[Dailydrool] Dogfights

[Riche Churchill]

Unfortunately, I don't have any solution either, other than keeping 
separate.
The real "why" is a mostly a mystery, and I don't think neutering is the 
answer.

We have 5 dogs in the house (upstairs) and 3 in basement (because 8 is 
too many upstairs and one is as big as a small horse). Everyone has 
gotten along just fine for years and years, and suddenly the oldest 
bitch, a 50-lb. lab mix, turned on the 12-lb. Shih Tzu. The former is 
going blind, the latter is also (lately, due probably to being bruised 
around the eyeballs by the former). The little dog, therefore, now can't 
see most of the time and blunders into the big dog, who then attacks her.

The only "final" solution would be, of course, to.... but we won't do 
that... so we must work very hard at keeping them separate at all times. 
This is rather difficult, as one of us is getting extremely forgetful 
(not me) but doable... so far. Crating is not an option, so it's a 
matter of keeping this door open and that door closed and signs on the 
doors and REMEMBERING who is where...

Our next-door-neighbor-daughter has 4 (3 females, 1 male) in her house 
who have gotten along just fine for years... and suddenly there was an 
attack on one of the females by the other two girls (the male slept 
through the furor). Why, oh, why? All are "fixed." What caused it? We 
don't know. Did victim have something, or the other two thought she did? 
(There have been a few possum, mole and mouse corpses found of late...) 
Victim stayed with us a few days for a "cooling off" period; went home, 
and things are fine.... so far... but I know they can now never truly be 
trusted again, and their owners' jobs keep them away up to 13 hours a 
day 6 days a week. My partner and I could hear if a melee began, but by 
the time we limped over there, much damage would occur and I'm not at 
all sure we could stop it anyway, as both of us old and decrepit.

Separation is the only guarantee. Unfortunately, when crating is 
involved, it can lead to more doggy resentment (even tho "experts" say 
there's no such thing). If you ever watched Cesar Milan's show, you know 
he thinks he can "cure" dogs of fighting each other (other experts think 
so, too), but I've always wondered what really happened -- sooner or 
later -- after trainers pronounce them "cured" and leave the household 
for good.

My 2 cents.
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