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How do I keep my german sheperds from fighting among themselfs (I have 3)
I adopted a nutered male,and spayed female 3 1/2 yer olds a few months ago they are litermates,they were ok together,but a stray unaltered male came up and moved in he was starving so i adopted him too but,the fixed male jumpes on the stray, and the stray jumps on the female, how do I stop this I m afraid they will hurt each other bad one day ??
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Answers
Hi there,
German Shepherds are very smart, high-energy working dogs that need mature, gentle, firm leadership to fulfill their role as happy family members. It sounds like your neutered male is trying to teach the stray how to behave, and the stray is trying to boss the female around. As long as they are not seriously trying to hurt each other, they should work out the hierarchy, with your guidance.
With limited space, here is my advice:
1. Get the new dog fixed as soon as possible.
2. Find a trainer or behaviorist who uses humane methods and positive reinforcement. No leash-jerking, yelling, "alpha rolls" or any kind of physical punishment or restraint. See www.k9techsupport.com for helpful articles, including how to choose a reputable trainer.
3. Learn as much as you can about dog communication. Read The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., and The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller.
As a general rule GSD's are not really social butterflies and normally do best in groups of two, a male and a female.
I would keep the new dog separated from the other two since the probability of one getting injured in a fight is very high.
A three dog combination isn't a good one. I would work with a trainer on this one. It would be wise to neuter him.
If you decide not to keep him try a local shelter or advertise him as found. Maybe he was stolen and dropped off or somehow got separated from a good home. No need to spend the money on neutering him if you are not going to keep him. Let the shelter pay for it. Put your money into your own dogs, charity begins at home. Unless money isn't an issue then it would be a good gesture,
Some private sessions with a behaviorist and you'll have a better idea of how to handle the three if you want to keep him.
Good luck.
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