Ways Of Dealing With Aggression When You Have More Than One Dog

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Reading Time: 14 minutes

When you have more than one dog, you might be facing a dilemma -- how to handle the aggressive behavior of each one? This article will give you some tips to manage your dog’s behavior. Aggression is a normal part of dog ownership. Here are ways to deal with your dog’s aggression and maintain harmony. Keep reading to learn more! After reading this article, you should be able to control your dog’s aggression in the future.

Other Dogs

If you have more than one dog, the question may be: how to deal with aggression when more than one of them shows aggressive behavior? This issue should be handled early on when it is still manageable. If the problem seems to be out of control, it is important to consult with a reputable trainer. A veterinarian can check for any underlying medical problems and recommend a course of action.

An underlying cause of aggressive behavior can be hidden from you, but it is worth exploring to find out what could be causing it. Aggressive behavior is often a result of pain or illness, and an ailing dog will not be its most friendly. In addition, aggressive behavior often begins suddenly and is not immediately understandable -- a sick or injured dog won’t be at its best!

The most likely dog will initiate the fight in a household with multiple dogs. Most fights involve the newest dog. These bouts of aggression are often intense and require medical attention. The vet can also recommend a course of treatment for the afflicted dog. If you’re worried that your dog’s aggression could lead to a fight, you can talk to your vet to help determine what is causing it.

Aggressive Behavior

First, you need to understand what triggers your dog’s aggression. For example, some dogs become aggressive because they are scared of strangers, while others react aggressively when they see a child or a stranger. Dog aggression is not always directed towards people; some dogs develop this behavior when they see other animals or inanimate objects. Aggression in dogs can be a sign of a bigger problem, and dealing with it can be tricky, but it can be managed with time, consistency, and professional help.

Aggression in dogs is usually genetic. Although it does not extend to humans, it is triggered by fights a dog experiences as it matures. If your dog exhibits aggressive behavior around other dogs, you can stop taking it to dog parks or other public places where other dogs might be aggressive. If you have more than one dog, you may need to decide which dog is the dominant one in the pack.

Dogs Behavior

In many households, the only way to prevent fights between dogs is to prevent the situation from arising in the first place. Physical punishment will only increase the level of distress and will likely increase the chances that the dogs will fight and show the aggression in the future. This can even lead to redirected aggression, making the situation worse. It is therefore important to learn how to deal with aggression when you have more than one dog.

While dogs are naturally aggressive towards strangers, their behavior is not necessarily based on their breed. For instance, an intact male might display aggressive behavior during his heat cycle, while a female may show aggression toward another female while protecting her pups. If your male dog is aggressive toward a female, spaying or neutering will help the situation. However, different factors in your household may alter the dog’s social structure, causing it to become unstable.

Certified Professional Dog Trainer

When dealing with aggressive behavior between your two dogs, it is important to find out what triggers the behavior and what you can do to prevent it. Some common triggers include competition over food, toys, preferred resting places, or owner attention. For example, your subordinate dog may be more excited if its dominant sibling is near the couch. If this is the case, you can provide toys or treats to your subordinate dog to encourage it to challenge the dominant one. Likewise, you can try desensitization, which can help to reduce the amount of aggression between the dogs.

If your dogs have learned aggression from other dogs, it’s important to understand why they’re acting aggressively. While most of the time it’s a result of dog-on-dog aggression, sometimes it’s due to a medical condition. Make sure to rule out any injuries or illnesses to prevent aggression. This way, you can deal with your dogs without the risk of further harming your pets’ lives.

Dog Fights

There are many ways to prevent dog fights. If you can recognize the signs of stress, you can prevent them before they happen. Use water to break up fights. Another way to prevent fights is to make loud noises to distract the dogs. If you have more than one dog, a ringing doorbell or blowing an air horn might stop the fight in its tracks. By not letting them see each other, they’ll stay away from one another.

If you can’t avoid a dog fight, don’t force the situation. Make sure each dog has his own space. It’s always better to treat the dog that is the boss first. If you’re not sure how to do this, consult with a dog trainer. If all else fails, feed each dog separately. If possible, keep individual crates for each dog. By doing this, you can prevent dog fights from happening in the house.

Aggressive Dog

Often, dog aggression is a result of an underlying health issue. However, you can make your dog feel safer and more comfortable if you first rule out any medical conditions that may be causing this behavior. If the issue persists, consider getting a new dog if the one you have is aggressive. If you are unsure, consult your veterinarian. He or she will be able to determine whether a medical condition is the cause.

First, identify the triggers of aggressive behavior in your dogs. Common triggers are competition for toys, food, and preferred resting places. Feed them separately. Make sure they greet their owners separately as well. Another common trigger is situations that cause excitement in your dogs. For instance, they may bark excessively or snarl at passersby, so make sure to separate them when they greet each other. You may also need to desensitize them to each other to prevent them from becoming aggressive.

In a multi-dog household, the most likely dog to start a fight is the one that just moved into the house. This fight is often intense, and the owner may have to seek medical treatment. If it continues, consult a trainer. This professional can teach you the proper way to handle this problem. And remember, no dog is free of aggression! You must recognize the source of the problem before it gets out of hand.

Dog Aggression

Whether you have a single aggressive dog, or more than one, you must be ready to face the challenges that come with this issue. The good news is that dog aggression is often preventable -- it just takes a little time and effort. But it’s worth the effort because it can potentially endanger you and others. If you’re having trouble dealing with dog aggression, consider finding a new home for your pets.

To begin dealing with dog aggression, make sure your pups don’t have hidden reasons for their aggression. If one of them is sick, it will be less than cooperative. A frightened or afraid dog will not behave the way you want. It would be best if you taught your pups to tolerate the other dog. It’s an important multi-step process, and it’s never too late to begin.

Dogs that exhibit dominant aggression will growl whenever they’re approached by another dog or approached with a toy. This behavior indicates their desire to dominate the household and make the decisions. These dogs have a distinct body language, with their heads erect and ears bent forward, carrying their tails with pride, and growling when they’re held in a position where they’re unable to protect their territory.

Dog’s Access

When you have more than one dog, the main goal is to minimize your dogs’ chances of conflict. This can be achieved by working to limit their access to each other’s resources and by focusing your attention on teaching them deferring behavior. Training submissive dogs to ignore the dominant dog may be an effective strategy. The subordinate dog should be taught that it should ignore the dominant dog by giving the “retreat” or “go to” command. When training submissive dogs, do so with a voice tone and body language that will prevent them from appearing confrontational.

Choosing a priority dog to receive resources should be based on age and the first dog you acquired. However, the preference might also be based on which dog you have adopted first. If you have more than one dog, consider switching the preferences of the two dogs so that only one dog receives the resources that the other can utilize. Choosing a preferred dog will reduce your dogs’ unpredictability and create structure.

Very Few Dogs

One of the main issues that can cause aggression in a dog is the absence of social cues, particularly when the dog is very dominant. Dogs are pack animals and display aggressive body language when they feel threatened by another dog. Identifying the causes of aggression will prevent outright conflicts and make your dogs more obedient and friendly. Listed below are some common causes of aggression in dogs.

Fear is a powerful motivator in dogs. Dogs have a choice to respond to threat by either flight or fight. Fear aggression is the opposite of normal behaviour and has no warning signs. A fearful dog will react only if it feels threatened. It will not growl, show teeth, or snarl and will only nip at the source of the fear. This behavior is usually the result of a previous traumatic experience.

Same Household

When you have more than one dog, there are several ways of dealing with aggression. First, recognize the triggering situations and avoid them. For example, dogs in the same household often close ranks to protect a housemate. If a housemate becomes aggressive, they may intervene. In other cases, an older dog may defend its younger sibling. If you suspect your dog is displaying signs of aggression, you should seek professional help.

If your dogs do not like each other, you must find ways to resolve the conflict. Using the “nothing in life is free” technique by Nicholas Dodman may help you overcome aggression. Offering more food and attention to one dog than the other enables the dominant dog to feel superior. When you are not home, separate the dogs until you can deal with the problem.

Dogs Attack

While dealing with one aggressive dog is never easy, dealing with more than one can be an even more daunting experience. While the techniques that work with a single aggressive dog will help you deal with a multiple dog problem, many of these techniques will not work well when more than one dog attacks you. This is because multiple dogs will attack as a pack, with submissive dogs coming from behind the dominant one. Because of this, it is vital that you avoid getting behind your dog or else it may be triggered into an aggressive response.

As dogs get older, their social interactions can become more aggressive. A dominant dog, for example, may growl and attack an older dog when challenged. Earlier, a subordinate dog would yield to the more confident dog, but in response to a challenge, the dominant dog may not give up its dominance and instead go straight to full-out aggression. If this happens, you may have to intervene to stop the problem.

Inter Dog Aggression

How to deal with inter dog aggression when you own more than one dog is a difficult problem to face. Inter-dog aggression can occur when dogs are in pain or experiencing hormonal or metabolic imbalances. To deal with the problem, you should separate the two dogs involved in the attack and confine the aggressor to a less desirable room or a basement. The non-problem dog can be left loose in the home.

There is no single cure for this problem, but the treatments available aim to reduce inter-dog aggression severity. If the problem is not cured within a few weeks, owners need to focus on reducing the triggers of aggressive behavior and using calming techniques to break up fights safely. In addition, owners may wish to consider putting their dogs in protective gear such as muzzles and harnesses to keep them from harming others.

While this solution is often an effective temporary solution, it’s important to note that a 24/7 rotation schedule is not ideal for either humans or dogs. It’s also important to keep in mind that the problem is often caused by underlying tension. A lack of socialization may be the root cause of aggression, and this may be difficult to address unless you have a licensed canine behaviorist on call.

Male Dogs

Dogs have different social structures, so learning how to deal with aggression when you have more than a single dog can be tricky. While socialization and obedience training will help you to avoid confrontation between your dogs, you may need to address the underlying causes of the problem. Aggression can be the result of different factors, including the social maturity of your puppy or the new household member. Aggression is usually initiated by the dominant dog, but it can also be a result of a change in household dynamics, such as spaying or neutering your existing dog.

Aggression is easily triggered by a specific stimulus, and your dog can quickly identify this trigger. This trigger can be anything, from a hard stare to growls and actual fights. It’s vital that you figure out what triggers the aggression before it happens. Here are some strategies to keep your dogs from fighting:

Female Dogs

If your female dog is displaying aggressive behavior, it’s important to identify the triggers and ways to deal with it. Some common triggers are competition for food and toys, a preferred resting place, or your attention. If you notice that your dogs often fight, feed them separately and greet them separately. Situations that induce excitement are also common triggers for aggression, such as greeting people, play sessions, or walks. To avoid confrontation, it’s important to learn about each dog’s limitations and find ways to improve the situation.

When a dog challenges another, it can respond in one of three ways. They can either act deferentially and accept the outcome of the fight, or they can challenge the other dog by challenging it. In this last option, the dog may perceive the challenger as a serious problem and continue to be aggressive. In this scenario, the other dog will continue to perceive the challenge as a threat. The solution to the problem is to identify the root cause of the challenge.

Teach Dog

Aggression between two dogs can be difficult to deal with. Sometimes, a dog is simply out of context and displays aggressive behavior as a challenge to another animal. If this is the case, the best way to deal with aggression between two dogs is to understand the triggers of their behavior and avoid rewarding this type of behaviour. However, this is not always possible. You can also modify your house to avoid triggering your pet’s aggressive behavior.

Aggression between two dogs can be triggered by competing for resources such as food and toys. It can also stem from owner proximity or attention. Feeding each dog separately may help. Separate your two dogs when they greet each other. Avoid situations that induce excitement in your dogs, such as greeting visitors or barking at passers-by. If your dogs are fighting over a food scrap, desensitize them by separating them as a whole.

Unfamiliar Dogs

Dogs with aggressive behavior often originate from new members of the household or from another dog. This can be particularly problematic for same-sex households because female dogs are more likely to initiate aggression. But even if you have a single dog, there are ways to deal with aggression when you have more than one dog. Here are some helpful tips. First, make sure that you understand the underlying reasons for aggressive behavior.

If your dog shows signs of aggression toward another dog, it’s important to know how to handle the situation before it escalates. Aggression can be directed toward a human, another animal, or an object. Avoid picking up a dog during a dogfight to prevent the fight from intensifying. If fighting is a serious safety concern, consider rehoming your dog. Your veterinarian can provide more information.

Make sure that the dogs meet before they interact, and be sure to choose the largest safe space in which to do so. This will give each dog room to move around and learn each other’s body language. If you have more than one dog, try meeting them at least 30 feet apart and then slowly reintroducing them. Remember to keep your distance and be sure to have another person present to help you.

Dog Reacts

In multi-dog households, the relationship between the dogs can be strained. The first dog joining the family may act aggressively, biting. The solution to this problem is to establish a “cool down” period for your dog to calm down. Your dog should have some time alone in the backyard. Pack walks and sniffari adventures can help strengthen the bond between your two dogs.

Sudden aggression is a common symptom of lingering problems. It can manifest itself in the form of growling, snapping, biting, and even a full-fledged fight. Usually, it is the result of prior antagonism between the dogs. Because dogs use body language to communicate their feelings, many owners miss signs that indicate an impending confrontation. Common causes include jealousy, environmental changes, or other dogs.

In order to learn how to handle conflict-aggression, you should learn how to recognize warning signs that your dog is exhibiting. In most cases, a dog will show subtle signs of stress before he bites. A dog’s head tilt, ears back, or tail tucked are common warning signs. When your dog feels scared, he may attempt to run away from you or turn his back.

Baby Gate

While baby gates can prevent many unwanted situations, they can be an especially useful tool for dealing with multiple dogs. The gate’s lock works by using opposing motions to release and secure the gate. In order to open the gate, you need to push down on the metal tabs. Once released, the gate falls into place because of gravity. This design is both simple and sturdy, reducing the possibility of mechanical failure.

When using a baby gate for dealing with aggression when you have more dogs, it’s important to remember that a dog may react to your presence in a different way when you are away from home. An aggressive dog will likely be encouraged to repeat the behavior when you’re not home. Also, the subordinate dog may experience increased anxiety whenever another dog gets close. A baby gate also prevents territorialism from happening between the dogs.

Veterinary Behaviorist

If you are having problems with your dog’s aggressive behavior, the best option is to consult a veterinary behaviorist. A veterinary behaviorist has extensive experience treating aggressive behavior in dogs. These behavioral modification programs aim to reduce the severity of your pet’s behavior while also teaching you to deal with the triggers. A behavior consultant may also suggest consulting a veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist for more effective treatment.

Although anyone can call themselves a veterinary behaviorist, it is important to remember that they are not doctors. They have veterinary degrees but additional years of training focused on behavioral issues. A veterinary behaviorist can identify important factors and develop a plan to help solve your pet’s unruly behavior. Be sure to choose someone with a good reputation, as you want your dog to feel comfortable with the person who is caring for him or her.

Luckily, most veterinarians will prescribe mood-altering drugs that can reduce your pet’s aggression in the presence of other dogs. However, if the aggressive dog is already highly aggressive, it would be best to keep him or her out of the vicinity of other dogs. In most cases, a second dog is not a good idea, so you should avoid dog parks for your pet.

Baby Gates

Keeping your dogs separate is an essential part of your dog-training routine. Not only should you feed each dog separately, you should train them separately as well. Baby gates are a great solution for this problem because they allow you to separate the dogs while still letting them see each other. This way, both dogs stay out of each other’s space. Here are a few other useful tips to help you keep your dogs apart.

The first step in dealing with aggression is to install a baby gate. A baby gate will keep your dogs separated, but you must ensure it is bolted into the wall or door frame. Make sure you buy an extra-tall metal baby gate. These gates usually stand about four feet tall. Sometimes you will need a second baby gate or to build a custom gate for your dog.

Calm Behavior

If you have more than one dog, you must deal with dog aggression, which is never a pleasant experience. Sometimes, this type of behavior is the result of fear or anxiety. Therefore, it is important to take note of the circumstances that brought about the behavior and address it as soon as possible. There are several methods of dealing with aggression, including time, consistency, and the help of a professional. Let’s look at some of them.

Some triggers of aggression in dogs are similar to those in human relationships: competition for resources such as food, toys, and preferred resting places. Separate feeding and greeting of owners are necessary for this reason. Other situations that trigger aggression are greetings, play sessions, and walks. If one dog is showing signs of excessive excitement, it may be time to desensitize it. Here are some steps to deal with dog aggression when you have more than one dog:

Separation Anxiety

Having a second dog can help you reduce your dogs’ symptoms of separation anxiety. You can also leave your existing dog alone for a while and use a remote viewing device to check in on him or her. But make sure you get to know your new pup before leaving him or her alone. You want to avoid causing more problems by trying to solve separation anxiety in one dog before moving on to a new one.

Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to solve the problem. Many dog experts recommend implementing a series of training techniques that gradually increase the separation length. One such strategy is to practice leaving the home for short periods, then increase the duration of your absence over time. Experts recommend starting with short trips and gradually increasing the duration. It is important to understand that the cause of your dog’s separation anxiety will vary from one dog to another.

Human Child

While there are numerous ways to deal with aggression in dogs, it can be a serious issue when more than one dog is involved. Aggressive behavior in dogs usually stems from a bigger issue and should be addressed as quickly as possible. For example, a dog might be aggressive because it has been in a situation where it was abused or neglected. If this is the case, the only way to reduce aggression is to find out what triggers the behavior in your dogs. By making sure they know they are loved and cared for, you can ensure that they will be less likely to engage in such behaviors in the future.

References

https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/behavioral/c_dg_AggressionInterdog

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/multi-dog-households/how-to-manage-a-multi-dog-household/

https://www.thewildest.com/dog-behavior/multi-dog-household

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/aggression

Related Content:

Fear Aggression in Dogs: How to Manage and Help!
Top 3 Reasons for Aggressive Dog Behavior, and What to Do About It
Canine Aggression – How it Starts, and How to Stop It

[class^="wpforms-"]
[class^="wpforms-"]