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Published in the Ithaca Journal in April, 2003
Aggression between dogs
Spotlight on Pet Behavior
By MICHELLE BAMBERGER
Special to the Journal
Question: I have two working (on the farm and trials) Border Collie bitches that have gotten into some serious fights a few years ago and again just recently. The older dog (12 years) is very friendly towards all people and most dogs, but has been striking aggressive postures when near the younger dog. The older bitch usually comes out on top in these fights. The younger dog was imported from Ireland at age two and owned for a very short time before being acquired by me. She is shy and retiring with no history of fighting other dogs. Would spaying help? Please advise.Answer: Conflicts between dogs in the same household may occur between any age, breed and sex, but are most common and severe between dogs of the same sex, especially female dogs, and commonly occur when one or both of the dogs reaches social maturity (between 12-36 months). One study has shown that cases of household aggression were less frequent among toy and sporting breeds, and more numerous among herding and non-sporting breeds.
It is not clear whether spaying lessens aggression as removing the ovaries not only reduces the levels of estrogen, but also decreases progesterone. While removing estrogen should decrease the level of aggression, the loss of progesterone, which has a calming influence, may counter this effect. Keep in mind that regardless of the effect spaying may have on aggression, spaying your dogs will lessen their chances of having mammary gland and/or reproductive tract cancer in the future.
What causes some dogs to get along well, while others seem unable to accept each other? In general, excitement in any situation that makes a dog aroused or anxious may trigger a fight. Often, fights will be about competition over food, resting places, possessions and favorite people. Dogs will often fight over which dog greets an owner first and which dog sleeps or rests near the owner.
In your situation, the fighting may have begun when the younger dog entered social maturity and began to challenge your older bitch. You may have missed the challenges if they were passive, for example, staring. This behavior on the part of the younger dog may be what is causing the aggressive posturing on the part of the older dog.
So how should you handle this situation? Itıs best to separate the dogs when they are unsupervised; when you are home, they can be together, but should be dragging leashes and wearing headcollars and/or basket muzzles. The leashes will allow you to separate them easily without coming between them and being bitten; the basket muzzles will prevent them from biting each other, although your younger, larger dog will still be able to knock the older dog down. You should try to avoid the situations that you know produce aggression between the dogs. For instance, if food is the issue, feed the dogs in separate rooms with the door closed between them and pick up the dishes when they are finished. The most important part of the treatment plan involves you becoming a strong leader to both dogs and not favoring one dog over the other. I recommend this method because dominance status is often fluid and will change depending upon the situation, making it difficult to predict from one moment to the next which dog will challenge and be dominant.
I also recommend having the dogs together for activities that they both enjoy. For example, have a friend help you take the dogs for a walk, switching dogs half way through so you spend equal time with both. It is best to use headcollars for control and basket muzzles if the dogs become easily aroused on walks by other dogs or strangers. Give the dogs treats and praise whenever they can be together on walks, during feedings, resting near each other or in any situation where they previously showed aggression and now are not. Be careful not to reward aggressive behavior.
Remember that these cases may be difficult to solve and that the longer this type of aggression occurs and the more severe the injuries, the poorer the prognosis. If you have followed this basic advice and are still experiencing difficulties, please consult a veterinary behaviorist. Many of these situations can be managed, but for others, rehoming one of the dogs may be necessary.
Michelle Bamberger is a veterinarian and owner of Vet Behavior Consults (www.vetbehaviorconsults.com), a practice based in Ithaca and devoted exclusively to solving behavioral problems in small, large and exotic animals. Send questions for her column to mjb57@cornell.edu, mail them Care of Jessica Keltz to The Ithaca Journal, 123 West State St., Ithaca, NY, 14850, or fax them to 277-6845.