It's better to prevent fights than to intervene when one occurs. Read each dog's body language and calmly separate them before things escalate. Obedience training and behavioral work are important in maintaining a peaceful household.
They're social animals, so it stands to reason that they tend to cooperate and try to minimize conflict. But what happens when there's a small dust-up or a fight? While they'll sometimes just walk away and leave each other alone, other times, they'll go through a process of reconciliation and make up after the fight.
Dogs may fight for a number of reasons. Even dogs that live together or are related can and will fight. Unfortunately, some fighting dogs will not stop fighting until an injury occurs that results in one dog backing off. However, some triggers are easily identified and can be avoided.
In a real fight, the dogs will target the stomach, throat, and front legs and the victim of the attack will often retaliate by grabbing a hold of the other dog's neck. If your dog is involved in such a fight and receives severe injuries, take him to the vet immediately.
Throw a blanket or jacket over each dog so they can no longer see each other. Or spray the dogs' faces with citronella spray, lemon juice spray, or a vinegar spray. Use an object to separate the dogs. Be certain to keep your hands and face as far from the dogs' mouths as possible.
Dogs are inherently social animals that live well together in groups, but that does not mean that all dogs get along. Most dogs will welcome a new sibling, but it is not always smooth sailing.
Don't Let the Dogs “Work It Out”
Years ago, people used to believe in letting dogs fight to work it out between them. This is dangerous for both dogs and for nearby people. Also, the dogs may never get along after such a fight.
Anytime a dog has been in a fight they should see a veterinarian to look for pain/wounds or signs of serious internal injury. If you are unable to see a vet the same day, you can clean small wounds with mild soap to keep it clean until you get vet care.
It's normal to expect both dogs to behave abnormally after a fight; they may be shaky, aggressive, or completely terrified. Once any physical wounds have been tended, the best cure is rest, relaxation, and affection.
There are a variety of reasons dogs may show sudden aggression towards each other. Some of the most common causes of conflict between familiar dogs include frustration, illness, and resource guarding. You'll need to clearly identify the root of the problem to restore household harmony.
Grudges with other dogs
To them, that other dog = bad news, even if they don't remember exactly why. Your dog isn't actively “holding a grudge” against that other pooch, but they are responding to the negative association that was formed the first time, and strengthened every time since.
Dogs use actions called "play bows" to ask other individuals to play and also while they're playing to punctuate play bouts to admit they're wrong and say something like, “Sorry I bit you so hard—this is still play regardless of what I just did.
Can dogs live together after fighting? The answer is, most of the time, YES. There are times when dogs may be like an incompatible couple and need to divorce, but in general, there are things you can do to help combative pups get along.
The fights may start out as snarling and growling over space or other resources. If left unchecked, serious fighting can ensue resulting in injury or even death. Fighting occurs because the dogs have not established a stable dominance hierarchy. Dogs have no sense of equality, so one must always be the leader.
If you own two female or two male dogs, fighting is not unusual at all. Some dog breeds are prone to being same-sex aggressive. For instance, Alaskan Malamutes, American Pit Bulls, and Boxers are breeds of dogs known for being same-sex aggressive.
Let your dogs sniff each other and greet each other normally. Give them positive reinforcement through calm verbal affirmations. After letting them play for a while, put both dogs in a “sit” or “stay”, then let them interact again. Finally, take them on walks together, allowing them to sniff each other along the way.
It can take up to one month for an old dog and new dog to really settle in and accept each other's position in the pack. If you want a second dog, you need to be ready to commit to this process and not panic.
Keeping the humans between the dogs on a long walk after their time together in a dog park is the next step to creating a successful multi-dog family. With both dogs on leash and with people forming a barrier between them, they have the chance to get used to each other's company without stress.
Play fighting is entirely normal, and two dogs living together will likely do it all of the time! You might see them really roughhouse; body slam one another, bite each other, and more. These “fights” can look violent; those who know nothing about dogs might think they're hurting each other.
They are usually unsocialized to other dogs and to most people. However, many professional fighters invest much time and money in conditioning their animals. They are often given quality nutrition and basic veterinary care. The dogs are exercised under controlled conditions, such as on a treadmill.
Dogfighting is where dogs who have been bred, conditioned and trained to fight are placed in a pit to fight each other for spectator entertainment and profit. Fights average one to two hours, ending when one of the dogs cannot continue.