7 Month Old Male & 10 Month Old Female Fight

LaRen616 · 08-11-2011, 10:00 AM

My friend has a 7 month old male Doberman (Ace) and a almost 11 month old female Doberman (Addison), they get along wonderfully, they play, sleep, run, lick and lay with each other. They have never had a problem with each other. They have had Ace since he was 10 weeks old and they got Addison when she was 8 months old.

My friend and her boyfriend practice NILIF, they work on basic obediance with their dogs everyday, in separate rooms and they switch dogs after 10-15 minutes.

I spend alot of time with these dogs, we take our dogs to the beach a couple of times a week and I bring my GSD to their house almost every saturday. All 3 dogs get along wonderfully.

Yesterday my friend and I took the dogs to the beach like we always do and they ran, played and swam together. When we were making our way back down the trail to our cars, Addison started making these weird barks at Ace, then Ace's hair went up and they got really loud with each other, Sinister went over to them to join in and it became 2 on 1, Addison and Sinister VS Ace. As soon as we saw what was going on we stopped it. My friend leashed Addison and the boys continued running and playing as if nothing happened.

After about 10 minutes my friend let Addison off leash again. Addison and Ace started running around and playing while Sinister and I took off jogging (bugs were attacking) the next thing I know I hear a dog fight. I turned around to see Addison on top of Ace and she had him by the skin on the top of his head. My friend was trying to pull them off each other so I made Sinister sit and stay while I ran towards the dogs, my friend managed to get them apart right before I got to them and she immediately leashed them. She walked them side by side, they were fine and licked each other. Addison had no marks but Ace has a fingernail sized cut on his head.

Ace and Addison are not spayed/neutered. Addison will be spayed next month on her 1st birthday and Ace will be neutered in 5 months on his 1st birthday. Addison finished her 1st heat cycle almost 4 weeks ago. We did not have any treats or toys with us.

Why did this happen? How can we fix this?

Girth · 08-11-2011, 10:45 AM

Sounds like a dominance issue to me. About 3 months ago I had the same issue with my oldest male (7 yrs) and female (5 yrs). They got into it, I broke the fight up, and then it started right back up. I seperated them again, threw one into the house and then kept the other with me outside for 30 minutes or so. When I brought them back together some licking and then they wouldn't have anything to do with each other for the rest of the day. Ever since then the female has assumed the alpha role amongst my three. I have never had any issues with them since that day.

LaRen616 · 08-11-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Girth

Sounds like a dominance issue to me. About 3 months ago I had the same issue with my oldest male (7 yrs) and female (5 yrs). They got into it, I broke the fight up, and then it started right back up. I seperated them again, threw one into the house and then kept the other with me outside for 30 minutes or so. When I brought them back together some licking and then they wouldn't have anything to do with each other for the rest of the day. Ever since then the female has assumed the alpha role amongst my three. I have never had any issues with them since that day.

My friend was just telling me about 2 weeks ago that she believes her female is the dominant one in the house, from what I saw yesterday the female started the fight.

PaddyD · 08-11-2011, 11:01 AM

Just a guess, but the male may be getting to a size and age that threatens the female and she is making sure that she remains dominant. The male may have set her off and she just put him in his place. But then, I wasn't there.

Jax08 · 08-11-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaRen616

My friend was just telling me about 2 weeks ago that she believes her female is the dominant one in the house, from what I saw yesterday the female started the fight.

LaRen - IMO, I think the "dominant" one changes regularly. We have 3 females. Banshee is the queen. Always has been and NOBODY is allowed to even look at her funny (our rules). The other two switch "dominant" roles. Given our experience with "dominance", I think that whole theory is bunk.

LaRen616 · 08-11-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jax08

LaRen - IMO, I think the "dominant" one changes regularly. We have 3 females. Banshee is the queen. Always has been and NOBODY is allowed to even look at her funny (our rules). The other two switch "dominant" roles. Given our experience with "dominance", I think that whole theory is bunk.

Oh alright, Jax what do you think caused the fight? What do you think we should do?

dawnandjr · 08-11-2011, 11:07 AM

Female is taking a dominant role. My six month old pups here, I have to keep in check when together. Bella is a dominant bitch, has been since she was 3 months old. She starts it every time. I am very aware of my dogs behaviors and I nip it in the bud when she gets the idea of starting trouble.

Most people misunderstand animals and think the males are always dominant, when it is the females that are. Females rule the roost.

Jax08 · 08-11-2011, 11:12 AM

When we had littermates Bandit and Banshee, Banshee would snark at Bandit. In that case, she was the dominant one and he was just a goofball that didn't care. I don't know what started the fight.

If she was in heat 4 weeks ago, are there left over hormones? A breeder can answer that.

Maybe something set her off the first time and she was still in an agitated state for the second one?

If she's 11 months, is she starting to mature?

Just an FYI...Banshee was spayed as a puppy so if the vet tells you that will go away after the spay, they aren't 100% correct.

**gsdraven** · 08-11-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jax08

LaRen - IMO, I think the "dominant" one changes regularly. We have 3 females. Banshee is the queen. Always has been and NOBODY is allowed to even look at her funny (our rules). The other two switch "dominant" roles. Given our experience with "dominance", I think that whole theory is bunk.

I agree given my experience as well. I would typically say that Raven is the dominant one of my two (and certainly with fosters) but when Raven and Kaiser have arguments, Kaiser is always the one that ends up in the "dominant" position. I think it totally depends on the situation on who is more "dominant". In normal day to day life, Raven can (but gets in trouble for) take anything she wants away from Kaiser and he lets it happen but Kaiser wouldn't dream of taking it back from her and will just sit there and bark at her until she walks away or I go get whatever it is for him.

Something caused the fight and apparently the humans missed it (we just aren't as observant as dogs). It could be that they both are coming into maturity and are feeling out their position or it could be something stupid. I wouldn't leave them alone together for a long time (and only if it never happens again), would step up leadership and just keep a close on them.

LaRen616 · 08-11-2011, 12:27 PM

Any other opinions/ideas?

08-11-2011, 10:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
LaRen616 Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 10,582	7 Month Old Male & 10 Month Old Female Fight My friend has a 7 month old male Doberman (Ace) and a almost 11 month old female Doberman (Addison), they get along wonderfully, they play, sleep, run, lick and lay with each other. They have never had a problem with each other. They have had Ace since he was 10 weeks old and they got Addison when she was 8 months old. My friend and her boyfriend practice NILIF, they work on basic obediance with their dogs everyday, in separate rooms and they switch dogs after 10-15 minutes. I spend alot of time with these dogs, we take our dogs to the beach a couple of times a week and I bring my GSD to their house almost every saturday. All 3 dogs get along wonderfully. Yesterday my friend and I took the dogs to the beach like we always do and they ran, played and swam together. When we were making our way back down the trail to our cars, Addison started making these weird barks at Ace, then Ace's hair went up and they got really loud with each other, Sinister went over to them to join in and it became 2 on 1, Addison and Sinister VS Ace. As soon as we saw what was going on we stopped it. My friend leashed Addison and the boys continued running and playing as if nothing happened. After about 10 minutes my friend let Addison off leash again. Addison and Ace started running around and playing while Sinister and I took off jogging (bugs were attacking) the next thing I know I hear a dog fight. I turned around to see Addison on top of Ace and she had him by the skin on the top of his head. My friend was trying to pull them off each other so I made Sinister sit and stay while I ran towards the dogs, my friend managed to get them apart right before I got to them and she immediately leashed them. She walked them side by side, they were fine and licked each other. Addison had no marks but Ace has a fingernail sized cut on his head. Ace and Addison are not spayed/neutered. Addison will be spayed next month on her 1st birthday and Ace will be neutered in 5 months on his 1st birthday. Addison finished her 1st heat cycle almost 4 weeks ago. We did not have any treats or toys with us. Why did this happen? How can we fix this? __________________ ~ Sinister 3 yr old black male GSD 3.11.09 ~ Malice 9 mth old black female GSD 6.19.11 Cats: Chaos, Monster, Wicked

08-11-2011, 10:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
Girth Master Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Gainesville Fl Posts: 931	Sounds like a dominance issue to me. About 3 months ago I had the same issue with my oldest male (7 yrs) and female (5 yrs). They got into it, I broke the fight up, and then it started right back up. I seperated them again, threw one into the house and then kept the other with me outside for 30 minutes or so. When I brought them back together some licking and then they wouldn't have anything to do with each other for the rest of the day. Ever since then the female has assumed the alpha role amongst my three. I have never had any issues with them since that day. __________________ Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really. Carlotta O'Neill

08-11-2011, 11:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
dawnandjr Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Macedon, NY Posts: 1,054	Female is taking a dominant role. My six month old pups here, I have to keep in check when together. Bella is a dominant bitch, has been since she was 3 months old. She starts it every time. I am very aware of my dogs behaviors and I nip it in the bud when she gets the idea of starting trouble. Most people misunderstand animals and think the males are always dominant, when it is the females that are. Females rule the roost. __________________ Dawn Brogan German Shepherd Yoko von der Burg Austerlitz pedigree information http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/germ...html?id=713938

08-11-2011, 12:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
LaRen616 Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 10,582	Any other opinions/ideas? __________________ ~ Sinister 3 yr old black male GSD 3.11.09 ~ Malice 9 mth old black female GSD 6.19.11 Cats: Chaos, Monster, Wicked

08-11-2011, 11:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
PaddyD Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MassaCHEWsetts Posts: 5,222	Just a guess, but the male may be getting to a size and age that threatens the female and she is making sure that she remains dominant. The male may have set her off and she just put him in his place. But then, I wasn't there.

08-11-2011, 11:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
Jax08 Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NNE PA Posts: 14,314	When we had littermates Bandit and Banshee, Banshee would snark at Bandit. In that case, she was the dominant one and he was just a goofball that didn't care. I don't know what started the fight. If she was in heat 4 weeks ago, are there left over hormones? A breeder can answer that. Maybe something set her off the first time and she was still in an agitated state for the second one? If she's 11 months, is she starting to mature? Just an FYI...Banshee was spayed as a puppy so if the vet tells you that will go away after the spay, they aren't 100% correct.

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