I think the most read post on this site is Tips to Stop Dogs from Fighting, so I thought I’d share a little more information. I’ll start with a story a friend told me the other day.

I had three dogs that got along great. They slept together, ate out of the same bowl, etc. and barely even growled over toys. One day, one of the dogs started viciously attacking the other dogs. It was completely out of the blue. No new behavior in any of the other dogs, no new pets, etc.

Then, I realized that there was one thing that had changed in their lives. That was me. I had gone from working part time to working overtime with my new job. The dog who was fighting decided that with the “top dog” (me) gone so much, there was a job opening at home and she was going to fill it.

It wasn’t easy, but I did manage to regain control and stop the fighting. It took almost a year of constant work with the aggressive dog. I had her neutered, did obedience classes with her and made sure I was in charge the entire time I was at home. It was hard and constant work, but I’m glad I stuck it out.

This story illustrates why I’m always asking what has changed in the dog’s environment. It can be something you think of as very minor, but to your dog, it is a big change and your dog acts accordingly.

This is also why I emphasize talking to a behaviorist. My friend had to work constantly to keep her position of top dog, because she wasn’t naturally assertive. A behaviorist can help you work on proper responses and body language as you work with the aggressive dog.

Finally, notice the time frame. It took almost a year of hard work to regain the proper “pack” balance in the home. That’s a year of snarls and fights and possible dog bites for owners trying to separate their pets. Quite a few of those months involved the neutered dog’s hormones still being those of an un-neutered dog, which could have been part of the problem. If you haven’t neutered your dogs and there is no reason for them to remain that way, (i.e. dog shows) please consider doing so before there is a behavior problem.

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