Dog Fighting Question

buckshot32182

Eight Pointer
I have 2 dogs-my best dogs that are coming up on 4 years old in April. They have hunted together since they were puppies. All of a sudden the last 3 weeks running them they have done it twice now. Never heard of this befor but they will go into the woods and go to about killing each other. They have been dumped 9 times and done it twice. Any ideas how to stop this? Thought about putting them in a space together with tt15 and trying to train them to not fight. Anybody else have any other ideas? If I could hunt twice a week be no problem but being a weekend warrior don't have this option.
 

rodman

Ten Pointer
Be careful with the e- training. Had one that howled alot one time. He was in a pen with another males. I was going to bump him when he started howling. I started world war 3. When I bumped him he must have thought his buddy done it and sailed on him.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I have messed with dogs a long time, had training collars since the first ones came out. It has been my experience that using a collar on a dog to deter behavior once it has been initiated with another dog usually doesn't work because they associate that pain/correction coming from the dog they have already set their attention on. Usually I intervene myself, that being said the situation you have described most likely isn't apt to be resolved. I am guessing that it revolves over dominance and at the age they must be it isn't likely to get settled easily.

Someone may give you a better answer, I don't claim to be an expert but I do wish you good luck with them.
 

boomer

Twelve Pointer
Use water from a hose, when they growl or bow up at each other spray them with water.Wet them good. It worked well for me.
 

buckshot32182

Eight Pointer
Water might work but hard to do that when in the woods. Both dogs are once in a lifetime dogs. I'm really trying hard to find a way to fix this problem while keeping both. I've read all over the internet about how to fix but can't find a situation like this.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I'm with nccatfisher, it is most likely over dominance. I'm not sure it is possible to over come nature, not at that level any how. I have 3 young males where one of them would not let the other two eat. I moved him to a pen by himself. I was concerned that with three in the pen, it's a large pen, one of them would wind up getting killed. I don't think the two I left in the pen could ever establish a hierarchy. They will challenge each other all the time, but feeding time would be the worst. I would have to stay in the pen with them until they finished eating. They have learned, been taught, not to fight when I feed them and I am present. No, I didn't use the e-collars but when I got a hold of them they knew I meant business. When I feed them first and go around the kennels feeding the others all is good because, they know I'm watching. However, I would put money on it that if I fed them and left they would be right at it again. I have only seen it twice over the years where two dogs hated each other so much you could not hunt them together, if it gets that bad I don't think there is a fix. Not one other than keeping them apart, and not hunting them together.

I'm a firm believer in that dogs need to look at the owner as the Alpha. I'm sure that is why the two mentioned above don't fight over food while I'm around. The only experience I had with e-collars and dogs fighting was at a field trial. Some sorry :donk:donk:donk shocked their dog instead of trying to locate it. The dog was with others in my box and they were already on edge. It was not pretty, surprisingly all the dogs were ok after we got the person to stop stimulating the dog. The dog definitely thought is was another dog.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Sounds like 2 alpha dogs together. Short of disabling reproduction mechanisms, i dont think there is a fix. Ive run into it with beagles. Usually a friend gets a really good dog.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Usually once they are fully mature even disabling those hormones won't stop the dominance issues. Seen it tried.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
are they fighting in general or just at/around the tree? (asuming they are coondogs)
 

treestock

Four Pointer
Usually once they are fully mature even disabling those hormones won't stop the dominance issues. Seen it tried.
This and Patterson suggestion. Assuming they're deer dogs and not coonhounds your hunting in a pair split up your cast across the block throw one in another club members box or shed one to a buddy

Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk
 

gregor187

Six Pointer
Once in a life time dogs,,,,hard to replace,,,,,,run them seperate every other time or cash out while one is at the top of his game.
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Long ramble but on topic.

My uncle, God rest his soul, had a way to cure this problem with his coonhounds [redbone and bluetick], he would try the laying on of hands and then it was a new home for one or both[usually this] of them.
He would not have a dog that fought at the tree.
Further, HE was the Alpha with his dogs, ALL of them for 30+ years. Any of them that did not understand his spot at the top, well, they did not stay around long.
Late in his life, he raised some Feist and had one that was a good one but it wanted to be the boss too. My uncle gave him to me since he knew that my head was harder than his or that dogs.
At 4 months I took him to a dove field [with very little prep] and he went to fetching birds that day. He would track deer and run squirrels and come when I called.
Yep, he was a good one but uncle said he had to have a new home and I am proud to have had him at mine.
A new home would be your best fix IMO and soon before something bigger happens on a track.
 
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RJ1

Ten Pointer
I have had a few that didn't like each other,that would fight if they were in the same pen or were put in the dog box together however I am lucky enough to run several packs and could keep them apart never had any that would fight after they were cast or if they ran up on each other in the woods that would go to fighting.You got to Alphas that really don't like each other.I would try two things first I would put 2 or 3 pens in between them if possible. Then I would put them in the same pen and wait,when the fight begins before its gets to far I'd wade in there with the water hose and break it up then put them in separate pens do this a least two times a day if possible do this for about a week.I like using training collars for certain things however if you had access to an adjustable shock stick or just a plain shock collar it could be used along with the water.If that doesn't work if you want to keep them both you will have to run one with your pack every other weekend or sell one of them to one of your hunting partners.
 
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buckshot32182

Eight Pointer
Yeah have put 7 pens between them now RJ. Put them in pen now three straight days with water hose in hand but with me around they won't even look at each other. I believe I'm going to get my brother to run one on Fridays for me and I hunt the other on Saturdays. I just can't part with the bloodline. Been using it 25+ years and they are the last of three males. Had a female but she got hit by a train Friday. I worry if I sell to someone that hunts with me they will eventually run across each other's paths. Been offered big time money for either but I hunt enough holidays that I believe I can keep both. Do you think sending one away for a few weeks would help?
 

buckshot32182

Eight Pointer
It's amazing that I have dumped them 9 times and they only fought twice. But those two times were pretty intense. Both times the alpha box got them out of the woods. Friday dumped them three times and they ran out deer together just the 2 of them with no problem. One time though they battled. Seems if their brother is with them they have no problems. I guess this is all my fault though. Never had a problem with it in 35 years of hunting but this one time set something off in the two of them. Bred a female at the house and that's what started all of this. Oh well learn from your mistakes. Going to create a new pen away from others to use for breeding. All started with a woman.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Bred a female at the house and that's what started all of this. Oh well learn from your mistakes. Going to create a new pen away from others to use for breeding. All started with a woman.


Likely the issue but sounds like you have a plan
Good luck
 

bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
I'll take him.....problem solved.

Seriously have never had that issue. And like other have said shocking them may make it worse.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Tell those dogs "Bros before Hos!"

Good luck... dog on dog aggression can be a real pain to fix. We had two dogs that absolutely hated each other in our house for 4 years. We were always on edge.
 
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