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Ok, I thought with Brady feeling better and less fighting going on that they would slowly return to normal, but tonight, 2.5 fights broke out (I caught one so early they didn't have time to start) and I can't see what sparked it, which prevents a good deal of ability to prevent a fight before it starts. As soon as I see the body language they display, of course, I step in and we have been successful in cooling them off. Due to the extent of it, we have gotten pretty hard on them for fighting...I yell NO!!!! to both of them and make them sit/down until both cool off. I actually felt awful because by the time the 3rd fight almost erupted tonight, Brady got so upset when I grabbed his collar to separate them before they went at each other. Am I doing the wrong thing yelling at them? I don't want them to think this is in any way acceptable behavior!!!!
As for reasons they are fighting, some of my thoughts and please comment anywhere on these:
1. Is there a power struggle going on? Abby is now 13 months (as of yesterday!). Female, larger in size, was in the household first. Brady, unsure of age but definitely older (told between 2 and 3), male, and a cocker spaniel, who is naturally submissive in nature. Abby has appeared to be the dominant one throughout but there are a good deal of moments when she becomes submissive to him for various reasons...overall though, she seems dominant. Brady has been with us since January. Based on ages or time with us, is there any reason a struggle for dominance would be taking place now? Well we try to be the dominant ones in the household, I think a dominant position between the dogs is not preventable. I have read mixed things on supporting a dominant role in dogs. If that is suggested, WHO do we support as dominant if there is a battle for it?
2. Abby was a big mama's girl until Brady joined us. Brady turned into SUCH a mama's boy that Abby turned to a daddy's girl. We were on vacation 2 weeks ago and since we returned, Abby is really seeking my attention. Noticing that while Abby used to be the fight instigator and that now, they both are, is there a jealousy issue going on? Is Abby trying to fight for my attention where she has just given into him getting it before? Is Brady trying to fight to keep my attention? And what do you believe to be the best way to handle both needing my attention? She's so huggy with me...could this be setting off his issues? While they HATE being separated, I do try to give them both some individual time with me, and we have been trying to sort of sway Abby's needs back to my husband so there isn't a battle over my attention if that's what is causing this. To do this, we've tried to make her rely on him...during couch time, he makes sure she's with him and petting her a lot, etc. in general, aiming his affection for her.
3. Are we just handling the fighting wrong, thereby leading to stress and causing more fighting?
4. Is it the heat wave passing through?!?!?! Full moon?!?!?!? Stress of our kitchen renovation?!?!??! Lack of a 105th dog toy?!?!?!?! hahhaaa..grasping for anything right now.
Don't get me wrong, they adore each other. Separating them makes them both miserable. They play non-stop and ALWAYS follow each other. This morning before I left for work they spent about 3 hours chasing each other, tumbling around and knawing on each other. Then they start the fighting tonight and all goes downhill. This is just new to me in the past 2 weeks and I am unsure what is causing it and how to most appropriately handle it. I think knowing the cause will help me in handling it...I hope.
Sorry for crazy typos...its late and it's been a LONG day on several levels.
As for reasons they are fighting, some of my thoughts and please comment anywhere on these:
1. Is there a power struggle going on? Abby is now 13 months (as of yesterday!). Female, larger in size, was in the household first. Brady, unsure of age but definitely older (told between 2 and 3), male, and a cocker spaniel, who is naturally submissive in nature. Abby has appeared to be the dominant one throughout but there are a good deal of moments when she becomes submissive to him for various reasons...overall though, she seems dominant. Brady has been with us since January. Based on ages or time with us, is there any reason a struggle for dominance would be taking place now? Well we try to be the dominant ones in the household, I think a dominant position between the dogs is not preventable. I have read mixed things on supporting a dominant role in dogs. If that is suggested, WHO do we support as dominant if there is a battle for it?
2. Abby was a big mama's girl until Brady joined us. Brady turned into SUCH a mama's boy that Abby turned to a daddy's girl. We were on vacation 2 weeks ago and since we returned, Abby is really seeking my attention. Noticing that while Abby used to be the fight instigator and that now, they both are, is there a jealousy issue going on? Is Abby trying to fight for my attention where she has just given into him getting it before? Is Brady trying to fight to keep my attention? And what do you believe to be the best way to handle both needing my attention? She's so huggy with me...could this be setting off his issues? While they HATE being separated, I do try to give them both some individual time with me, and we have been trying to sort of sway Abby's needs back to my husband so there isn't a battle over my attention if that's what is causing this. To do this, we've tried to make her rely on him...during couch time, he makes sure she's with him and petting her a lot, etc. in general, aiming his affection for her.
3. Are we just handling the fighting wrong, thereby leading to stress and causing more fighting?
4. Is it the heat wave passing through?!?!?! Full moon?!?!?!? Stress of our kitchen renovation?!?!??! Lack of a 105th dog toy?!?!?!?! hahhaaa..grasping for anything right now.
Don't get me wrong, they adore each other. Separating them makes them both miserable. They play non-stop and ALWAYS follow each other. This morning before I left for work they spent about 3 hours chasing each other, tumbling around and knawing on each other. Then they start the fighting tonight and all goes downhill. This is just new to me in the past 2 weeks and I am unsure what is causing it and how to most appropriately handle it. I think knowing the cause will help me in handling it...I hope.
Sorry for crazy typos...its late and it's been a LONG day on several levels.