My dogs are not getting along

    • Bronze

    My dogs are not getting along

    My female and male American Bulldogs are not getting along. They fought over food left on the table and since then, they want to go after each other every time they see each other. Thank God I have an SUV and have a gate to seperate them or else I'd have to leave them home all the time but at least in the truck, they don't bark, growl or try to go after each other. My female is very very close to me. My male was closer to daddy but he's out of the picture now and he's felt the impact strongly. He's lost weight and seems depressed, don't know if it's because Daddy (human) is no longer here, or because we moved into a new house or because I have him seperated from my female since they aren't getting along. I need help in getting the two back together and would like to hear some suggestions. Thanking you in advance. Rose, Kilo and Chloe
    • Gold Top Dog

    I didn't see this when I posted in your intro thread. :)  You might want to order a booklet called "Fight: a practical guide to dog-dog aggression" by Jean Donaldson.  It's very inexpensive and may help while you save up for the behaviorist.  I do believe the behaviorist is going to be your best option for everyone's safety.

    • Bronze

    I will definitly look into that book.

    As far as the link you sent before, I have looked at all those video's lol. Thank you very much. I do have a gentle leader as well. I introduced both slowly, just as in the video but they still don't like it.

    I will try to get this book today. Hopefully I can make an appointment with the behaviorlist ASAP as my male has lost a lot of weight and I'm thinking it's because he misses her. They were together for 3 years  without a problem and now he's feeling the loss of his human dad as well as not being with her. He's not eating unless I put peanut butter and mix it with his dry food. He doesn't even want to play and would rather be alone in the spare bedroom than spend time with me.

    Thank You for your recommendation on the book. I really appreciate it.
    Rose, Kilo and Chloe

    • Gold Top Dog

    I'm sure the change in the house has affected him.  Have you had him checked at the vet?  There are a few things that can cause behavioral changes in dogs.  I'd get bloodwork done and ask to have his thyroid checked.  Are you able to walk him or spend time alone with him training such as obedience or just some trick training?  Developing a closer bond with him through training may not help with the aggression between the two dogs but it will help him by providing the physical and mental stimulation he needs.  You may already do all this with both dogs.  What is your regular routine with the two dogs if you don't mind sharing?

    Dr. Sophia Yin is another veterinary behaviorist that has lots of videos and good articles that you might appreciate.

    Don't feel bad about being the cause of the problems with your dogs. I saw you mention this elsewhere.  We all start out being ignorant and most dog behavior problems result from that ignorance.  Any experienced dog person can tell you stories of all the mistakes they made that resulted in different problems for them and their dogs.  I've owned dogs for most of my 60 years and I've made and still make plenty of mistakes with dogs.  I try and learn from them and correct the ones I can and manage the ones I can't completely correct. There's a difference between not knowing (ignorance) and just being stupid (not caring to educate yourself or unable to) and you sound like someone who is more than willing to do what's best for your dogs by educating yourself. 

    • Bronze

    Actually I did have blood work done on him and it all came back normal. I had it done a month ago. I have and will continue to put them as a priority and am willing to spend as much money and time necessary to fix the problem.
    My next important step is to have her spayed and my Vet charges 400 for it. I've been told that I could take her to a shelter to have it done but I'm unsure as I feel she may catch some sort of disease from a dog they've just brought into the shelter. I worry about my dogs so much that I've been called neurotic by all my family and friends.

    I own a house in a gated community and it's been sitting there empty for 2 years as they implemented a no Bulldog policy. I wasn't about to give up my baby (since he's my service dog, he doesn't count) so I'm now renting a house. Between the two payments plus paying for all utilities at both houses, money is a little tight. I will be renting the house soon hopefully.

    Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will take everything into consideration.

    • Gold Top Dog
    I don't have any experience with dog-dog aggression, but I do have experience with upset, stressed dogs. It sounds like you're in a difficult place right now, but do you have any time to do extra one-on-one activities with your dogs? When my little guy stopped eating following some major life stresses, what really helped him was going out and exploring in new places. Taking walks in new parks, going for hikes, going to outdoor shopping centers (that allowed dogs), that sort of thing. Lots of stimulation to get him interested in life and activities, and to emphasize his bond with me - I am the source of fun and exciting trips, being with me is fun, and he can trust me to keep him safe even in strange places.

    As Jackie said, don't worry so much about blaming yourself. It's possible that you could have done things differently, but it's also possible that issues could have come up even if you did everything perfectly all along. Animals are living, imperfect creatures - while we certainly do our fair share to make their lives difficult, they also bring their own peculiarities to the table. All that matters is you're trying as hard as you can to do the right thing for them, and in my book, that makes you a really good owner. That's really unfortunate about the house and the HOA - I assume you've tried to work with them about getting your dog "grandfathered in" or something like that? I hope you are able to get that situation resolved soon (two payments sounds awful!) and I really hope the behaviorist is able to help!

    • Gold Top Dog

    RosenKilo
    My next important step is to have her spayed and my Vet charges 400 for it. I've been told that I could take her to a shelter to have it done but I'm unsure as I feel she may catch some sort of disease from a dog they've just brought into the shelter. I worry about my dogs so much that I've been called neurotic by all my family and friends.

    I think if you do some searching, you might find some regular vet clinics that do low cost spaying. I agree that this should be a high priority.

    I've lived with dog-dog aggression and know how difficult it can be. I think an evaluation by a behaviorist is a great idea. I think we paid about $100 for the evaluation of our 2 but the feedback was worth every penny.

    • Gold Top Dog

    RosenKilo
    My next important step is to have her spayed and my Vet charges 400 for it.

    That seems pricey but not knowing the market where you live it may be the norm.  This is just my opinion, but I'd have the behaviorist in before the spay if I had to choose  which one to do first.  That sucks about your house and the HOA rules. 

    • Gold Top Dog
    RosenKilo
    .
    My next important step is to have her spayed and my Vet charges 400 for it. I've been told that I could take her to a shelter to have it done but I'm unsure as I feel she may catch some sort of disease from a dog they've just brought into the shelter. I worry about my dogs so much that I've been called neurotic by all my family and friends.

    RosenKilo
    .
    My next important step is to have her spayed and my Vet charges 400 for it. I've been told that I could take her to a shelter to have it done but I'm unsure as I feel she may catch some sort of disease from a dog they've just brought into the shelter. I worry about my dogs so much that I've been called neurotic by all my family and friends.


    If your dog is up to date on her shots there should be no issue. I too have been called neurotic about my pup. Smile

     

     

    ETA: No clue why it quoted 2x

    • Silver

    You have a complex situation there.  I think he's upset because his bud is gone and because you moved.  Having two changes like that can become quite traumatic.  He could also be jealous because the female dog has a friend and he doesn't have his male friend anymore.  I think if you start to take him on alone walks, he will start to feel more loved.  Then reward the female to walk with you guys sometimes when she is good to him.  I think they will get used to the new order of things, but you have to give him some solo and truly loving attention.  If you have a male friend that can come over and visit regularly, that might help him too.