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<DIV>The dominance theory has pretty much been debunked by recent behavioral
scientists. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You are in the middle of what sounds like resource guarding. It is
possible for one dog to guard food while another guards toys, etc.
Resource guarding is a normal behavior that is carried over from the days when
dogs scavenged for food and had to hide it and fight over it in order to
survive. That is no longer the way it is, but for some dogs, especially
one who may not have had much when he was little and now a new dog is in the
picture and trying to take "his" stuff.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My first suggestion is to remember to reward them frequently for the
behaviors you want. Start to watch for quiet calm behaviors around each
other and treat, treat, treat.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My next suggestion is to pick up all toys and feed individually in separate
areas. Then pick up all the food bowls and let them back in
together. I would also get crates. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Time outs are often amazingly effective as training tools for this type of
aggression. Time out should not be any longer than 10 minutes or so at the
most, and sometimes just a few seconds is enough to "reset" a dog. They
should go to time out any time they growl, stare or become stiff. These
behaviors alert you to worse coming. You may want to hook them up with a leash
and not collar grab. The crates should not be within eyesight of each
other or they will develop barrier aggression.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When they come out of time out, it is often effective to redirect to an
activity such as a walk outside. It takes off the edge of meeting the
other dog again. Then when they come back in, I would ask each dog to go
to a place in the home and lie down. It would be nice to reward them for
calm, receptive behaviors if they do this.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would also keep them separated when you are not home and allow them
to be together with you when they are nice. That will keep them from
getting injured and it will keep them from practicing the behaviors you
don't want. If one gets a time out -- I would give them both a
time out.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If they engage, I like metal bowls and bang them together right by their
heads repeatedly and they usually kind of startle and stop fighting long enough
to get one into a crate or another area, and then I grab up the other one.
I have also had success with throwing them into the same crate, but I don't
advise you do this unless you are really good at managing dogs. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The good news is that normally the worse damage a basset does to another is
to nick an ear. The bad news is that it bleeds like crazy sometimes and
they seem to be killing each other. I have seen two dogs sound like they
are killing each other but are just posturing. If that is the case, you
may want to let them finish, but it tends to get worse, which is why I like to
keep it from happening to begin with.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Do a Google on Resource Guarding and read more about it. I still
think prevention and rewarding the behaviors you want, then using your time outs
and managing their environment is the best bet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best*</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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