my Rotts got in a fight with each other

[pauly123]

1) I have a 3 year old female Dog Pound Rott (roxie)

2) I just adopted another Rott, 1 1/2 year old Pound Rott (brindle)

3) brindle, the new bee, is people friendly, and appeared dog freindly at the pound because she did not fence fight.

4) When bringing brindle home, she began starting with and growling very aggresisvely (lunging) at the 3 year old Roxie who's lived with us for almost a year now.

5) Over the past 5 days, we of course keep the separated. Little by little I have been trying to get them friendly, jogging with them togeter, petting both simulataneously so as not to show preference, etc.

6) My wife let the together in the back yard, the new-bee brindle tied to a tree, the 3 year old free. (maybe not the smartest move).... it looked good. They were sniffing and playing, no aggression, we watched from the kitchen window, happy they were finally getting along.

7) I brought them both up to the deck, and while we were all standing on the deck, new-bee brindle began to play again, somewhat roughly putting her face into the 3 year olds face.
Then, the three year old snapped (probably tired of this young newcomer being a loud mouth instigator).

8) My wife an I could not get the three year old off of new-bee brindle, we were yelling and pulling, the new-bee finally began to whimper because roxie had locked onto side of her head and ear, and with a quick shake tore a piece of her ear off.

9) brindles ear is was lying on our deck, and after all the craziness stopped, roxie was strutting around the house, all smiles, obviously proud she beat out the newcomer. Interested how 3 year old roxie was all intimidated and scared when that new "rowdy" brindle came home 5 days ago. I thought for sure that the brindle would be the one to hurt sensitive roxie. Boy did the tide change, when roxie finally decided she'd had enough of feeling intimidated in her own home of 1 year now, she let loose like a fur covered razor blade and look 20% of the new dogs ear.

I guess I'm going to have to keep them separate until I find the new girl a new home. I wish I could keep both of these beautiful dogs, but I can't risk another ear or worse. Any body out there have comments.

Regards,
Paul

[Mojave's Mom]

How did it go at the vets? You did take her right?

Yes, seperate them. I'm glad to see you understand that keeping them together is not a smart move. Same sex households are usually a problem when both dogs are near the same age. ESPECIALLY females.

Call the shelter you got the dog from and find out if you can return her. Hopefully they will be able to rehome her for you.

[pauly123]

I'll take her to the vets tommorow... I'm working right now (1 car family)

The bleeding stopped, I'd say about 1/2 hour after the tip of the ear was bitten off. My wife put some ointment on it.... do you think the ear could get infected overnight?

Regards,
Paul

[Mojave's Mom]

Yes! I do think it could get infected. Why if both of you were home at the same time did you not take her to the emergency vets right after it happened? Having a portion of an ear torn off is NOT a minor issue! Please, get her to a vet's ASAP!

[pauly123]

oh, and by the way, cant return her to the pound because we save her from death (pound execution) she was supposed to be put down last friday, so we rescued her.

I'll just have to keep them separated obviously, tying one up in the back yard, and one in the front.... and indoors locked in separate parts of the house, until I find her a good home.

Do you think there will ever be a chance for them to get along?
Is there too many things against them?
>> both females
>> both about same age 1 1/2 year, and 3 year
>> one was home with us alot longer that the 5 day adoption
>> now with this fight incident today where an ear tip was lost

Any chance at all of making them friends?

I wish there was a way to have them both.

Regards,
Paul

[Mojave's Mom]

Why do they have to be tied up? Can you crate them in the house separately? How about having one of them in the house while the other one is locked away safely INSIDE THE HOUSE. Tying them to a tree is NOT my idea of keeping them separated or any way of life for any dog. Do they ever come in the house and just hang out with you?

No, I think at this rate you are better off re-homing her so don't consider keeping them both. Two females will fight to the death under most circumstances when they don't get along. Yes, their age is an issue. You won't be able to "train them out of fighting" or "make them friends."

Besides if one or both are spending their lives tied to a tree, one of them is better off in another home where they will be able to be inside with their pack, as Rottweilers are meant to be.

[pauly123]

didnt take her to the vet yet because I had leave for work in about 20 minutes, no time for vet visit and getting to work on time. Of course if there was a major situation like it getting hit by a car, or its neck getting mauled in the fight with bleeding I would had just called in late, but it didn't seem severe enough where it couldn't wait. You thing this is a bad move.

I will take her first thing tommorow, I end my shift at 4:00am (yes I work from 4 in the afternoon to 4 o'clock in the morning)

regards,
paul

[pauly123]

we have our dogs in our living room almost all the time, my wife and I playing with 3 year old roxie (and our min-pin 1 year old boy). We tied them out back when I work the garden. I'm not like some people who tie the dog to a doghouse with a 6 foot chain and only visit to feed and clean doodoo. Our dogs are part of the family (me and my wife for now), when watching tv we stroke the pups and play with them, much attention is given. We were hoping to have the third rott (newly acquired from the pound) join us for movies and family play, but its too much risk now with the lost ear.

We though about crating the new pound girl in the living room with the other rott and minpin, but I think its too late for this stuff now after the fight.

Regards,
Paul

[Mojave's Mom]

Phew, I was hoping you'd say tying them up wasn't a permanent and usual arrangement ;)

[Judi W]

Well, if you already have two Rotts and a min pin that just might be enough dogs anyway. Find a home for this girl after you discover her virtues so you can rehome her properly, give her some training which will help her find a new home, and get back to a normal life. Keeping dogs separted is not a comfy way to live.

[Carina43]

Hi Paul...I have two lovely male Rotties who absolutely despise each other and will never get along. We have to keep them seperate at all times - we do have plenty of room, and crates & seperate yards & all the rest - but it is still difficult! Like you, we very much like our dogs to be part of the family...it is stressful living with these two.

If you do a search on fights/fighting on these forums, you will find quite a bit of discussion...there are several people who post here in the same situation. It's probably unlikely you will ever get yours to live in harmony.

I'm with Judi here - do what you can to find her a suitable home, if at all possible...bless you for rescuing her - good luck with the situation!

Feel free to PM me if you want...I must get back to my taxes now but I know just what you're dealing with. A crate is still a good idea, and also have a back-up plan for breaking up fights so you won't be unprepared the next time...

[LORHEL]

Do you have crates for both dogs, or one that you can rotate....Definitely no tie outs, for either, its worse and they get aggressive being tied up, its not a good thing for rotties.... if you want to keep one outside at a time, maybe you could get a small kennel....they have them at local Home Depots, etc... and you would be able to keep one safe, and keep food/water there, with a doghouse, and lots of shade, you can purchase a top cover, which filters out the sun.... (I don't recommend letting them stay in there for long periods of time, but as an alternative to having them both in the house all the time).....

I am sorry this happened, and I hope that both girls recover.



:(

[iluvrotts]

My two rotties don't get along with each other either. My 18 month old male, Harley, loves all dogs. He is not dog aggressive or food aggressive, not quirky at all. But my 6 year old female rottweiler is very dog aggressive and really hates Harley! She is also food aggressive! If he tries to play with her, she bites him or snaps at him. I love them both though, but I don't think I would ever trust them alone together! Harley is alot bigger than my female rottweiler, but the female wears the pants in the family and is the dominant dog! We keep them in separate crates at night and alternate their "family" time (one is loose in the house while the other is in the crate or in the fenced in backyard). It is hard, but we love them both dearly so we work on it. I wish that they would get along, and I had hoped that they would eventually get used to each other, but unfortunately it hasn't happened.

[pfoley]

Some female dogs are female agressive, You have to be careful of this, as she could actually kill your other female. She would have been better off placed with a neutered male.

[pauly123]

I took the 1 1/2 year old newly adopted female rott ((the one who got her ear ripped and the side her face with some poke holes)) to the vet for antibiotics and a good cleaning of that messy ear ((poor girl)).... only about $75 to get her cleaned up.

That 3 year old female rott was soooo proud after she attacked, prancing around the living room, all smiles.... oh my God, have you ever tried to break up a dog fight??.... what a bloody mess. I was cleaning the yard when the battle broke out, I have my yard gloves on trying to pull off that 80+ pound 3 year old off of the new dogs face.... man... she would NOT LET GO. I was scared for the dog of course, and I was scared for myself, because I was punching the 3 year old to try and get her off.... punching her shoulder areas (and i have a 220 lb bench press so I'm not exactly a weakling) .... my wife came running out side (the fight started in our back yard) with a broom stick and beat the 3 year old maybe 3 for 4 times across the back.... she finally stopped, leaving the new 1 1/2 year old lying on the ground whimpering.

Then.... she came back again, while the dog was just getting up, that dog is all muscle and cannot be stopped... I picked up a rock nearby on my rock wall, I swear to God I was going to bring it down on the 3 year olds head (I didn't know what else to do to get her to stop)... and the 3 year old looked up at me, all smiles, as if I had the Kong Ball and was going to throw it (like we usually do in the back yard). MMAAAANNN, believe me, there is no way in HELL I ever want to be in a position of having to trying to "brain" my dog with a rock to stop the voilence, I thank God that the dog saw my arm-up as some kind of freindly ball game and just sat there for a minute smiling. During this little break my wife went around the back of the 3 year old and bearhugs her (my wife isn't much bigger than the dog) and I dropped the rock and grabbed the dogs front legs... and we both dragged her into the house. Belive me, when Roxie (the 3 year old attacker) was getting carried away from the "battlefield" she was squirrming for more.

By the way, my wifes finger was cut open trying to get her hands in the dogs mouth. pretty bad cut.

Regards
Paul