2 little bitches that are real bitches

[Black Rock Ridge Beagles]

I have been visiting this board for quite sometime now and Bev I must say this is an excellent site. Now that I,ve gotten the brown noseing out of the way LOL. My son and I have 2 females in our kennel that can not stand each other. They work and hunt great with our dogs and other people's dogs. It's when these 2 dogs are together things are OK for a while and then without any warning Ginger (the youngest of the 2) jumps Annie and the fur flys Annie will not back down. We have tried to let them duke it out, but I think they would actually kill each other. After we have stepped in and broken them apart the grudge continues for the rest of the day. So, we now have to hunt them separately. Other than getting rid of one or the other, which we would hate to do. Anybody got and ideas on how to mellow these 2 little hussies out?

Why can't we all just git along?

[SouthernBeagles]

I have found that the battle for alpha amongst the bitches is more severe and extreme than with the males. The males do alot af bucking up, but rarely end in blood baths. The females are a whole different story. Its all about power.
My suggestion is to kennel them seperatly and run them both with e-collers when together. If they start the crap while running, give them enough correction to stop the behavior. Regardless of the kennel behavior, fighting is UNEXCEPTABLE in the feild. I would also wach them closely to see who is starting it. You may be able to correct one without punishing the other if it seems one sided.
Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

[New York Hillbilly]

I have to make this quick cause I have to get to work but it is important to make this post first. Seperate them as soon as you can!! I always allowed my hounds to work out their differences in the past as they establish the pecking order in the pack, within reason. It is after all the way of the pack. As time goes by the hierarchy is bound to make some changes, someone moves up someone moves down till each knows his or her place. However, this winter one bitch I had that would constantly challenge the two kennel mates she was kept with took it to far. My hounds are as a rule peacefull and have fought with each other only a coupleof times in all the years I remember. But this bitch had an attitude problem! She would get it in her head to attack the other two and they would let her have her way to avoid conflick. Well guess what? I went out to feed one morning and the two good girls came out into the run to greet me. I thought someone had gotten cut as there was blood all over the snow. When I looked closer I saw both had scrapes around the muzzles and tufts of hair missing. The mean one did not make out so well! She lay there half in and out of the kennel ripped to ribbons, disembowled and dead. I was mortified to think my hounds who never so much as growled were capable of such an act. They obviously had had enough and doubled teamed her when she started her nonsense. In the future I will be much more careful to get rid of those that seem to never find or except their place in the pack. The outcome can be devestating if not addressed. I now know!!
Best of luck,
NYH

[RainbowBeagles]

I would definately separate these two dogs if their fights are that intense. I to once had a dog that was killed (disembolwed) by her kennel mates. These dogs (four bitches) had been hunted and housed together for about a year before the incident happened. My experience with various dogs over the years has shown that once a dog gets another dog down in a fight, that others will soon join in and serious injury or death can result. It appears that as a group they are capable of the unthinkable. I now house dogs only in pairs and monitor their behavior for compatability. Overly aggressive dogs are housed alone and sold if need be.

[Bev]

We can never forget that they are still dogs. They have instincts that remain beyond their own understanding, so anytime you don't feel right in your gut about a kenneling situation, don't do it. I've had bitches that just wouldn't get along if they were within 5 feet of each other. Didn't dare ask them to share the same personal space. Oddly enough, I see this behavior more often with the subordinate Beta females. Two girls, both with their eye on assuming the throne should the Alpha female succumb.

When all dogs were wild, nature prepared the Beta female to step in should anything happen to the Alpha. They could even come into milk and finish raising a left-behind litter if need be. Although our domesticated versions have lost many of the physiological functions, they still exhibit behaviors of old days. Beta females can be bold - often fooling one into thinking they are the Alpha. They are assuming a lot of the functions of the Alpha as "practice". Most Alphas are glad to let them do the work, but when push comes to shove, they know who's who.

One way to tell if 2 bitches could possibly be "mortal" enemies is to recognize the body language and cut it off at the path. As you know, males will puff up, face each other most of the time, tails erect, hackles up, etc. Bitches will do what I call the "swapping ends" act. They will sidle up to each other facing opposite directions, tails at 12:00 and just dare one another to move. I keep bitches like this apart in kenneling situations. When they are loose in the yard, keep a handle on them and if either still fought in the field, it wouldn't stay in my pack. A move down the road to a different pack, or to the hunter that just keeps a single hunting dog may solve the problem.

If you feel it's more nuisance scrapping (young females just stretching their skin a bit) I'd follow Southern Beagle's advice of applying correction (of whatever method you're comfortable with) until they both get the message that YOU are the Alpha Supreme and you don't give them permission to fight.

Drawn out answer to a simple question - I'm guilty of that a lot. Welcome to the board!

[brier]

this is a late post but this is one i feel strongly about ive had beagles now for three yrs and i have never let my dogs fight i have noticed also the big inconvenience,from running others dogs, it causes to have dogs that do fight both bithches and males. if you let dogs fight it will eventually turn into a nightmare that will always haunt you. i always severly punish my dogs when they even think about fighting a growl from an old bitch means corrective behavior. but i also make it very easy for my dogs to get along at all times. if you take these measures you will enjoy your dogs much more.one more thing dont put the females in seperate kennels right next to each or they will fight through the fence.