Agression between female dogs

Vas_Guy

does anyone owns more than 1 female dog every experience agression between them.

sorella

We have two and there is the occasional spat; mostly "talk" ; ie fearsome growling and barking, and sometimes they join jaws:)

I am fairly new to dogs, but our greatest expert, who has bred and cared for dogs for 40 years, assures me that were they really aggressive, there would be blood all over the place, literally.

Laughed at me for worrying too much!

Also that this is vying for "dominant bitch" position. which makes sense.

BUT the owner HAS to be "dominant bitch" of course.

care needed with feeding as this is a major source of aggression; I do not now try to give bones as the wee one pinches them from the collie and war breaks out. wee one has a bone outdoors.when collie is guarding the gate at the end of the drive.

It is also a jealousy thing; each wants YOU. So now if they start I open the door and order the wee one out whilel I cook the meal.She stays by the door and we are safe up here.

Hope this helps.

ecaf

Depends on the dogs and their temperament I suppose!
We have 2 - both very placid dogs anyway. Neither fight when together, except if it is over a bone or something, but we keep them apart for feeding. They are together 24 x 7 other than that and seem to love each other's company.

Having said that the cocker (who is very quite normally) occasionally has to stay in a run with another dog (relatives house), we bring our two and the cocker fights / snarls at the new dog, or even stood out in the rain in protest. But she got used to it after a few visits. They have 'words' so to speak when they meet again. I think it is more "stay away from me I'm boss", and then they ignore / put up with each other for the weekend. The 3 have to share a bed so they don't have much choice.

If it I were doing it again, I would do the same again, the cocker was bought as a pup and introduced to the older dog - who took it very well but she is a very gentle nature. It seems to be the cocker with the dominance issues, as we have found from occasional visits.

sorella

Ours were too old when they met. Wee dog had been only dog for two years when the collie arrived; she was four then.

We do not leave them together when we are out, in case of trouble and they will not sleep together either.

But they will wrestle and play together.

The wee one is a Jack Russell/ basset cross, so pretty lively.

Sigma Force

Have 2 females, always had female dogs just worked out that way never had any ounce of trouble with my parents previous dog and my previous dog perhaps because they were both pretty mellow and had seperate owners I'm not sure.

The two girls I have now get on well, they are pretty different and have different interests e.g. collie likes to chase the ball and follow me around, the little one likes to lie down and chew on a bone or play with her snowman teddy and will only run around and chase things now and then she prefers to do her own thing.

They have had a few spats over the years, and it was always over me one can get jealous of the other if I'm around but we've worked it out and I am careful to divide the attention and also distraction works well one gets cuddles while the other one is off chewing on a bone or chasing a ball.

Food wise the collie will growl if she sees the other one heading for her food dish, the little one likes to steal her food when she's not looking but they both steal each others so it balances out. In general though the little one will eat hers in one go and the collie will eat her fill of hers.

When feeding treats I'm careful to divide it but they aren't narky with each other when it comes to treats. I call their name first and have them sit before hand and they take turns, they have it down to a tee now.

So mainly as long as I am careful not to make either of them jealous of each other when out and about with me they get on very well. The collie is the boss but the little one will chance her arm now and then but a small growl from the collie (as said only when she tries to steal the remaining food) and the little one stops. It's almost a routine now but our collie isn't big into food she isn't a greedy dog so isn't food aggressive.
Neither are aggressive with food when it comes to me taking food from them, which I think is very important they know who the main boss (moi) is at all times. They will cuddle up together in the beds as well.

When the parents dog comes along then it goes collie, my little dog then parents dog in the ranks. She's very easy going just wants to play. They are all spayed females which is so important for us anyway, my collie hates unspayed females with a passion and would never leave her unsupervised or off lead anywhere near one. Then again that could depend too on the dog but so far she doesn't like them.

I don't think the next dog we get would be female though, I think 3 incl. parents dog would be too much but again it depends on the dog but I think it's about time we had a male dog poor hubby is starting to feel out numbered.

Discodog

My girls have only had one real tiff that drew blood. I deliberately went ballistic at both of them & reinforced my pack leader status. Now they get on really well & will even share a bowl.

sorella

Works every time; interesting here that as soon as I leave the room, the noise ceases.

Winter has been hard but now they are out more; they are safe up here to run in the gardens.

I told them that if they draw blood, one or more of them will be looking for new homes.

Discodog wrote: »

My girls have only had one real tiff that drew blood. I deliberately went ballistic at both of them & reinforced my pack leader status. Now they get on really well & will even share a bowl.

looserock

Vas_Guy wrote: »

does anyone owns more than 1 female dog every experience agression between them.

Depends on the breed but in my experience breeding bitches can fight to the death if left unsupervised.

sorella

Ah, both ours are spayed; and yes you are right.

Which is why ours are never left alone together, to be very safe. And why you have to be "dominant bitch"

looserock wrote: »

Depends on the breed but in my experience breeding bitches can fight to the death if left unsupervised.