Dominance Issue??

[azhunter]

I need some advice. I have a 7 year old male lab and 5 year old male EP. Neither has been neutered. They basically spend 24/7 together, except when I take the EP out hunting. The lab doesn't hunt. Several times when I have returned the dogs have gotten into a real fur ball fight - even drawing blood. It's like they don't know each other! One time after returning, as I was petting them both and talking to them, I could feel the lab tense up and the next second the fight was on - with me in the middle. I have tried keeping them separated for awhile, but the first time they get together, the drama starts.

Any advice would help before someone loses an eye.

Thanks.

[Cajun Casey]

I would suggest a health check first to rule out things like tick borne illnesses, but you may just have a couple of dogs that like to fight. Obedience will solve some of it. Sounds like the Lab may be resource guarding you.

[Winchey]

Not that I have any solutions for you, but do your dogs display any signs of separation anxiety when you leave them?

[DonF]

Sounds to me like a jelious lab. You've had the lab longer and the pointer is an intruder that get's your attention. Try taking them both out and spend some time with the pointer out of the picture.

[Chukar12]

I dont know how to characterize it in human terms I suppose it could be jealousy. In any event, i have seen a number of times where dogs that have no issues on even footing react aggressively when one is coming back and one or more are on the ground running freely. The only way to control it is to be pre-emptive. Do not release dog a until you the attention and control of dog b. Keep leashes on both of them for control and make corrections to the first raised hackle, stiff legged approach or growl and be serious about it.

[Trekmoor]

I'm inclined to think jealousy may be the problem too. Could you maybe take the lab along walking to heel as the E.P. hunts ?

Bill T.

[AzDoggin]

I agree with Cajun Casey (and basically the rest of you) - the lab is competing for a valuable resource (you) and senses it is losing. You may have to keep them apart. At minimum - I'd put the lab in a prong collar and leash every time you are together with them, and watch it like a hawk for early signs of aggression. Correct the dog very early - redirect his attention. Any chance I'm correct in guessing that since the lab doesn't hunt, he doesn't get much OB training either?

[Sharon]

I need some advice. I have a 7 year old male lab and 5 year old male EP. Neither has been neutered. They basically spend 24/7 together, except when I take the EP out hunting. The lab doesn't hunt. Several times when I have returned the dogs have gotten into a real fur ball fight - even drawing blood. It's like they don't know each other! One time after returning, as I was petting them both and talking to them, I could feel the lab tense up and the next second the fight was on - with me in the middle. I have tried keeping them separated for awhile, but the first time they get together, the drama starts.

Any advice would help before someone loses an eye.

Thanks.

There's something to what you are seeing but i don't know yet what it is.
I have the same thing happen when i am washing the dogs outside. If i start to dry one , a fight will start. That is the only time they fight.
It must have something to do with one dog getting ticked off that another dog is / has gotten attention.

[gonehuntin']

I don't believe it's possible to cure a dominance issue in dogs. You MAY control it, but I doubt it. Beating them won't work. Electric collars don't work. Neutering them won't work. I can tell you what I'd do, but it isn't a cure. When the Lab displays ANY aggression what so ever, I'd immediately bellow NO!, grab him by the collar, and lock him in a kennel. Leave him in there for 30 minutes, then let him out. If he growls, lays his ears back, tenses or anything else, bellow NO, and lock him up again.

That's the best I got.

[BillGraves]

I had a similar problem with 2 male GSPs, one 6 the other 1. The elder was neutered and the younger was not. The old one didn't get along with the little one, or any other dog really for that matter. He was great with people but just didn't like other dogs. Well, it turned out that he had a blood born cancer and my guess is it affected his brain and therefor his attitude and behavior. Not saying this is what your dog has, but mine went through other tests for tick-illness and other things and the cancer was the last possible diagnosis.

Bill

[markj]

Take the lab out to the park alone a few times, see if it happens after that. Dogs do show jealous tendancies. Take him hunting too, even if he just follows you along. Then see if it happens out in the field or not. He may catch on and become a hunter. I had a britt wouldnt hunt, untill I took another dog that did, seemed to wake him uo to get him finding birds and pointing them.

Back when I had a hunting pit my shorthair and he would get into it after I took only one, pit for deer, shorthair for upland. Well I took them along on upland the pit didnt hunt but no fights after that so he went along and just walked with me while the shorthair hunted. Deer were another story the shorthair wanted to chase them instead of the stalk.

[azhunter]

Thanks everyone for your input. In the past, I have taken the lab out with us bird hunting. He likes being out in the desert - until the shotgun goes off - then he heads for his "safe spot" - right between my legs! He's a sweet soul, but he's no hunter. I don't recall any fight incidences when I've had them both out, so I will try to get them out together more often.

Again, thanks for the help.

[Winchey]

It just sounds to me like they both get wound up when you come in the door and are both jumping on you and each other. I would just try to eliminate that type of situation.