My dogs keep fighting!

[Jame0223]

I have a total of 6 small dogs. 3 males (a pekingese, rat terrier/chihuahua, and a pekingese/toy fox terrier), and 3 females( 2 Toy fox terriers and a **** zhu).

Well the larger toy fox terrier and the pekingese have always been more dominant (oldest female and middle male that bred with the other fox). They always seem to "mark" their territories on the grass after the other dogs just urinated there. No problem. We used to keep all the dogs gated in the kitchen with a doggy door leading to a pretty big backyard. Just saturday we moved the gate further out and now they have access to our living room with our couch. Every once in a while my pekingese will get into it with the rat terrier/chihuahua. We have to pull them apart! But its really not that often, maybe once every couple of months.

But yesterday it seemed that the ratchi was on the couch all day and if we were sitting on it and the pekingese approached for attention, he would start growling at my peke. My pekingese doesn't stand for him to growl at him or around us, especially if I am around because the peke is my personal dog and is protective of me. They would attack each other and we would have to try and pull them apart constantly! They must have fought over 10 times yesterday! They never do any damage to each other either but yesterday they did! We have to take them to the vet. There is something wrong with my peke's eye. Its red like it got scratched with a bunch of broken blood vessels in his sclera(the white part) and its swollen this morning. The other dog somehow broke his bottom teeth! I don't know how but the two teeth next to the canine on the left side on his bottom jaw are loose and they bleed easily. Everytime they would fit he would be bleeding from his mouth!  It seems like the ratchi is starting all the fights, just because he feels the need to growl, although he gets his butt kicked everytime.

My dog (the peke) is not neutured and he's the only one out of all 6 that isn't fixed, which I will be getting done very soon. Any thoughts as to why they might be fighting? Is it just the new territory of the couch? I feel like the ratchi is trying to take over being the dominant male..and I feel like he is going to fail and get hurt because my peke is all muscle and hes just bigger! This is getting ridiculous...my mother got bit last night when she was trying to pull them apart and I have been bitten before. None were intentional, just from having our hands in the wrong spot at the wrong time. What can we do?! I don't want to have to put one down or get rid of one, I love my dogs and they haven't gone this far before...any advice is appreciated. Sorry so long!

[Jame0223]

Yeah we have a spray bottle but that doesn't stop them. We will grab one and have to lift him above our heads but even then theyre still  after each other! Last night me and my dad got into a fight because I heard the fighting and went upstairs and he was CHOKING my dog, his tongue was pale purple, normally reddish pink, and he was gasping. I was so angry at my dad. He told me to take my dog and go away  and I started crying, being so mad because thats like my baby! It was horrible! I think I may try the airhorn thing...we don't know what else to do...

[chihuahuagrandma]

Try a little water spray bottle....
Usually means territorial, males needing neuter, female to female, or just protecting thier role in the pack...everyone has their place...
I have chihuahuas, I was told never discipline dogs for fighting, it just increases the temper...so, I got water spray bottle centrally located in their areas just a reach away...
I have 5 chi's...sometimes the 2 females, sometimes the boys,,,,sometimes its just a bad day...a little mist redirects their attention..if they still goin at it...grab pillow slip down in between them...to seperate...good luck..

[lonewolf07]

That sounds like a good idea for big dogs who fight.  Too bad I didn't know about it years ago when our rottie and Akita used to fight.   I don't think air horns are even legal in Canada - you can't take them to hockey games in Toronto  = (

Somehow fighting shih tzus aren't the same as fighting rottweilers .... but that's just my opinion and I don't even know what liquid smoke is

[peekawho]

I'm sure there are many psychologically oriented, politically correct things that you can do under these circumstances.  After you have tried them, if they don't work, consider this:

When we were faced with in-pack fighting between our Dobermans, Great Dane, and the German Shepherd (absolutely horrifying fights at that size/breeds), I went to the store and got a couple of air horns, which I stashed strategically around the house.  (there is no way to break up fights between those types of dogs).  

When a fight broke out, I grabbed the nearest can and gave a long and ear splitting HHHHOOOOOOOONNNNNKKKKKKK with it.  All of the dogs instantly scattered to opposite ends of the house to cower under various pieces of furniture for about an hour.

Never, ever to fight again.

That's what worked for us.