the yard. She barks at anyone walking by. so we try to distract her by calling her like "Sable, Come, good girl (pat) Sable, Sit , good girl (pat pat) Sable, Down, good girl!! (scratches and pats" but she pops right back up and runs back to the window and keeps going she will stay for a minute and then runs away. We have tried to teach her to bark (she isnt very good at that one) but when she does we say "good bark!" and she gets a treat then when she barks on her own at someone or another dog she gets "bad bark"

sigh, I will see if the library has that book you mentioned Dan, if not I will ask for an early Christmas Pressy

Anything we are doing wrong? or should do? or what?
Sigh

Colly