How to prevent multiple pitbulls from fighting when home alone?

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem! Aggression between dogs in the same household is a very complex behavior issue, and is a bit beyond the scope of what we can effectively help you with in this format. I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can evaluate Bruja and Tosha in person to help determine what is causing the aggression, and will help you put together a detailed plan for managing them safely and training to work on improving their behavior around each other over time. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, I would recommend continuing to keep the dogs separated until you are able to see the behaviorist - this will prevent the problem from continuing to get worse, and also keep the dogs from injuring each other.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry that your two pups have not been getting along recently. I would separate both dogs while you are away until you can figure out the issue. A lot of times housemates will fight due to phobias (thunderstorms, loud noises), separation anxiety or aggression. Also, sometimes one dog may have a medical issue presenting it self to be weaker than the other dog. I would make sure both pets are pain free and have no concerning issues like vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, pain etc. A lot of the time, the newer dog in the household tends to be the aggressor. I would work with each dog separately and together for obedience training. If possible, i would get a professional dog trainer to help. A lot of the time it is the people that need training on how to properly time commands for their pups. Once they have a solid foundation of obedience training I would try a few things that will test ability to ignore one another in the same room, then give one dog attention while the other one ignores it etc. I would reward the dogs for remaining calm. This will help teach them that they can be in the same space and tolerate each other. These can be some helpful training tools that you can start with. However, if the fighting escalates, getting a professional trainer would be highly recommended sooner rather than later! I would really appreciate if you could mark this question as helpful or not as helpful. It allows us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners!

I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem! It sounds like you're on the right track by separating them as much as possible when you're not home - with redirected aggression, managing the dogs to prevent situations like this from occurring is one of the most important parts of treatment. In some cases, it can be possible to teach both dogs to do something else (such as go to a mat) when exciting things happen to prevent Ophelia from becoming overly aroused and aggressive towards Chitsa, but this would really only be feasible when you are at home to manage things - so it wouldn't help much for things that happen when you're gone. I do understand your concerns about crating one of the dogs for long periods of time during the day. I would suggest trying to find a way to separate them that doesn't require using crates - perhaps by putting one of the dogs in a bedroom or other room with the door closed, or using a baby gate or other barrier to keep them apart. If there are certain things that trigger the dogs to become upset (such as seeing people pass by through the window, for example), you could also try using some type of barrier to keep them away from windows or other areas that tend to make them overly aroused. Finally, this behavior can sometimes be improved by prescription medication such as an SSRI like Prozac - you could certainly talk to your veterinarian to see if he/she feels that this might be helpful for Ophelia.

I would recommend placing the crates in different rooms and also putting them in for short periods during the day such as at mealtimes/for chew treats so they become acclimatised to spending quiet time on their own in the crates and do not have such frought reactions when separated physically but not visually at night time. A certified behaviorist would also be worth considering to deal both with the anxiety at crating and also the agressive behaviors

I would keep him in his crate when you aren't there to supervise him. If he gets into your closet and decides to eat one of your items of clothing, and it gets stuck in his GI tract, he'll need surgery. Ideally, if someone can come during the time you're gone to take him out to potty and play a bit, it'll go a long way toward making separation easier for him. Getting him a Kong toy you can put some peanut butter in for him to lick and chew on will also help him pass the time and be less anxious. While you are home, make sure he gets loads of time with you. Play with him, go for walks, runs, take him with you wherever you can take him, get him out to play with other dogs, anything and everything you can to make sure he is tired both physically and mentally. A tired dog is a happy dog. Obedience training is another great way for the two of you to bond, and for him to learn how to behave correctly under different circumstances. PetsMart has puppy kindergarten classes that he is at a great age to start.

It is so hard when they don't get along all the time especially when they are having fights at least 1-2 times per week. I would stop giving them treats together. You can either stop giving treats or put her in a different room when treats are given. I would also consider putting her on a calming chew like vetriscience composure and a calming collar like adaptil. These are natural ways to help take the edge off. Unfortunately, they don't work on all dogs. If this doesn't help, I would talk to your vet about trying an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. I have had some success with anti-anxiety meds in dogs that are the aggressor of a group. I hope this helps!

Gradually increase the amount of time they are physically together as long as there is no aggression. Correct any negative behavior immediately. Consider a pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, to decrease any anxiety or aggression. Provide additional bowls, toys and blankets to prevent resource protection. If the behavior persists, consider a consultation with a certified veterinary behaviorist.