How do I get these 2 dogs to stop driving each other crazy?

[TraciParmer]

I adopted 2 huskies in the past year.  The first one (Yuko) was adopted in January 2021 and is approximately 4 years old now and 70lbs.  He's a pretty chill and friendly dog.  He had some separation anxiety which led to us getting another husky as they are pack animals.  He was found on the streets and was severely underweight when I got him.  The second one (Niko) was adopted in June.  He is approximately 2 years old now and 45 lbs.  He is a little more rambunctious.  He was initially adopted by another family when he was about 9 months old and returned to the rescue at about 1.5 years old. 

They love to play with each other and for the most part get along really well.  However, they both have a habit of stealing things from each other and annoying each other like human siblings often do.  This is mostly done with their rawhide rolls.  They always seem to want the one that the other has.  Yuko will have one and eventually Niko will steal the one Yuko had and then later on Yuko steals it back and so on.  There can be 4 of them laying around and they will both want the one particular rawhide.  This has led to Yuko preemptively barking at Niko anytime Yuko has a rawhide.  Niko will be a bit of a brat and keep going right next to Yuko even though Yuko has made it clear he wants space.  Of course, Niko barks back at Yuko and then they just bark at each other until they eventually settle down.  I usually take Yuko's rawhide and throw it in his crate, but he has crate anxiety and so he just immediately grabs it and goes right back to where he was.  This repeats several times and then he gets the message and settles down.  I trained them to share, so they will both eat out of my hand together totally fine, so sometimes I will just pick up the rawhides and hold them out and say share and then they each take one and go lay down, but the barking always starts up again after awhile.  The funny thing is that at other times they will lay next to each other chewing on their rawhides peacefully.  

The other times they get tiffy with each other is if someone is in the kitchen (I have gates because Yuko will raid the trash) or if someone has food.  They are basically fighting over who has dibs on any food or treats that might exist.  Yuko definitely gives Niko the message that he has dibs, but Niko doesn't just let Yuko boss him around.    It's really only in situations of anticipation.  Once anything is actually being distributed they are able to sit nicely next to each other and take their things one at a time or at the same time.  The dibs arguement is usually just barking and pushing, but it has led to actual fights several times.  This happened the week before last and during the fight Niko bit Yuko on the front leg and gave him a gash that thankfully did not need stitches.  Yuko is now preemptively barking much more frequently.  

Niko does have trouble sharing the attention of people and always tries to push Yuko out of the way any time he is getting pets.  We've been working on that and Niko has gotten significantly better about it, but since the fight Yuko got extra care and attention and so Niko has backslid on that and Yuko is having less tolerance for that behavior.  

I really want to address this because I would hate for them to become unable to tolerate each other and have to rehome one.  They do actually get along and enjoy each other's company, but they also like to bug each other.  And the barking is driving us crazy, especially because Yuko has a very loud, sharp bark.  Any ideas or help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[JMFS]

I think management is going to be suggested.  Whether they normally share wonderfully or not there's that underlying tension.  The more they get to rehearse the bullying / stealing behavior, the more rewarding it is, and the more it will be performed.  When I give treats Esther goes to her kennel.  There's a post around her, "Esther Shares, Gertie Does Not."  Gertie is Highly tolerant and patient, but she is not one to share her treats.  She Used to, but my first pup, Momo, had major issues with resource guarding.  She learned the behavior from him.  We can take whatever we need to away from her and she looks offended, but she concedes.  I always give her something better in return so that smooths any ruffled feathers (as if - she's such a sweetheart!).  If Esther, Abbi, or the cat (Monkey) tries to so much as investigate what she has, she'll get snippy.  Esther will happily share, but once Gertie gets snippy then Esther takes it up a notch and it escalates to a fight.

So, for us it makes the most sense to keep them separated from one another when anything of any value is given (we never know what's going to be perceived as valuable so we err on the side of caution). 

Separating can be as simple as putting one in the kitchen (preferably Niko if he doesn't raid the trash) to enjoy the item while the other gets to revel in theirs elsewhere.  That prevents the bullying behavior of stealing the item as well as keeping fights from happening.

That's just my recommendation based on my experience.  Especially since there has now been an injury between the boys.

Something else that comes to mind is teaching them to retire to a mat (or bed if they have separate beds), on opposite sides of the room, when they have a treat.  Since you have trained them to take things one at a time as they're being distributed this might be a viable option.  Then a correction can be issued when one goes after the treat the other has.  Maybe the treat they had gets taken up if they leave the mat and reappears when they go to the mat so they learn the only time they get to have a treat is when they're on the mat.  If you need to leash one or the other, or both, to the spot, there's nothing wrong with that.  Esther is leashed when we sit on the couch because she'll wander off and get into Everything, and there's a good chance she'll pee as well (she's incontinent).

Another thought:  Yuko doesn't take kindly to his crate, but what about Niko?  And does Yuko leave Niko alone if Niko is in a crate, or will he just go over to the crate and bark at poor Niko?

Without knowing how you're working on the attention sharing, the way we trained it was when Esther was getting loving and Gertie was trying to butt in I'd have my husband body block Gertie while I told her, "Esther's turn."  Then we'd switch and it was "Gertie's turn."  If it was just me I'd turn my back to the one who was trying to horn in on the action.  It's something we have to stay on top of because they both love to be loved.  Gertie is more acquiescent and Esther is the bully in our household.

 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello and welcome to the forums!

There is indeed such a thing as "the husky blues" that is seen when huskies feel lonely and bored or when they are cooped up for too long. It was nice of you to get Yuko a friend to share the home with and play. It sounds like they are good buddies, although you have been noticing some conflict lately. 

The dynamics you present are not uncommon.  Indeed, according to a study, the dogs most involved in fights are same-sex dogs with female dogs being overrepresented, followed by male dogs. This implies that fights in male/female combinations were less common (although in my experience not unheard of).

Typically, the instigators of most fights were younger dogs and the second dogs added in the home. Many dogs in the study had risk factors known for predisposing dogs to fights such as coming from a shelter or pet store, acquiring the dog after the critical socialization window or acquiring a singleton puppy. 

The presence of the owner appears to play a big factor. Half of the cases required veterinary attention for treatment of dog wounds and medical treatment for owner injuries sustained from attempting to break up a fight. The severity of the attacks were greater among dogs sharing the home than dogs who did not.

The first episodes of fighting typically occur when one dog reaches social maturity (this takes place typically between 12 and 36 months) and starts becoming confident enough to use aggression to control access to resources. It is also seen when one dog starts getting older.

The owner intervening to support a particular dog can also contribute to fights, creating instability and increased conflict.

With this in mind, on the positive side, out of the 217 dogs involved in the study,  55 pairs (25.3%) had poor outcomes (with 23 pairs requiring complete separation from one another), while of the remaining 162 pairs, 100 (61.7%) did not have to be separated following behavioral intervention,  while 32 (19.8%) had to be separated during triggers, and 21 (13%) were kept separate when unsupervised and during triggers, and 9 (5.6%) were kept muzzled when together and supervised.

So this means that despite some negative outcomes, there is always some good level of hope for things to get better especially when intervention is sought in a timely manner.

On the plus side, you mention that they seem to get along well most of the time and that they play well. It also sounds like the most conflict occurs in presence of rawhide rolls, which is suggestive that you can control the situation at least in this aspect. It's also good that that most disagreements are just loud noise and for the most part ritualistic, although you do mention recently an instance of Niko biting Yuko producing a gash but it didn't need stitches. Yet, although this demonstrates that Niko has some good bite inhibition, we need to tread with caution when things escalate like this, as with time, Niko may use this strategy more and more because it has "worked" in the past. 

Now, I must share some ugly bite incidents. Although dogs may leave only a gash, even a  simple gash can turn ugly requiring several stitches. Not too long ago, when I trained at a facility where doggy day care took place, two daycare employees held two dogs by the rear legs (wheel barrow method) to separate them. While this method worked to separate them, a small bite puncture turned into an ugly long laceration requiring 12 stitches because one dog was pulled away as his tooth snagged on the other dog's skin. This can happen as well when one dog is biting and the other dog pulls away. 

As Jennifer already pointed out, management is very important as part of a treatment plan. Management, entails removing all potential souses of conflict to prevent rehearsing problematic behaviors. This means no longer giving high value items or no longer giving them when the dogs are in presence of each other.  If a crate is not possible, you can use baby gates, indoor tethers, one dog in the yard while another in the home,  and see which of these options work best to remove any form of tension.  In some cases, even eye contact can be a trigger, so factor that in and use visual barriers or whatever method prevents that. 

Even with attention, considering their history of fighting, best not to give it when in presence of each other if that is a source of conflict that could escalate if not tackled correctly. If on the other hand, the kitchen area is a "hot spot" for tension, place a baby gate so no dog can get close to the areas of tension and do not give food to either dog in this area so there is no anticipation for something. 

Cases of conflict between dogs sharing the household can be complex, and often require the intervention of a professional for the most custom-tailored behavior modification plan. This is because fights between dogs may potentially escalate, and getting in between two highly aroused dogs that are fighting puts owners at great risk of getting injured due to redirection (dogs in an aroused state tend to bite anybody who gets in between them). Your best bet is, therefore, to consult with a dog behavior professional such as a certified behavior specialist (CAAB) or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) who can carry out an assessment and provide in-person guidance on the best approach based on several factors.

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional (DACVB, CAAB or dog trainer specializing in aggression) who uses force-free behavior modification techniques for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.