1. Spats Happen! It's a fact of Dog Life; even those dogs that generally get along can break into an argument if one or both are
offended or challenged.
2. Study your dog. Understand his body language so you can know when he might be reaching his limits with another dog. If a real
fight does happen, learn from it so it doesn't happen again.
3. Avoid triggers. As with children, fights can spark up from the most seemingly insignificant triggers, even between dogs that are
buddies. Some common triggers: Arguments over toys, food, favorite dogs or even favorite people (resource guarding). A perceived
challenge such as intense eye contact, tug-o-war game or rough play can set a dog off. Know your dog's triggers and work with a
trainer to desensitize him to these as much as possible so they lose their charge.
4. Nix nose-to-nose greets. In the quest to make dogs more dog-social, resist the temptation to allow your dog to do rushed nose-to nose greets between dogs that don't know each other. Instead, create a ritual of slow, uber-relaxed intros that include side-by-side
walks in neutral territory. Taking your time will give you the chance to read signals that say, "I don't really like this dog."
5. Be leash savvy. Leash reactivity (an annoying behavior of lunging or growling on leash) can start when dogs become ever more
frustrated about greeting other dogs. Handlers can create fast improvements by curbing leash greets and taking on the new role of
confident clown and animated leader. Look for training classes that teach pet owners how to motivate their pets and capture their
attention with fun and rewarding distraction exercises that teach a dog that other on-leash dogs are off-limits.
6. Know the realities. Studies ( Cornell University , NY ) have shown that same-sex housemate pairs, especially females, have more
problems than opposite sex pairs. Excitement is one of the biggest fight triggers between dogs of all breeds. The study indicated that
conflict in the home is much more common between female dogs while males were more likely to instigate fights outside of the
house. Treatments most often recommended for household aggression are desensitization with counter conditioning and obedience
training.
7. Know your dog's tolerance level. Do you know your dog's limits with other dogs? Does he has a short fuse, a long fuse or
somewhere in between? Be realistic about what he can put up with from other dogs and what kind of play or behavior he will not
tolerate.
8. Protect your dog from a bad dog-dog experience. Not all dogs want or need to be friends with other dogs. Smart socializing
involves respecting your dog's quirks and setting him up for only success with other dogs. Appropriate play partners and positive
dog-dog interactions will increase his tolerance for all kinds of dogs and dog behavior. The more positive interaction any dog gets
with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
About the Author:
Donna Reynolds is the co-founder and Executive Director of Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls (BADRAP). She lives
in Oakland with her husband, four dogs, and ever changing foster dogs. She can be reached at donna@badrap.org
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