Some advice please re dogs fighting

MardyMare

MardyMare

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hi, I often read through all the AAD posts and you all seem so knowledgeable so please can you offer me some advice.

Situation is I have a JRT (entire - is that the right word), female spayed cross breed and a staffie (castrated). The staffie belongs to my mum who came to live with us three months ago. We used to visit her with the dogs at her house and all got on fine. Since living at the farm the dogs have had two major fights first time was over a ball - the females toy that I was playing with and other two appeared out of nowhere and next thing we were pulling dogs apart. Staffie had female on the floor and JRT was locked onto Staffie back. OK so all toys banned. Now on sunday preparing for a nice walk around the farm - all three dogs yelling to get out back door and next thing big fight again. This time both female and JRT on the Staffie. Its the JRT who seems to start it (I think) Do you think castrating him will help or is it just a little dog attitude. Each of them in their own right are super loving dogs and generally always get on together. The staffie is actually the softest and now looks like he has been through a cheese grater (marks all over him from JRT) and on Monday was shaking when the other two came past him.

I am off on holiday next week and Mum is looking after dogs - usually has all 3 in with her but now we have had to put up dog gates and control who goes out with whom. Basically the JRT and Staffie have to be kept apart. The female on her own with the staffie is fine and female and JRT get on like a house on fire. What can I do to try and regain their friendship amongst themselves? JRT even growls at staffie in passing behind the dog gates.
 
As I have probably said in about 3 agressor posts recently the main insitgator of fights, is posessions and over excitement, you did right to box the toys, and you need to work on calming them down in any situation thats encourages excitement, going out, you coming in e,t,c, never seperate them on a perminant basis as this will make matters much worse, instead crate one and leave them all together in the same room and allow them together when you are there, learn the triggers and get ready to literally put your food down and reprimand the aggressor, they need to understand their is a consiquence for the instigation of a fight and you need to mean business, terrier are like feckers when they go, so get them kiced into shape (not literally ):D
castrating wont hurt, but I doubt its the problem, it's just simply terrier getting a little het up, it does not take much for a pack of them to get themselves frenzied, but against the staff type they are running a loosing battle.

When they initiate excitement, send them away from you, no point ignoring as such as they will still fight, but be firm "bed now" take their attention off each other and make them listen to you, be a firm pack leader and prevent your pack from making decisions of their own, make it for them;)
 
Everything Cayla says :D plus - while I realise it can be horrible and scary and frightening, while breaking up a fight, do so with calmness and authority, try if you can to grab collars and lift the dogs UP - a dog cannot hang on or fixate when it cannot breathe properly, (sounds harsh but better than the alternative) rather than pulling or hitting - I have seen a lot of fights made worse by (mostly women :p) high-pitched screaming and shouting and going 'omigodomigodohmigod' - a dog in drive and fighting, when stress and pressure and aggression (hitting the dog with something, etc) is applied, will most likely hang on tighter and go in harder, in my experience.

Think of it like this, rather than 'Ohmygodthere'safightsomeonewillgethurteeeeeeek!' which is totally natural for us humans, think calm, firm 'This does NOT happen under my roof, enough' and step in, separate and so forth.
 
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