My two dogs are fighting. Should I get a trainer for dog aggression?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. I would contact a behavioral trainer first. This situation must be so hard for you, and you need to get them into training as soon as possible to deal with it. I hope this helps!

Yes, having them fixed can help reduce aggression as dogs fight over territory and females. I would definitely have them both fixed, and I would also recommend professional behavioral training for them both when they are fixed. This can help with the aggressive behaviors, and I recommend using a professional because training aggressive dogs can be dangerous. I never suggest owners do it on their own for safety reasons. First step is to get them fixed, and I would have that done asap.

If they are not spayed then you should start with that. Hormones can certainly cause aggression. After the surgery it takes about 30 days for the hormone levels to decrease to a level that may change aggressive behavior. If that does not help then you should consult with a professional in-home dog trainer to help you sort out the root of the problem. I see you are in Puerto Rico. There is a HUGE free spay/neuter campaign coming there in November. I suggest you check it out if you want to get your dogs spayed. Search "Spayathon for Puerto Rico" on Facebook to find their page. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Neutering can sometimes help with interdog aggression, so if you plan on keeping them both, having them neutered may help. If they are constantly fighting with each other, it may also be time to bring in a professional who can view the situation in person and help formulate a training plan to get the dogs OK around each other. You may need to keep them completely separated and slowly introduce them in a neutral location such as on a walk, and then only have short monitored sessions until they can be trusted around each other. However, if one dog is lunging and growling before even being introduced, seeking professional help is best.

I hate to hear this is happening. I;m sure it's not only scary but stressful as well. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Also, dogs who are spayed and neutered are less likely to fight though this is not always the case. I recommend to discuss having both dogs altered with their veterinarian. Best of luck.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know how to give you the best advice without being able to observe the dogs. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Also make sure ALL the animals are spayed and neutered. Animals who are intact are much more likely to fight than pets who are sterilized. Best of luck.

I'm sorry that you're having this problem! Aggression between dogs in the same household is a complex behavior issue that is a bit beyond the scope of what we can effectively help with in this format. Treatment for this problem involves identifying what triggers the aggression (which often takes a bit of detective work, and observation by an expert) and then finding ways to avoid these triggers, or working with the dogs over time to teach them to respond differently when these situations occur. It's not a simple process, unfortunately, so there's really no quick and easy answer to give. Your best option would be to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate the dogs in person and give you some hands-on guidance in dealing with this problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org