[Brittnmatt1026]

I have a 3.5 almost 4 year old female boxer whom I adopted as a rescue. Her name is Layla Mae, (changed from Paula). She was badly abused in her former home but having her for the past 2 years has changed her temperament entirely from fearful and anxious to loving and very obedient. She loves other animals and has never had an issue.
Almost 8 months ago, I got a female American bully puppy. Her name is Dixie Lu. I got her 10 weeks and my girls have been the best of friends since I brought my puppy home. They sleep together, play together, go outside together, everything. They get very upset if one goes outside without the other.
In the past couple weeks though, they have started fighting. Usually it's my boxer (Layla Mae) that no longer wishes to play with Dixie and snaps at her. Because she is tired and no longer wants to be bothered. Or she's in one of her "moods" and wants Dixie to go away. This hasn't been an issue until the past couple weeks. Multiple times I have had to break them up. And I havent ever had an issue doing so. Until tonight...
I could not get Dixie to release her hold on Layla. And they are both hurt badly. It took over 5 minutes and 3 ppl to separate the girls. I have them in separate rooms at the moment due to fear of them fighting again. None of the previous fights have been anything near tonight. The fights have become more frequent. Not bad until tonight, but to the point that I am the only one to have stepped in to stop them.
I am attached to both dogs. Dixie was a gift for my son at Christmas and now she is part of my family. Layla has been my baby for years now and I would be absolutely devastated if something were to happen to her. But had I of not of been able to finally separate the girls tonight, Dixie would have killed Layla.
So my question is..... Is there any scenario in which I can keep both my girls? I'm so terrified of them fighting again. So if anyone has any advice, please help!

 

[Lindar51]

Unfortunately this often happens when you have two mature females in one home. For some reason females just often do not get along and will fight till the end even after being best buds. It often occurs when they reach maturity. Usually one ends up having to be rehomed, best bet is the youngest one as they will adapt to a new home easier. The other alternative is to be vigilant and keep the dogs living apart within the home, which can be difficult.

 

[chip18]

Aww gezz ... you made your first mistake about 8 months ago when you brought home (another girl.) Had you joined us then ... you would have heard a whole lot of' get a Male. Not that sometimes you can't have issues with Male and Females (Boxers)? But if you have two female (Boxers) in the same home ... you enter a whole new circle of Hell!

What you are seeing is "Inter-Female Aggression." And Boxers are the worst of the worst, when it comes to this ... lot's of threads on here of just this issue. Boxer Rescue policy is NO, Female Boxers to homes that already have a Female, "Other Breeds," ... maybe, depends on experience?

And other breed would be a Lab, a Golden a Sheltie etc but not (Another Breed) from the Molooser Family. So basically a Female form any of these guys would be a Hard No.

List of Types of Molossers

List of Types of Molossers with links to dog information and pictures.

www.dogbreedinfo.com

And your "Female Bully," is just another variation of the Molosser theme. It was just a ticking time and as Bully Girl, Gets older ... (Baring Intervention) it will get worse!

Now of course there is always gonna be that Guy or Girl, that say's they have Multiple Female Boxer's, and they have no issues? As a matter of fact I think I spoke to someone on here and they said they had FOUR GIRLS! Now I don't them and in that regard they are "Better Than Me!"

But you know some people have won the lottery multiple times also? And a wise man once "Do you Feel Luck ...?"
To get a better feel of where you are at ... take a luck at a few threads here.:

Search results for query: inter female aggression

www.boxerforums.com

Ok, so that is a summation of pretty much all the Bad News? You have to understand where you have been, in order to know where you are going?

I am "fairly sure," I know at least how to make this "somewhat better?" But with two females? I have not done it so I am not sure but hey "Basics are Basics." But first a question ... when this happened were the dog's outside or indoors? I think that makes another difference?

But first you need to start doing this as soon as possible.

Crate Rotate: How to make it work | BADRAP

Pearls of Wisdom from other dog owners. This is for those who wish to manage incompatible dogs in their homes with a rotation routine to keep everyone safe while still enjoying quality time with the family.

badrap.org

And more info:

Multi-Dog Homes | BADRAP

Important must-knows for setting your household up for success Enjoy our cartoon version of multi-dog management basics with more details below!

badrap.org

If you do want to keep both you could just Crate and Rotate and call it a day? I would go beyond that myself but it's a lot more work? And it's just theory for me ... cuz I have not done? I want another Female Boxer (Cuz I Luv the girl's.) But right now I have a Female Boxer/Pit and after my GSD and Band Dawg, issues and my GSD's uh people issues ...
I'm not eager to look for trouble. IE two girls?

 

[[email protected]]

You mentioned that the bully kept bothering the Boxer until she snaps the Bully is no doubt the culprit here. Shes probably been picking at the Boxer for some time and it’s been mistaken as play. I don’t think it’s possible to keep both dogs without risking more injuries to the Boxer or one of your family members. This would be a no brained for me I would keep the Boxer and if I was betting on this that Bully will do this again for sure and not just with the Boxer. It’s your call your house but you asked!

 

[chip18]

Aww well one is a "Puppy," and one is a "Dog." And I think it is safe to say, the response to being annoyed, by a "Puppy," by the OP's Boxer, was over the top? The owner failed not the dog's.If the puppy was another "Female Boxer," and not a "Bully?" Which is now also a "Breed," and not just a "Type," of dog. Living under the same conditions ... I would have predicted, the exact thing thing happening. But more in the 12 to 14 month range for the puppy and not at 8 months?

It is all Bad Now, no doubt. And for most people the Best Decision, would be to cut bait and run ie (rehome the Bully.) There is nothing wrong with choosing that option cuz if you don't everyone's life ... will be different! You have to "Let it go," but you will never forget. With my pack fighting, human aggressive GSD ... I lived with "what if?" For ten years in thta Decade he met many people, and he was fantastic with other dog's! But no matter how well behaved he was and he was ... meeting people and or other dog's was the last thing I ever wanted to do.

So it's gonna be kinda like that, if the owner wants to keep and eventually integrate them again? Most like the constant thought of what if ... is how it's gonna be? And the Female/Female thing with Boxers? Is not something I would willing take on if I had a choice. Most owners have one idea, just how bad the girl's can be ... If they flip out? I managed to tigger it, with the "Baby Kittens," thing and my "bay Girl, was just flat "Gone!" Just pure freaking Rage! She was just gone! And I doubt you will find any Books on Boxer's mentioning that detail? It is thankfully pretty rare ... unless you have two Female's! Just Saying.

But on here ... BTE once asked me if I thought "Inter Female Aggression," could not be solved? And I thought long and hard and although I was not entirely of how ... "I Finally answered and said Yes!" He is on here and he has kennel in Tennessee. And he has a Kennel in Tennessee and he has dealt with this crap a lot ...I would imagine?

Me ... I'm just JQP. And I just tell what I did with my first Working Line GSD! Now he was probably, not the worst of the very bad? But most people ... would have put him down after they sent he sent them to the ER!

Five Pack Fights, and I (Par for the course) got hurt breaking them up ... the wrong way? Handful of stiches and a permanently bent litte finger, my 85 lb Band Dawg and my 113 LB GSD with freaking attitude! And I missed all the signs of "issues?" Now they were a GSD thing really. ut I was a "Boxer/Bully Breed," guy (and aside from the female/female with Boxers) you can add them like potatoe, chips.

And there was no Boxer involvement as far as she was concerned ... boy's will be boy's! Aww well five pack fights, a permanently bent little finger and trip to the ER for me ... for getting in the way! But as bad as that was ... the boy's bad as it was. Did not match the sheer freaking rage of my 65 lbs baby girl! Now safe to say most owners will never see it and can't belive ... there girl could ever be like that?

Now speaking for myself. if any non Pro could deal with a two Female Household? I think it could include me? But I have a Female Boxer/Pit and so .... I can't get another girl.

Short of rescuing a Boxer off the street (I have save a few dog's) but short of that ... there is "Zero Chance," that I would wade into mess! I am getting old and tired and not looking for challenges? I had to return a real deal APBT, that I rescued off he street. My wife worked to hard to find her owner ... that was years ago ... we did the right thing of course but I am still ticked off, my bad.

But before I got Banned from Germanshipsheardfroum, (I really ticked off a Mod/K9/Swat) when I kept calling out K9 offices for having Dogs that were not as "Safe," as my. dog. But my Dog did not bolt out the front door and bite a neighbor in the A$$! And I am not going to Prison ... because I could not control my freaking dog! A lot of k9 Officer are not "The Best of The Best?" Just saying ... I stay well clear of them and there dog's! Just saying.

But getting back on point ... Boxers and the Female/Female thing ... I have not dealt with and I don't know all the answer? But ... after many years and oh mostly millions of words? I can stay ... what I have never seen.

I have never seen an owner struggling with issues. That says:
I can walk my dog on a loose leash w/o issue.
My Dog can do a two hour Place and won't move.
And I do/did Sit on The Dog.

And I still have serious issues? In many, many years. No One has ever said that? I don't know all the answer's? But I know a few of them. But yes if you go with the "Pro's?" The answer is just call it day and "Rehome The Bully." End of story."

For most people ... that would be the best call! And while it would not be my call? It is the best solution for most people ... no doubt. But I am the "Patron Saint," for loss causes ... so I say "Bring it on!" Tell me what to do ... and I'll do it! That worked for me, and I am not that speical.

But all that said ... I'll end with Larry Khron. Now I am not that good! But in retrospect it turned out ... that I work quite a bit like he does? He pretty much does not address "Directly," he works on training Calmness, into the Dog.

 

[[email protected]]

There is a huge difference between a dog fight and the case of a dog actually trying to ”kill” another dog. That bully may be able to be returned to the rescue advising them that it needs to be rehomed as an only dog like I said whether it’s housed with a male or female this WILL happen again. There is a good reason these dogs are banned and in the wrong hands these dogs are deadly. They lock on to their victims and are difficult to get them to let go. That this dog is doing this at such a young age is a huge red flag. I think a lot of these rescues market these dogs as just misunderstood, when it’s really should read mishandled they are not golden retrievers dressed in a tough guy suit they are in fact exactly what they are bred for and it only takes the right conditions to flip the switch. These dogs are not for inexperienced dog owners at all.

 

[Lindar51]

There is a huge difference between a dog fight and the case of a dog actually trying to ”kill” another dog. That bully may be able to be returned to the rescue advising them that it needs to be rehomed as an only dog like I said whether it’s housed with a male or female this WILL happen again. There is a good reason these dogs are banned and in the wrong hands these dogs are deadly. They lock on to their victims and are difficult to get them to let go. That this dog is doing this at such a young age is a huge red flag. I think a lot of these rescues market these dogs as just misunderstood, when it’s really should read mishandled they are not golden retrievers dressed in a tough guy suit they are in fact exactly what they are bred for and it only takes the right conditions to flip the switch. These dogs are not for inexperienced dog owners at all.

The boxer she has had now for 3.5 years was the rescue, the bully she got at Christmas as a 10 week old pup. I think its more an issue of the bully being a pup becoming mature or being a teen PIA. But two females can be the issue too. Definitely a difficult place to find yourself in.

 

[chip18]

Aww, well the fact of the matter is, that not all, dog's like puppies? Regardless of Breed. And it is up to the owner to set boundaries for the puppy. That is just Dog 101 as it were. A normal response for a dog that did not like puppies, would be a "Raised lip a low growl and finally a "Nip?" But no reports of that? They got along fine and then one day they did not?

None of us were there, so we don't know what happened? But it's a "puppy," and a "dog." And one of them had an ... "unreasonable level of response to being "annoyed." And three people to break them up? That sounds like the "Puppy could not or would not ... disengage?"

And one of them got "Blitzed," out of nowhere and then it was all hands on deck! So one of the two has scared the crap out of the owner? And I doubt it was the puppy? But hey I don't know?

 

[Kaco Boxers]

I’m sorry this happened and I hope that both dogs have received medical attention. Any open dog bite will become infected and antibiotics are required. Now onto your girls….. you will never stop this from happening again. I don’t care how much training you do, once girls fight…they will always fight. Your Bully seems to be the issue. The adult boxer was correcting unwanted behaviour and the bully was having none of it. Typical teenager.
This is sadly quite common in multi female dog households and spaying them if it hasn’t already been done will not fix this situation.
It’s unfortunate but I would seriously consider rehoming the youngest.