by exixst » Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:36 am
That's the third one. The third fight they've had, for all I know. My dogs aren't getting along at all. Sure, they've bickered, but now it's escalated into actual fights. I can't tell who started it, because I'm never actually been looking. The first one I was watching a movie with the family, the second one they were just outside my door, out of my sight, and this one was outside while I was calling the cat. I don't know who ends up starting the fights, but I'm pretty sure it's the younger one, considering she's always the one continuing the fight while the older dog pulls away, and ends up with more slobber on her neck area.
I've had the break up the last two because nobody was home. The second one they had, I dragged one dog into my room and left the other outside the door, shutting it and keeping them separated for a few minutes to cool down while I looked them both over, checking for marks and wounds. This one that just happened was outside, where I had to drag the younger one all the way across the yard by her scruff, shove her inside, and then wait for them to cool down.
Fortunately, nobody has been hurt, but by the looks of it, someone could be in the future. Whether that be me, or one of the dogs. I'm just saying that based on how they've interacted. They've never gotten along, but these are the first fights that have broken out, that I know of. I've done my research; put something large and opaque between them, make really loud noises, like banging pots together, dunk water on their heads. And injuries rarely happen, is what these sites have said, but I've been watching the two of them. The little one is getting more aggressive over her things. Her toys and the rawhide bones we give her are what she watches over the most. I haven't seen them bicker over food yet. Should I pick those objects up and put them out of sight to prevent unnecessary aggression?
It's just... it's scary, you know? Both of these times I've had to break it up, my parents were about an hour away, at my brother's baseball tournament (One I broke up was on the twenty-seventh, the other was just now). So if someone was to actually get hurt, or I was to get bit or something, then I'd have an emergency to handle on my own. And while I'm good at staying calm when I absolutely need to, that doesn't mean I'm not scared. I don't want my dogs to get hurt. The younger one is much stronger than our other ten-year-old female. The younger one can be aggressive, the other is more calm natured, but not submissive. Passive-aggressive, maybe? I don't quite know how to define her. Our older one is already slowing down, and she's much quicker to wear out, despite her life that was full of activity and such. If something happens while I'm asleep, or the entire family is gone, I don't know what will happen. Will I come back to find blood clumped on my dog's neck? Would one of them wind up with a nasty bite that gets infected?
We might just have to crate the young one while we're gone. :/