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Post by alan on Feb 23, 2009 6:22:28 GMT -5
You hear a lot about dog attacks (maybe more Pit Bull or maybe that's just the ones I pay attention to) involving multiple dogs. The attitude from the media seems to be that these dogs have some kind of a pack bond which makes them go into some kind of an alliance hell bent on destruction for anything that crosses it's path.
I've had a kennel accident a few weeks ago. No one was injured. Edge and Kryptonite got into a scuffle through the fence. They actually grabbed each other through the fence. Anyway, in the midst of breaking it up, I had to keep pushing Jewel back who is still a puppy and was in the fence with Kryptonite. She wanted to help Kryptonite.
That made me wonder why multiple dog attacks happen. In my case, I really think in simple terms, Jewel just wanted to help her buddy.
When multiple dpgs attack people, could it be that even though one dog may have instigated some sort of attack and even though the person is just kicking at the dog to get away, the second dog sees the incident as a fight and tries to help it's buddy?
Or do you see it as just a pack rallying together for a hunt or someting else?
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Post by DogGoneGood on Feb 24, 2009 1:35:35 GMT -5
Pack structures is something I'm very interested in, and dog behavior is something I'm even more interested in. However I'm not a professional behaviorist (yet  ) so most of what I can tell you is opinion based and not fact. Recently I've been involved with helping the woman who runs the local Humane Society clean up the problem with the dogs on the reserve and the reservations in the surrounding communities. After talking to this woman and people who live with these loose dogs on a daily basis, and having a day going out with Angela to witness the situation (the first of MANY days doing this, I can guarantee you that) I've been learning more about the horrific dangers that come with aggressive PACKS of dogs. I've been in the middle and near several pack fights throughout my life. From my understanding it's because of how a pack structure works. With dogs that don't know each other there is of course a possibility others will join in a fight, but I think the possibility is greater with dogs who know each other and have formed a pack (any dogs living together whether it be in a household or on the streets will form a pack). Think of it this way... dogs look out for each other. Specifically, the leader looks out for the rest, but in general they ALL look out for each other. If YOU are the pack leader to your dogs and you start yelling at and threatening another dog with your dogs near you and your body language is NOT telling your dogs 'back off, you don't need to get involved in this" your dogs will automatically join in through posturing, barking etc. It's the same within the dogs, regardless of whether or not you're the pack leader. Take this, and couple it with a dogs natural instincts and you've got trouble. Whether or not it's a fight, or a cat running, or a kid squealing and running, or a toy being thrown, anything that makes lots of noise and moves quickly will spike a dogs interest. EVERY dog has prey drive, from Malinios down to Chihuahuas, just some dogs have more than others. Pit Bulls are higher up in prey drive than some other breeds. Not to mention, the little fact you already know; Pit Bulls were bred to fight other dogs. Some are just naturally dog aggressive and there's no much you can do about it. It's bred into their DNA. Their INSTINCTS are to fight other dogs or animals. If a fight breaks out amongst them you can bet SOMEONE is going to join in. Which side they pick... now that's another story. I'm not sure if it has to do with hierarchy, or what... but they don't seem to take long to decide who's side to be in. Something I find even more interesting than pack dogs ganging up on other dogs or people is this... Coal seems to have a good understanding of "right from wrong"; that is... the right from wrong that I have taught him. He KNOWS that chasing the cats is wrong. If Linkin goes after one of the cats Coal will actually go after LINKIN. I have no doubt that it's Coal giving Linkin heck for doing something that I (as the pack leader) have set as a no negotiating rule. Another example of this is an old dog I had when I was a kid, a Labrador named Blue. One day Blue started freaking out at the door, and being a young, unknowing kid I was, I opened the door and let him out. He took off like a shot so I chased after him. I got to the end of the driveway just in time to hear two little girls SCREAMING and crying and see that the neighbors dog was barking with his hackles up and going around them, he basically had them "cornered". Blue went FLYING down the road and RAMMED into this dog so hard he went flying into the ditch. Blue knew without a doubt that behaving this way towards kids (or people) was WRONG and he literally saved those little girls. Alan, I suggest you invest in some type of guard or double fence. Something like you see in this kennel:  Aluminum panels along the bottom of your fences should help prevent any through fence fighting like that again  |
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Post by alan on Feb 24, 2009 6:13:03 GMT -5
Sounds very logical. We have a chain at the front door which is just a place to put a dog long enough to do his duties. None are ever there more than 20 minutes. That is where Edge was when they got into it. Now that I know that they can get to each other that way, I dont put two out at the same time who are likely to have an incident. I definitely dont put Edge and Kt out at once. One of these days, when $ grows oin trees LOL I want to put up a strong privacy fence.
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Post by DogGoneGood on Feb 24, 2009 13:44:53 GMT -5
I'm not too sure what your fencing looks like, I've seen some pictures but still don't have a clear idea. I think the aluminum sidding at the bottom would do the trick though, and I'm pretty sure it's not TOO pricey, though that probably depends on how much fencing you have to do.
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) so most of what I can tell you is opinion based and not fact.
