By Kay Bradnum
Throughout our guides, you will see that in a multi-dog household, we recommend that each of your dogs learn that you are the best play-mate, and the most fun to be with. Ensure they are always fed separately, and are as happy to be apart as together. We all love to see our dogs play together, snuggle up and so on, but the concern is always that familiarity breeds contempt. Rough-housing can easily spill over into something more damaging. A good relationship would be two or more dogs who are comfortable and relaxed around each other, but not over-bonded.
Even with these precautions in place, things can of course go wrong. A reactive dog may re-direct in frustration or anger onto the nearest dog. A resource-guarding dog may decide to guard something unnoticed, or something they have never guarded before. An anxious dog may go over-threshold and lash out in panic.
Any of these scenarios can result in a small spat – noisy but no harm done, aka “handbags at dawn” – where neither dog really wants to fight. They just want space. You would normally be able to easily interrupt and re-direct in this situation. With luck, you will need to do no more than give the dogs a break from each other. Gently re-introduce once stress levels have dropped. Bear in mind what started it, so that you can manage future interactions.
However, if the spats keep happening and/or escalate in severity, we recommend you get in a professional sooner rather than later (guide 15 will help). They will help you see the trigger points, and show you how to manage them. It is vitally important you have a force-free trainer/behaviourist to help with this, as any punishment could make things get worse very quickly.
Regular fights, or even one fight where real damage is done (vet visit needed), will require much stricter management. The dogs will need to be kept separate for a good period of time, so they each are able to de-stress completely. Ensure you have two doors and a ’no man’s land’ separating them, to insure against any lapse in management on your part. You might then be able to counter-condition using the methods throughout our guides, by offering tasty treats at first sight of each other, to create a positive emotional response.
However, be aware that this may not help, and more than one fight, serious injuries or escalating ‘spats’ are likely to mean that the dogs will need to be kept apart permanently. Several of the Admin team have dogs who are permanently separated, with the house split into two, crates, door gates, etc. However, no one would suggest it’s an easy option, and you will need to ensure both dogs are able to relax properly in their areas, without stressing over where the other dog is. You must make your own decision, and depending on your lifestyle and household set-up, may reach the conclusion that one dog should be re-homed. Whether either dog would be okay with a different dog is unknown and individual to each dog. Again, a professional could help determine that.
Once there are serious injuries, we strongly recommend not trying to re-introduce. Better to separate by whatever method you choose, than wish you had separated.
