Fighting and what to do??

My 6 month old, usually beautiful, if not boisterous male staffy recently attacked the 4 year old also male staff he lives with.
We were on holidays, and had been there for about 4 hours.
This was an isolated incedent, but it was very agressive and very frightening.
Odin (the puppy) chased down the older dog and lock jawed onto his neck, we got him off by throwing him into the water.
Our boys have lived together since july, they scrap and play fight but nothing like what happened here.
I think the main issue here is that they are both entire.
My question is what I should do with my baby.... Since this incident there has been no signs of aggression at all!
I love him to bits, but after speaking with my vet,she told me getting him desexed and removing him from the other dog may not resolve his aggression. She also recommened me taking a month off work to go through one on one obedience training with him, which I cannot afford in time or money.
I'm wondering if anyone else has had a situation like this, and come out with their dog and a succes story, or is it kinder for my beautiful Odin to go to someone with excessive time and money to spend on him.
He is removed from the other dog, but desexed or not, can he be with other dogs in the future? Will he attack a person? Will giving him up make him happy? I have a lot of unanswered questions, 2 choices and a lot of tears....
If anyone out there has any advice I'd appreciate it so much!
Thank you!

Rach&Odin wrote:He is removed from the other dog, but desexed or not, can he be with other dogs in the future? Will he attack a person? Will giving him up make him happy? I have a lot of unanswered questions, 2 choices and a lot of tears....
If anyone out there has any advice I'd appreciate it so much!
Thank you!

I take it this is the only time this has happened, and it happened in a strange place? If so, although I would keep a very close eye on them but I wouldn't be too worried at the moment. Being in a strange place can upset some dogs until they settle down.

Castration, especially at such a young age, could make matters worse and would probably not make anything better. And no, it doesn't mean he will attack a human - staffords have what is almost an extra sense when it comes to knowing the difference between dogs & humans; even a highly dog aggressive staff won't touch a human!

For the time being I'd keep them seperated when you're not there, and just watch them for any behaviour that could lead to an escalation.

Are there any training classes you could attend in the evenings so that he can adjust to being in strange situations with strange dogs?

2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Jason wrote:2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Castration is not guaranteed to change behaviour, and in fact rarely does. Many dogs will fight as a 'one off' thing because things are 'different' for some reason & they cannot adjust quickly enough to cope with it.

That's why I feel that the holiday could be the reason here.

Caryll wrote:

Jason wrote:2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Castration is not guaranteed to change behaviour, and in fact rarely does. Many dogs will fight as a 'one off' thing because things are 'different' for some reason & they cannot adjust quickly enough to cope with it.

That's why I feel that the holiday could be the reason here.

yeah true.. all i know is that 2 males usually will gradually fight more and more to be top dog.. Im just trying think of something to take those hormones away ;P

It isn't hormones! It's an inability to cope with a stressful situation, by the sound of it. Only time will tell if it was a one off or not.

Sounds like a worrying time for you. It sounds like an isolated attack that was probably caused by a strange place. I would not worry too much about it

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:

Jason wrote:2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Castration is not guaranteed to change behaviour, and in fact rarely does. Many dogs will fight as a 'one off' thing because things are 'different' for some reason & they cannot adjust quickly enough to cope with it.

That's why I feel that the holiday could be the reason here.

yeah true.. all i know is that 2 males usually will gradually fight more and more to be top dog.. Im just trying think of something to take those hormones away ;P

I find bitches are worse, they keep a grudge, whereas boys just get on with things. Not saying that is always the case, but in experience, I would prefer to have 2 boys than 2 bitches.

It could have been that they were both in a strange place. As Caryll has already stated castration is by no means a be all and end all solution to anything and can in fact make things worse.

See if you have a behaviourist in your area and have a chat with them about the issues with your two dogs. I'm sure a solution can be found.

Caryll wrote:It isn't hormones! It's an inability to cope with a stressful situation, by the sound of it. Only time will tell if it was a one off or not.

no i think its a typical hormone problem.. males fight for dominance

rescuestaffords wrote:

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:

Jason wrote:2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Castration is not guaranteed to change behaviour, and in fact rarely does. Many dogs will fight as a 'one off' thing because things are 'different' for some reason & they cannot adjust quickly enough to cope with it.

That's why I feel that the holiday could be the reason here.

yeah true.. all i know is that 2 males usually will gradually fight more and more to be top dog.. Im just trying think of something to take those hormones away ;P

I find bitches are worse, they keep a grudge, whereas boys just get on with things. Not saying that is always the case, but in experience, I would prefer to have 2 boys than 2 bitches.

i had two bitches once and the big one would always attack her over food but never anything else.

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:It isn't hormones! It's an inability to cope with a stressful situation, by the sound of it. Only time will tell if it was a one off or not.

no i think its a typical hormone problem.. males fight for dominance

No, they don't. They fight because one has irritated/annoyed the other! Very little to do with hormones, which is why castration rarely works!

Don't get too hung up on the 'dominance' issues - it's been proved to be misleading at best, and downright nonsense at worst.

Caryll wrote:

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:It isn't hormones! It's an inability to cope with a stressful situation, by the sound of it. Only time will tell if it was a one off or not.

no i think its a typical hormone problem.. males fight for dominance

No, they don't. They fight because one has irritated/annoyed the other! Very little to do with hormones, which is why castration rarely works!

Don't get too hung up on the 'dominance' issues - it's been proved to be misleading at best, and downright nonsense at worst.

well when our neighbors dog comes on heat most of the males on the estate fight even when shes indoors.. Always fighting over her

That's a bitch in heat, not two males living in the same house.

And if the males on your estate fight over her, then they are not being kept sufficiently under control, and neither is she!

Caryll wrote:That's a bitch in heat, not two males living in the same house.

And if the males on your estate fight over her, then they are not being kept sufficiently under control, and neither is she!

ok ok well.. The jack Russell I live with and the pug x I live with fight even when they can just smell her on heat!.. All the males even though on leads are not trusted to go near each other when my neighbours bitch is on heat.. This is hormonal... This is a dominance issue.

It's a lack of proper training.

Certainly nothing to do with dominance!

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:

Jason wrote:2 mature males fight.... I so want another male but I cant risk it. If they were neutered they might not fight idk

Castration is not guaranteed to change behaviour, and in fact rarely does. Many dogs will fight as a 'one off' thing because things are 'different' for some reason & they cannot adjust quickly enough to cope with it.

That's why I feel that the holiday could be the reason here.

yeah true.. all i know is that 2 males usually will gradually fight more and more to be top dog.. Im just trying think of something to take those hormones away ;P

I have two male bullies and they never fight so it can work, it MAY just be more hard work

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:That's a bitch in heat, not two males living in the same house.

And if the males on your estate fight over her, then they are not being kept sufficiently under control, and neither is she!

ok ok well.. The jack Russell I live with and the pug x I live with fight even when they can just smell her on heat!.. All the males even though on leads are not trusted to go near each other when my neighbours bitch is on heat.. This is hormonal... This is a dominance issue.

Stop chatting out your bum Jason! Two hormonal males fighting over a bitch in heat and 2 dogs who have always lived together having a fight in unfamiliar surroundings are very different things I don't even know how you can compare them! As Caryll says the only thing you can do from now on is monitor their behaviour closely, this is the only way you will be able to tell if its sexual maturity related, dominance related or just unsettledness from things changing. Watch very closely in certain situations, especially new places and surroundings. Does the younger dog tend to tense up and act nervous or unsettled?

Nosipho wrote:

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:That's a bitch in heat, not two males living in the same house.

And if the males on your estate fight over her, then they are not being kept sufficiently under control, and neither is she!

ok ok well.. The jack Russell I live with and the pug x I live with fight even when they can just smell her on heat!.. All the males even though on leads are not trusted to go near each other when my neighbours bitch is on heat.. This is hormonal... This is a dominance issue.

Stop chatting out your bum Jason! Two hormonal males fighting over a bitch in heat and 2 dogs who have always lived together having a fight in unfamiliar surroundings are very different things I don't even know how you can compare them! As Caryll says the only thing you can do from now on is monitor their behaviour closely, this is the only way you will be able to tell if its sexual maturity related, dominance related or just unsettledness from things changing. Watch very closely in certain situations, especially new places and surroundings. Does the younger dog tend to tense up and act nervous or unsettled?

your an idiot?? I was proving how some males fight due to hormones. Yes this topic might not be hormonal or it might be, but I was stating facts that it usual is. It was an example of why some males fight for dominance.. It's researchable.

It isn't dominance, it's just who gets the bitch first! Dogs aren't like wolves, they don't limit themselves to one breeding pair. They're promiscuous & will take their chances wherever they can.

I'm not saying they fight over her as such I'm saying they seem to just be on edge because they know a bitch is on heat.

Caryll wrote:staffords have what is almost an extra sense when it comes to knowing the difference between dogs & humans; even a highly dog aggressive staff won't touch a human!

I just want to second this, as my girl is highly dog aggressive with most dogs but she is the sweetest girl ever and has never once showed any aggression to humans.

Also, Jason watch your tone please. There is no need to call people idiots, especially people with a lot of real life information.

Hayley wrote:Also, Jason watch your tone please. There is no need to call people idiots, especially people with a lot of real life information.

well to be fair I'm the one giving real life information not what I've read like some plus I was insulted first and sorry but I won't take it.. Thanks xx

Jason wrote:

Hayley wrote:Also, Jason watch your tone please. There is no need to call people idiots, especially people with a lot of real life information.

well to be fair I'm the one giving real life information not what I've read like some plus I was insulted first and sorry but I won't take it.. Thanks xx

I hardly think that two successful breeders/showers combined have less real life information than you.

Hayley wrote:

Jason wrote:

Hayley wrote:Also, Jason watch your tone please. There is no need to call people idiots, especially people with a lot of real life information.

well to be fair I'm the one giving real life information not what I've read like some plus I was insulted first and sorry but I won't take it.. Thanks xx

I hardly think that two successful breeders/showers combined have less real life information than you.

well now your jumping in with random statements... I havnt claimed that I have more information if you had read at all above, but I have given real life information.. All I've said here was what I've seen and what I believe is what I'm seeing.. You on the other hand are not helping the situation.. I like a decent debate on what the problem might be unless something is a fact.. I'm not here to argue at all and I won't really because its childish so let's drop it yeah cool

I have no quarrel with you. Just watch what you're saying and think about how it comes across.

Yeah now that's fair enough

Jason wrote:

Caryll wrote:That's a bitch in heat, not two males living in the same house.

And if the males on your estate fight over her, then they are not being kept sufficiently under control, and neither is she!

ok ok well.. The jack Russell I live with and the pug x I live with fight even when they can just smell her on heat!.. All the males even though on leads are not trusted to go near each other when my neighbours bitch is on heat.. This is hormonal... This is a dominance issue.

Reproductive instinct is very strong. I wouldn't call it a dominance issue, not in the usual sense of the word. That kind of implies fighting to see who's the boss, who's in charge, etc., whereas when it comes to females on heat, it's really just...trying to pass on their genes.

Dogs can be weird to people sometimes. They seem to fight over absolutely nothing, and then they're fine. Maybe it was being in a different place, or maybe it was something the older dog did that the young one didn't like. Things can escalate quickly with dogs, and then when it's over it's forgotten about, no grudges held. Personally, I wouldn't be too worried, I'd just keep them supervised when together to be on the safe side. If it happens more, then I'd start looking into your options on how to identify the cause and deal with it, but until then, since it's a one-off, I think you should treat it as a one-off

Now, now children stop fighting.
Everyone has different opinions and experiences, which by sharing with others will almost certainly give some guidance.
At the end of the day, however, it is only guidance as although we all have gorgeous staffies, they are invariable quite different in their own rights and what works for some, may not work for all.