MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Clearly I don't mean enough to hurt one another, but enough to sort out their minor disagreements.
We're looking after a friend's 18-month-old Collie at the minute, and she plays really well with our 2-year-old Jack Russell. Except when there's food around, in which case they get a little argumentative; not hurting each other, but defiantly fighting instead of playing.
I've got two lines of thought on this:
1 - they should work out the hierarchy between themselves.
2 - I'm the Alpha, so I decide the hierarchy, and I don't allow fighting.
What do you reckon?
You should get them both STW logins and let them go at it on here.
Feed them in separate areas of the house, even if it means one has to go outside. Once all the foods gone, re introduce them to each other.
It could just be that one of them is protective around food. It might not have anything to do with hierarchy. Feed them separately? We had a collie and lab at the same time. Megan, the collie, was a grazer and Leo, the lab, was a stereotypical lab. He would eat anything. Feeding separately solved the issue.
I am not a expert but... 😉
When I introduced a second dog to my house (similar ages) I stopped anything more aggressive than 'rough play'. It worked ok long term, but sometimes I see the younger one really pushing her luck.
Not sure if I should have allowed a bit more 'arguing ' but I am very confident that they can be caged, fed and left together with no agro.
For a short term solution (ie a visit) I think that I would just separate them to feed.
don't leave food lying around, problem solved?
There's a chance that this will become a bigger problem for either dog, but there is a higher chance the terrier will become food aggressive. Let them fight and they could do some serious damage to each other. Separating them could be problematic too, and do you really want to be a constant referee?
One way to get around this is to feed them either side of a barrier where they can see each other, a fence or garden gate, a glass door or a baby gate in a doorway. Or make something up yourself. They should then get used to being in proximity to each other with food and not feeling threatened.
dog fights over food tend to be very aggressive and nasty and quick! Very different from the most intense play fight. Well that's my experience with two males, it's only happened a few times with ours and I had to split them quickly. They eat opposite side of the kitchen now with no problem.
Ie had 3 Jack Russell's many years ago.
Two boys, from the same litter.
The eldest was the Mum, she knew to get out of the way quickly when it kicked off, usually over food or giving one some attention.
If you let it develop into a proper fight you'll be footing a vets bill. Mine would have killed each other if left.
They took every bit of strength I had to separate.
Megan, the collie, was a grazer and Leo, the lab, was a stereotypical lab.
We had two cats like that, so we got them chip activated food bowls, they can't eat each other's food.
We separate our two whilst feeding - it's the only time there's any sign of any reaction and otherwise the labrador would scoff the lot. They're currently sleeping together on the sofa.
Our previous dogs would sometimes get into a really loud, boisterous arguments over food but it was all knashing teeth and growling, never actually biting.
I'd let them sort out who is top dog themselves BUT NOT over food. As above I'd feed them separately if there's aggression then.
At other times, appearing to side with the dog who looks most like being top dog can speed the process of establishing harmony. It can be a long an difficult road if you try to make the dog who isn't naturally going to be top dog into such. You may be the "leader" yourself but don't think that makes it easy for you to impose the order below you.
I'd let them know [i]you're[/i] the top dog and they should do what you say. ie. not fight - separate the meals.
Feed the older dog first make the younger dog wait. Stop any fighting and let them know you're top dog.
On the flip side, our lab & her sister from the same litter would scrap for ages, then stop for a peaceful meal from different bowls then 'ding ding', round two!
don't leave food lying around, problem solved?
I disagree; that's not problem solved, that's problem masked. And therein lies the issue. I can't allow either dog to think that is acceptable behaviour.
If I tolerate this, then the children will be next. (I really like that... Perhaps I'll write a song about it one day).
Personally I'd feed my dog first - its his house - and make the visitor wait . We have 3 large terriers and they get fed in age order .
After 30 years of seeing people and their dogs as a vet in practice, it seems to me that aggressive, noisey and agitated people have aggressive agitated and noisey dogs, whereas calm quiet people have calm quiet dogs.
OP - however you decide to deal with it, I'd advise you do it in as calm and quiet a way as possible.
And I think its a huge stretch to say two dogs arguing over food will lead them to being aggressive with children. (Unless the child get involved with fight over the food). Feeding them separately may be problem masked, but if its only a temporary stay ( or even if its longer) if that's the only time they don't get on them that's all you need to do, IMO.
Deciding who gets fed first and where is part of showing them who is top dog - dogs always get fed after we eat.
Feeding times are always a flashpoint; Make them both sit and wait with their food in front of them, there's no reason that they shouldn't be able to eat a few feet away from each other. I usually say random stuff (Mary had a little lamb or whatever) whilst they wait, until I give them the 'go on then' command.
Deciding who gets fed first and where is part of showing them who is top dog - dogs always get fed after we eat.
I love this bullshit. As far as I'm can tell my dog doesnt give a shit if she gets fed before or after us!!! Do you walk through doors ahead of your dog so that you can be the pa k leader too?
As for letting the dogs fight no, just dont. If its just a couple of growls and some air snapping move the feeds apart either in space or time.
Quite right AA.
Let them fight.
Eat the loser.
Problem solved.
Hot dogs!
When I had multiple dogs they had to sit at their bowls, and then eat in order.
Top dog ate first while the others sat.
The top dog sat and No2 dog ate and No 3 sat.
The Nos 1&2 sat while No3 ate.
And none of them would go near the cat's food which was served at the same time.
Once they had learned that you could almost leave them to it.
My dog would genuinely fight anything to the death one day and lie down and roll over the next it would seem. Complex ****ers no matter What the "experts" on here would say it would seem.