Why do they do that?

[alan]

I have four dogs. In pairs, they have always gotten along SO FAR which I dont leave them alone unattended. Each pair has a male and a female. Both pairs do the same thing in that the male dog attacks the female to the point that it looks and sounds like they are having a huge dog fight. There is growling, screaming and bodies flying. It doesnt look like play because they APPEAR to be angry. Yet no one ever gets hurts. No one ever bites anyone. No one leaves a mark of any kind. This has happened many many times.

I know its not a fight because I can yell HEY and it stops on a dime. It doesnt matter if it has went on for 2 minutes. They stop at the slightest sound of my displeasure. Not only that, they will resume playing like it never happened. When dogs are really fighting, they will have to be separated to get them to stop.

What causes this is seems to be different things. Sometimes it seems to be a fight for attention. Sometimes it seems to be misdirected aggression. Sometimes it seems to be the male dog trying to prove dominance. I just wondered if there is some kind of pack language going on here.

[DogGoneGood]

I'd say there's definitely some kind of pack language going on. Sounds kind of like a minor disagreement over which game to play I don't speak dog, obviously, so we may never know what exactly going on, but my two (male and male) do this a lot too.

Usually when it happens it's because the two of them are playing and Linkin gets waaaay too jazzed (it's always Linkin making all the ruckus too - just like it's always your males). In my pack Coal is of higher rank than Linkin. I don't know if this plays any part or not... usually what it seems like happens is somebody takes it a little too far (usually Linkin) and the other gets mad and/or doesn't want to play anymore. Of course though, the one who pushed it too far in the first place is already way too pumped up so won't stop easily, so it escalades into a lot of noise and a scary looking display. This is usually where I step in and break it up. Just like you said, I can make a loud "HEY" or step in and break it up and everything's fine. No one gets hurt, so it's obvious no one's "out for blood". I like to think of it more like a "disagreement".

Just like with people, dogs aren't always going to get along either. Even if you pair them like all the books say (with complimenting personalities and male + female) they're still going to get into spats every now and then. Some may be more like you and I would get into a heated arguing fight - which is basically I think what you're seeing, while others may turn into an all out brawl. I wonder sometimes if I let them keep arguing if it would escalade that far, or if they'd figure it out themselves. I kind of don't want to take the chance though.

Here's something interesting that I can't seem to quite figure out that's an odd display of behavior, somewhat similar to what we're talking about; Coal tends to go after Linkin a lot when we get home or suddenly come into their little group after some time away. For example: the two of them usually spend the whole day out in the pen when I'm working (unless it's miserable out then mom will be nice and let them in), so it's basically just the two of them for 7 and a half hours straight. When I come home first thing I do is put my bags in the house and then go out and bring them in. Every time they see me coming Coal will chase after Linkin. It always turns into this big display where they're both all riled up, but no obvious intent for injury. I have to yell at them or sometimes even physically break it up before they stop. But it's ALWAYS Coal who starts it. Same goes for when they were tied up, obviously they weren't within each other’s reach but Coal would always be screaming at the end of his line trying to go after Linkin. And of course, because Linkin is SO easily stimulated his drive exceeds Coal's when Coal does this, so it turns into this vicious circle where they're each WAY too riled up.

This is one of the reasons Linkin got into the habit of taking off and I couldn't trust him off leash; because Coal would literally chase him out of the yard every chance he got. When I first got Linkin I could trust him off leash just fine, it wasn't until Coal started chasing him away that I had to start leashing him constantly (that and when he started chasing my neighbors kids ).

Anyway, I've come up with a few explanations but I will probably never really know why Coal does this... the first (and i think this may be how it was originally started, if it's not why he still does it) I think is pure jealousy. Coal was an "only child" for 5 years. He never had to share his food, treats, toys, home, and my attention with anyone else. This is actually why he ended up developing possessive issues (specifically food aggression). Then along came Linkin and all of a sudden Coal wasn't the only one I was focused on all day. And especially with how much attention Linkin demanded (and still does) because of his behavior problems and lack of training (and the fact he was like a BIG puppy!).

Now I think it may be the jealousy thing and I think it may have something to do with that they just get so excited to see me and so Coal stars a really hyped up game. His drive level just goes too high up and he needs an outlet, and Linkin's the poor unsuspecting outlet sitting right there!

I think some doggy behavior I may never full understand, I could come up with a million theories and still might be wrong. Only way to know is to ask them, and I don’t think they’ll be telling me any time soon