This occurs when the owner interferes with the establishment of a stable social hierarchy because he/she continually protects the submissive dog and punishes the top-ranking dog. Under all of these circumstances, disputes are usually not life threatening and a new hierarchy will be established within a few weeks as long as the owners do not intervene. Social relationships may also be affected when a new dog is introduced to the social group or when a dog is reunited with his social group following a period of absence. Hierarchical disputes may arise if there is a change in dominance because the original top ranking dog loses status as he weakens with age or when a younger dog with a desire for a higher status reaches social maturity (18 months to 3 years of age) and begins to challenge the incumbent.This can occur in two distinct situations. Why Dogs Fightĭogs in the same household will fight if they are near equal in social status. Any breed can develop such hierarchical disputes as this goes hand in hand with “pack” mentality, but it may be more difficult to maintain stable hierarchies with terrier breeds and other breeds that have been selected to work independently. Hierarchical disputes are more common among dogs of the same sex and fights between two females are typically more vicious. Aggressive incidents may be isolated to one or two specific situations, such as competition over specific resources or space guarding issues. Dealing with Dominance Aggression Between Dogsĭogs fight for a number of different reasons, but quests for dominance often underlie much of the sparring.
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