Hi all,
It's been a long time since I've been here (for various reasons) and I hope that you guys won't mind me coming back to ask for advice.
Ruby and Chester have been having some issues lately with their obedience. It is purely because we have not been reinforcing ourselves as alpha enough, and it has been showing in their behaviour. Over the last six weeks we have gone back to our proper behaviour and their obedience issues are much better. In fact, they are better than they have ever been, which I put down to our increased efforts and the fact that they are older now.
However, over the past two to three weeks they have been starting to fight each other a lot. This has never been an issue with them - Ruby has always been the clear and absolute leader - and Chester has always seemed fine with that. BUT...there's been a lot of disruption in their lives recently for the following reasons:
1. We have moved house.
2. We no longer have our cats living with us (long story, don't want to go there...)
3. We have re-established ourselves as pack leaders
4. Our backyard has no lawn and is quite small, and quite boring, with high walls and no view of trees or anything that they have been used to.
5. We live further away from our respective places of work, so are consequently away from the house for longer periods of time during the day.
6. Ruby has developed colitis and their diets have changed subsequently - they are actually eating no meat and single-source protein biscuits only.
We have done a number of things to combat their new living situation. They are getting two walks a day, morning and evening. They have more interesting and interactive toys to keep them busy, they go to doggy daycare once a week, where they interact with up to ten other dogs all day. They are getting nightly training where they learn tricks etc, and they are going to an obedience class once per week for some more socialisation, and also some more learning for them.
However, their fighting has escalated from normal doggy tussling to more intense physical fighting - and they often go so far as to rip out tufts of one another's fur. Our neighbours have commented to us that they do this at least four times per day. It always happens after every meal, too.
Chester has just turned one, Ruby is nearly 16 months, they are both neutered. They love each other to bits and spend lots of time grooming, licking and cuddling, although I have noticed that Ruby is doing deliberate things to reinforce her role as alpha with Chester, such as pushing him off his bed, sitting in the middle of the seat in the car and not leaving him any room, and so on.
I don't know what to do now, it is becoming worrying. Does anyone have any advice? Sorry this is so long...
It's been a long time since I've been here (for various reasons) and I hope that you guys won't mind me coming back to ask for advice.
Ruby and Chester have been having some issues lately with their obedience. It is purely because we have not been reinforcing ourselves as alpha enough, and it has been showing in their behaviour. Over the last six weeks we have gone back to our proper behaviour and their obedience issues are much better. In fact, they are better than they have ever been, which I put down to our increased efforts and the fact that they are older now.
However, over the past two to three weeks they have been starting to fight each other a lot. This has never been an issue with them - Ruby has always been the clear and absolute leader - and Chester has always seemed fine with that. BUT...there's been a lot of disruption in their lives recently for the following reasons:
1. We have moved house.
2. We no longer have our cats living with us (long story, don't want to go there...)
3. We have re-established ourselves as pack leaders
4. Our backyard has no lawn and is quite small, and quite boring, with high walls and no view of trees or anything that they have been used to.
5. We live further away from our respective places of work, so are consequently away from the house for longer periods of time during the day.
6. Ruby has developed colitis and their diets have changed subsequently - they are actually eating no meat and single-source protein biscuits only.
We have done a number of things to combat their new living situation. They are getting two walks a day, morning and evening. They have more interesting and interactive toys to keep them busy, they go to doggy daycare once a week, where they interact with up to ten other dogs all day. They are getting nightly training where they learn tricks etc, and they are going to an obedience class once per week for some more socialisation, and also some more learning for them.
However, their fighting has escalated from normal doggy tussling to more intense physical fighting - and they often go so far as to rip out tufts of one another's fur. Our neighbours have commented to us that they do this at least four times per day. It always happens after every meal, too.
Chester has just turned one, Ruby is nearly 16 months, they are both neutered. They love each other to bits and spend lots of time grooming, licking and cuddling, although I have noticed that Ruby is doing deliberate things to reinforce her role as alpha with Chester, such as pushing him off his bed, sitting in the middle of the seat in the car and not leaving him any room, and so on.
I don't know what to do now, it is becoming worrying. Does anyone have any advice? Sorry this is so long...