Trigger: Who is this new dog in my house?
Remedy: Supervise your new dog closely for several days, especially when he interacts with your other dog. Praise your dogs for polite behavior.
Trigger: My sister is too close while I eat!
Remedy: Feed your dogs in separate bowls at opposite ends of a room, or in separate rooms.
Trigger: That is MY nyla bone/stuffed monkey/tennis ball/etc.
Remedy: Carefully manage access to objects your dogs might fight about: Bones, toys, beds, etc.
Trigger: When mom is not around, I find my sibling hard to take…
Remedy: Keep your dogs in separate rooms whenever you are not available to supervise.
When to get help.
When is it time to call your dog trainer? If the dogs seem stressed in each other’s presence (won’t eat, pant, avoid each other). If the fights happen more often or get more serious. If you can’t break up the fight with noise. If the fights cause injury to either dog.