Dog fights within the home and multiple dogs in the home

Oh I am so used to this problem that I got quiet good at seeing it coming on and preventing it for the most part. But you have to remember that I live and breath GSD for over 20 years. I know what their like and my dogs personalities. I work with that in mind. Sorry this is so long but this what I have written up about this issue.

Pack dynamics with multiple dogs

Having a large group of dogs that live in my home as family pets/ competition Obedience in AKC trials give me a first hand look at how dog get along with each other and how they relate to each other as pack animals. But most important how they must be handled differently than your normal every day house dog or pet. After I got my third GSD I noticed that my dogs were acting differently with how they listened to me, and obeyed. For one thing they did not listen to me as well, when I let them out of the house into their fenced yard. They went running madly barking at everything they could. Now they did not listen to their commands to No bark, and went crazily like they had no leader or more important they thought in numbers they could fight the world. And I got this shiver of fear, that if they every broke out of the fence, and someone was walking or running near bye, that person would get bite in this frenzy that they now developed when together. Also I noticed that when out on walks in the forest, where once we could all walk together off leash that was no longer the case. And they would run off barking madly thinking they did not have to listen to me or more important they took charge of the situation. Also I noticed where once, I let them have their little tiffs if you want to call them that. Was getting out of hand and starting to have some meaning of their grudges with each other.

So I thought about what I needed to do, since the pack dynamics had changed. I had to change me leadership skill to fit the new demand of my pack . Before I would let the dogs argue thinking they would work things out, with me not having to interfere. Now I had to have a rule of no fighting no matter what. Also I had to back the Alpha of the pack in order to let all the dogs know that she was Alpha and there was to be no disagreement with that. I would let that dog eat first, go out and work first, sleep next to my bed. In essence that dog was treat like the queen of Sheba. Generally have more privileges. Now don’t get me wrong the other dogs got their attention and affection also. Just the Alpha received more of it, to communicate to the others who the boss was.

A long long time ago, I used to have Chows and I had a mother and daughter and they got along real well. Except for once they got into a fight, and I disciplined both dogs, but esp. the mother dog who had lost her temper. I had not really gotten on to the daughter at all. Which for some reason, I got a feeling from deep with in me, I felt like I should of. The mother Chow got really really mad at me, for not backing her. And out of anger she attacked her daughter out of her frustration. I again jumped on her for her attitude and she then attacked my then new GSD puppy. I broke up that argument, and she was later crated for her temper. But I learned an important thing out of that kayos. The mother Chow was upset that she felt her position in the pack among the dogs was threaten because I did not back her. I know now that if I had backed her in the argument with her daughter the fight would not of continued or escalate. The peace would of been kept in the pack and as the Alpha of the pack I was at fault for not listening to what was happening.

In the pack of dog's larger than two or three you have to be more controlling in your actions with the dogs. You should make sure you no longer ask, but you demand from you dogs. Lets say you want them to sit, well you don't say in a very soft tone, sit, but instead you say in a no nonsense manner SIT, it is not yelling but in a manner of a drill sergeant of saying what you want and most important EXPECTING the action to be carried out. A Alpha in a pack must be strong in his or her belief of their leadership. If they believe, then there is no question of rebellion. If you have certain rules that you don't want broken then you must communicate to your pack what those rules are. It is not fair to expect some thing from you pack if they do not know the rules. So setting the rules down is very important. Like in a pack I will walk in to a room full of composure and self believe knowing that all is well and balanced in my pack.

If I know that certain dogs do not get along as well as some of the dogs in the pack. I will not put those together in a game of fetch. I know that will cause a problem so I don't let it happen in the first place. If I have a problem eater as far as they like to steal others food they are feed in a crate so to not cause that problem or dog fight. Every thing is done to keep the peace, everything is done to keep order. If I am letting dogs out side, I have all eight of them all sitting at the door in a sit position. I then will call out a certain dogs name, that dog and only that dog is allowed outside. No other dog is allowed to cross the door way. Or they are verbally corrected and physically put back into the house and made to sit. So I will have eight dogs at the door all sitting nicely and waiting to be called outside. Any breaking of the rules will cause a halt in the preceding action and all the dogs are made to re-sit and to wait as I call it. If I was not to have this very strict order they would all going running, growling, pushing, and generally very obnoxious behavior that could and can be come dangerous to me or any one that is at my house.

Feeding my dogs is always done in order of rank, and position in the pack. If a particular dog has been getting a little pushy, that dog is made to eat last to let them know who runs this pack. I do not abuse that dog, but that dog is told in my mannerism that I am not happy with them and they know it. My body language talks to them faster than anything I could ever say.

When people come to my house, I have a very strict rule of their behavior. If the person is a dog person I will tell all of my dogs to platz which is to down. After the person has entered my home I will then call each dog to be released one at a time. If any dog breaks, then that dog is made to re-platz and is made to wait to greet the visitor. This makes a general non hassle visiting with people. If the person is not a dog person, then my dogs are put in crates, and kept there till I fill it is safe for them or the person who came to visit leaves.

My strong leadership is very soothing to the dogs, and they all except the rest of my family as leaders also. They know the rules, and obey. But if given the chance they will challenge or break a rule if they think they can get away with it. Once last year, after having a litter of pups, which means I go no where until they get a little older. Due to the fact it is so much work. And I worry to much over them. There was big muscle car show. Our family are big time muscle car fans. And my daughter in law, who was staying with us for months at that time. Did not want to go. So she offered to stay at home, and watch the dogs and puppies so I could have some time away from the house . Now I have a very Alpha Female and a female who wants to be alpha who about once a year get into a really big fight. But most of the time, my sheer presence keeps this from happening. I had explained to her, who to not let out together and what the rules where. She knew the dogs and thought she was in control. But the dogs knew better. We were gone 10 minutes when the under female charged my Alpha female and the fight was on. It took her ten minutes to stop the fight. But she learned a very important rule, as so did I. The fact they respect only what is a clear leadership, and you must keep order at all time. You must clearly show thru your body actions, and mental thoughts that your the boss. You can not ask, but must demand and expect them to be obeyed. A Alpha upon re-greeting a pack after a normal separation. Is very confidant in his or her return to the pack.. They walk in calmly, ignoring all other dogs, while the under dogs in the pack will greet the Alpha in a face licking whining greeting. With the Alpha being calm, they are saying all is calm, all is the same as before. That they are still the leader of the pack and there is nothing to worry about. So should you greet your pack on arrival after a separation. You ignoring them and allowing them to greet you is clearly saying that your still the boss. They will hear this body talk and relax so they can return to normal. Most people do not understand this, they think they should greet their dogs in a happy manner instead of ignoring them. What they think they are saying is, oh my gosh I missed you, did you miss me. I am so sorry I had to go. So forth and so on. But what they are actually saying is this. I except you as the boss dog, since I am giving you all the attention. That is how dogs think. I know it seems strange this is their way of keeping order and tranquility in the pack. Only a strong leader is able to keep the pack together and keep it safe. So he has to show to them that he is still the same dog that had left.

When you have multiple dogs in a home, you will have jealousy and disagreements over you attention. A more dominant dog will push other dogs out of your way, and growl and not allow them to give you attention. This can cause problems in the pack not to mention a dog fight over the right to greet and get attention from you. You must not allow for this to happen as it is not that dogs position in the pack to decide who should greet or be near you. That is your decision not the dog that is pushing or growling at other dogs in your family away from you. This is when you will make the other dog, go place in a predestined area, and to stay till you see that his attitude has changed. You just have the presence of mind that it is your choice, who you pet or show affection with not the other dog. This will clearly communicate to the other dogs who the boss is. One last thing, when I have dogs outside and I am playing with them in game of fetch, I will not have younger smaller dogs out with bigger more demanding dogs. As they can and do get hurt in the process. So I have dogs in the same build and mentality that I let play together. I also will play a game of control that teaches them that no matter what, they must listen to me, while the heat of the game is going on. I will have sessions where all the dogs, in that group normally not larger than three, will all sit and stay. While I call a certain dogs name. That dog and only that dog is allowed to chase the ball or stick. If any other dog breaks their stay, that dog is reprimanded and made to re-sit and stay. I will do this several several times a week during our games of play time. But I also have times where each dog gets their own time with me. That is very important for them mentality and socially.

On a another thought when you have multiple dogs in home. One thing you must keep in mind. Is if you want a confidant male or female for working purposes. You will have to keep the more Alpha or dominant male of female of the pack away from the younger dog as much as possible. If not you will have a more subservient dog than you will need or want in that form of competition. You want a confidant dog, one that is sure of himself. One that will think and feel like he can and be what he is capable of. The more you can do with him by yourself. Away from the other dogs the better he will be as far as being self -assured.

One last thing I wanted to mention is, that dogs learn from each other. I learned along time ago that a older dog will work its best to show a younger dog what they know. I was training a seeing eye puppy that we were raising for the Blind school at the time. I had my older and more advanced Shepherd out on a down stay. As I was working the pup, he got very excited about the training session. He was normally a very calm and relaxed dog. I then put the pup in a crate I had in the yard. I then worked the older dog in front of the pup, and the older dog did the best in obedience that he had ever done. He was showing the pup how to do the exercise's. And when I went back to the pup, he did better and had actually learned by watching me work with the older dog. Now when ever I do obedience I always have a younger dog watch while I work a older dog. The older dog wants to show off what they know and the younger dogs learn a lot faster how to do that exercise.

Well this is just something I have meant to write up on how I deal with my eight dogs and how we have for the most part tranquility in our home. I hope this helps those that have multiple dogs in their home.

MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE LIKE A GSD.