Are there any dog breeds that WON'T fight??

[Bluey]

Some breeds are known for more problems with dog to dog aggression, but in general, it is the management and sex and hierarchy that may make enemies of some dogs in the same household.

When that escalates to real fights, it is not fair to make them have to live the rest of their lives with a sworn enemy around and on their toes about it, better to rehome one to a suitable new home.

Some of our dog club members have that problem and, being good competition dogs, they just kennel them and manage them separately.
A friend has two right now, a border collie and a rat terrier, that she keeps in separate kennels.

I don’t know, I don’t think I would do that to both dogs, just because they serve a purpose of my own, but maybe I would try, if it happened to my dogs.

We have been lucky that we never had dog fights with any dog of any breed and at times we had up to 7 dogs in the house, from a saint bernard, aussie, rottie, dobies, minpin and always toy poodles.
We always had a grumpy toy poodle that ruled the roost with an iron paw.:eek:
Guess we were just lucky there.

I don’t think anyone can say what breed or sex would get along with certainty, as problems may crop up with any breed or sex combination.
Of course a sheltie won’t get into the kind of fight a pit bull would.
Even if a sheltie didn’t like another dog, they are some of the less aggressive dogs around.

There are studies that show clearly that raising two puppies together, if of the same litter or not, tends to be one situation where they may, once they mature, if both are about the same dominance level, start serious fighting.

That is the only situation we can say definitely that, unless you are going to raise them at least part of the day, every day, clearly separated from each other, if you let them raise each other, your chances of them fighting it out as grown dogs is much higher than if they had been raised in different households.

It is very heartbreaking to have pets living together and one day some start to fight so seriously they injure or even kill, but that is dogs for you sometimes.

[grey_pony1]

Swissie, cattle dog, and walker hound are boys, and beagle is a girl. All neutered and spayed.

So it just makes me question why you’ve had so many aggressive dogs (or at least you make it sound that way) over your life time.

I wouldn’t say I have had a lot of aggressive dogs. We had 3 different female pit bulls growing up, and a male doberman. The two females that we had at the same time, would fight about once per year. I don’t know why my parents kept them both after the first time they fought - it was so horrifying each time, and I remember my parents trying to spray them with a hose, and pry them apart with a cane. If I had been an adult, I would have never kept them both! But they were my best friends as a kid, and slept in bed with me every night.

The only dogs I have owned as an adult are the 4 listed in my original post. Only the swissie and cattle dog have gotten in fights, and only recently have they had 2 bad fights. I will ask the vet about any aging issues that may be causing their increased aggression.

Stay away from terriers and a lot of the working dogs that form intense human bonds - they often are not that tolerant of other dogs irritating them.

The cattle dog does get irritated when other dogs try to play with him. The only dogs he plays with are MIL’s beagle mix, and a golden retriever belonging to our friend. The swissie is constantly bouncing around trying to get somebody to play, and none of the other dogs will.

[grey_pony1]

Also, speaking of hierarchy, I was taught to always feed them in a certain order starting with the alpha. They have to sit, and wait with their food in front of them until we say “ok.” They are all fed in the same spot each time, spaced out around the kitchen and living room. I have also been told that is bunk, and it doesn’t matter what order they are fed in. Opinions?

The cattle dog has always been the alpha, but the swissie has gotten increasingly “vocal” - sometimes he will just lay there and eyeball the cattle dog, and do a low groan or whine. We tell him to quit, but I can still see him “eyeballing” the cattle dog even when he’s quiet.

[MizzouMom]

AAAnnnnd I just remembered a “Dog Whisperer” episode where a couple had 3 dogs, all fixed, a female cocker, Miss Princess Poopsie, or at least that’s how she was viewed, and two males of a breed I can’t remember who were having escalating fights.

Cesar actually showed them how their perfect little cocker was causing the fights - it was very subtle, but she was setting things off and then sitting back while the other two got in trouble. Kind of like an athlete who throws the first punch but the ref only sees the retaliator.

Is there any chance that one of the dogs you think are completely blameless are around when these things happen?

[MizzouMom]

And forgot to say that on the food issue the only way it works for us is if they are completely out of each others’ line of sight and there are no treats given when they are side by side. A scrap of rawhide bone will set off a holocaust. If we follow these rules, no problems at all.

[diffuse01]

The simple answer? No.

These are dogs we’re talking about, not robots. ANY dog can get into a fight.

FWIW, I’ve seen more DA Labs & Golden’s than I have any other breed.

[irkenequine]

I currently have a pit bull, cattle dog and a newly rescued bull terrier. My roommate has a cattle dog and a sharpei mix. ALL of whom get a long fine, alone or together, no separation anxiety, no food aggression, toy aggression…life is dandy. And all 5 breeds are allegedly aggressive breeds. The ONLY one we’ve had since puppyhood is my aussie cattle dog and he’s deaf/blind…he tends to be a ‘murder me’ magnet at the dog park. Guess he just gives off that ‘weak link’ aura. 2 were long-time shelter lifers and came as adults, the other two were pulled from high kill shelters as adults.

What works for US with OUR dogs: training, discipline, exercise. The Sharpei mix DOES have aggression issues with strange dogs but we believe its because of his epilepsy and becomes disoriented when he has seizures. For this reason he is left separated when we leave the home…we don’t expect him to have to be accountable for his behavior if he’s not in a normal state of mind. NONE of our dogs would necessarily be chalked up as ‘first time’ breeds for people, but we’re both in the animal industry, hike and jog, dogs come with us to work, are members of 2 dog parks, take them to the beach, the river, etc etc. We also don’t put them through the unnecessary testing of feeding side by side or tossing down 2 cow hooves amongst 5 of them, etc, but I think avoiding those things is common sense. I think EVEN the most passive and well behaved dog, if left pent up in the home all day without outside exposure (and with all parts left in tact) is going to be prone to aggression. Saw it all the time at the shelter…you put 6 unadoptable dogs (that is, they don’t see a lot of time outside of that run because prospective owners rarely are interested in them) in a dog run where the only exercise they get is self-induced, you’re looking at a fight.

Bull Terriers tend to be highly dog aggressive but damned if this one I didn’t find in the drop box at the animal shelter unneutered AND chewed to shit from a dog fight LOVE all of gods creatures. The guy is a wiggle worm and lives to be around the dogs and is very tender with the cats. So every breed can surprise you.

When I worked for a shelter, the breeds that we always tended to watch for dog aggression were: Cockers, Dachshunds, Shih Tzus, Sharpeis/mixes, Bully breeds, Chihuahuas and rottie mixes. In my experience, those just tended to have the most confrontational personalities. Even now working for a veterinary surgical center we don’t generally see as many aggressive pitties but cockers and dachshunds…wowza.

Labs and Goldens CAN have a more laid back personality but socializing with ANY breed is key…I’ve met more than my fair share of people and dog aggressive labs.

The short answer: definitely not…I would say you you would do yourself better to stay AWAY from breeds that constantly throw red flags for dog aggression, and make sure when you are ready to add another dog to the family you do some serious research, understand that dogs history, and if you’re raising from a puppy socialize, socialize, socialize.

ETA: we have 4 males and a female (the pit). There is a subtle hierarchy–Sharpei’s at the top, then cattle dog, then bull terrier, lastly deafblind cattle dog. We also do not have any kennels or crates in the house but have the dogs in 3 separate rooms when we aren’t home. Deafblind stays with ‘momma’ pitty and bull terrier, other cattle dog’s alone, sharpei’s alone.

[vacation1]

[QUOTE=grey_pony;5745622]
I was raised with pit bulls and dobermans, … Now my 7 and 8 year old cattle dog and swiss mountain dog have had 2 major fights recently… I am just wondering if there are any breeds that are very laid back and never fight? I would like to never have aggressive dogs again!![/QUOTE]

I think the best bet is probably to get a breed which has been extremely popular as a suburban pet over the last 20 years. Bernies and cattle dogs aren’t rare, but they’re still fairly unusual, and they’re still new as pets compared to say, labs. Breeds like beagles and goldens are nearly 99% pet background. The average beagle has a lot more generations between him and a lifestyle where biting was accepted than the average cattle dog.

Apart from breed/type, I think part of it is size - bulk as much as height - and general breed personality. I’ve known some extremely nasty labs, and part of the problem is that they’re built like tanks and are somewhat impervious to mild pain - when they’re inclined to be nasty, their initial, learning skirmishes are often more rewarding than painful to them and they continue down a path that a lighter, more sensitive dog would shy away from.

[VCT]

I have a pug/poodle mix and she is just great. Very happy dog, loves everyone and everything. Very amusing with snorting and wiggling, etc. I will definitely be interested in more pug mixes. But anyways… I just like mutts. My other dog is a pit/lab mix and he is dog aggressive, to every dog except his girlfriend (the pug/poodle) who he adores and defers to.

[grey_pony1]

get a breed which has been extremely popular as a suburban pet over the last 20 years. Bernies and cattle dogs aren’t rare, but they’re still fairly unusual, and they’re still new as pets compared to say, labs.

Yeah, I wouldn’t have picked such a random mix of dogs, they just ended up with us. DH was raised with cattle dogs and wanted one, so got ours as a puppy from a family member. He would have been a perfect “only child!” The swissie was a 6mo at a pet store DH and his friend were doing construction work for. He had been bought and returned several times (for the price of $1800 or so!!:eek: and was going to be pts. The pet store gave him to us. He had been living in a pet store cage for his first 6 months. We had those 2 for a while, then a few years later BIL left the ancient beagle at our house, where we promptly retired her from her life of breeding anything and everything, and living outside even in frigid MO winters :no: She holds down the couch now The walker hound showed up months later, wandering the neighborhood with a broken femur. He is now a 3 legged dog, and one of the best pets ever!

If we took every poor animal that some redneck dumped here on our dirt road, we’d have a hundred dogs. Just last week someone dumped a min pin at the gas station, and he followed DH around breaking his heart But I know 4 dogs is definitely our limit!

thanks for all the advice!

[marta]

for anyone considering cesar milan’s training techniques, before you go down that road i’d suggest the following reading:

http://www.urbandawgs.com/divided_profession.html

[GraceLikeRain]

![]( am going to respectfully disagree with whoever said that the OP should look for a popular breed. Cocker spaniels and Dalmatians are just two examples of breeds that explode in number due to Disney movies and consequently were bred indiscriminately. As a result, there are a lot more dog aggressive Cockers than there were even 30 years ago because you have people buying and breeding them because they want “lady” from lady and the tramp and not because they understand the mentality and energy level of the breed.

Every dog breed is capable of having aggression issues. If you adopt, consider going with an dog trainer or very knowledgable owner who has DA experience. They can help you pick up warning signs that you might not notice on your own. Regardless of the age or breed of the dog do lots (and lots and lots) of socialization, provide plenty of exercise, enforce rules, and nip naughty behavior in the bud immediately.

2 years ago my parents surprised me with a 4 month old Miniature Schnauzer when I came home from college. After working in a vets office for 5 years I absolutely despised Schnauzers (many were mouthy, happy, bad with other animals, etc). Consequently I made a huge effort with my puppy to socialize him and enforce very strict rules. I now have a 2.5 year old boy who is lauded as the “best-behaved dog” by everyone who meets him. However when he is at home with my parents he chases the cat, pees on everything, and barks continuously.

It is truly a night and day difference. He is an amazing dog but he needs boundaries and A LOT of exercise. The key is determining how much energy you want to dedicate to your dog and what issues you feel comfortable handling.

No matter what, don’t get talked into a specific breed because “they are never dog aggressive.” ANY breed can be aggressive, its up to the owner to provide a healthy environment to create a balanced and well-socialized dog.

And because no thread is complete without pictures, Murphy up at school with me (and thus in his calm/happy state) with his favorite kitty: [IMG]http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd486/GraceLikeRain1990/Murphy/IMG_0734.jpg)

[wendy]

Keeping dogs that are approximately the same age is a situation that is best avoided. I’ve had multiple dogs for years with no fighting- we follow the “one bitch only” and “at least three years of age in between each dog” and “no dogs of breeds notorious for dog aggression, such as pitties and akitas”. We don’t pay any attention to the long-discredited ideas about “alpha” status or vodoo dominance behaviors like feeding them in a certain order. We believe in “a tired dog is a good dog” and LOTS of positive reinforcement training and rewarding dogs who are calm and quiet. Dogs who are physically and mentally satisified from exercise and mental work tend to just sleep, not fight.

That said, around here the poorly bred poorly raised poorly trained dog you have to watch out for are the yellow labs. Extremely aggressive, often owned by very clueless people who like to scream “he’s friendly” while you try to keep him from killing your dog.

[marta]

i wholeheartedly agree with the training method referenced by wendy.

[threedogpack]

all dogs have the ability to fight.

[magnolia73]

It seems like it is mostly home and then chance. My first dog never fought, was even attacked by a poodle and was like WTF? My new dog the same way, he wags away from confrontation and does not seem to attract it. He is very submissive.

My friend had a dog that would fight and it was the saddest thing. She started out a friendly, well socialized dog and then came home from a kennel stay very afraid of any dog but our dog. We don’t know what happened at the kennel.

I have lab mixes. But my friends dog was also a lab mix. All three are/were totally kid and cat friendly.

[irkenequine]

Ditto to everything Wendy said! Well put.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=wendy;5747080]
Keeping dogs that are approximately the same age is a situation that is best avoided. I’ve had multiple dogs for years with no fighting- we follow the “one bitch only” and “at least three years of age in between each dog” and “no dogs of breeds notorious for dog aggression, such as pitties and akitas”. We don’t pay any attention to the long-discredited ideas about “alpha” status or vodoo dominance behaviors like feeding them in a certain order. We believe in “a tired dog is a good dog” and LOTS of positive reinforcement training and rewarding dogs who are calm and quiet. Dogs who are physically and mentally satisified from exercise and mental work tend to just sleep, not fight.

That said, around here the poorly bred poorly raised poorly trained dog you have to watch out for are the yellow labs. Extremely aggressive, often owned by very clueless people who like to scream “he’s friendly” while you try to keep him from killing your dog.[/QUOTE]

Practically all the dogs we have had have been females and they got along just fine.
We only had one male and it was a minpin.

I do agree that spacing the age may have been one reason we never had any dogs wanting to fight.
We also trained them every day and several days a week, as we had time, with the dog club.

Being ranch dogs, they also were active all day long with us and what we were doing.
Idle paws may get in more trouble.

I think that sometimes, no matter what you do, two dogs may really take a dislike to each other and there is nothing you can do, sadly.

If you never had one such happen, as we didn’t, we can think we did this and that right, but even when you do everything right, as better trainers than we are showing dogs have done, some times, you can’t help it when it happens.

[Houndhill]

When considering whether dogs will co-exist happily, in addition to socialization, please pay attention to what the breed was originally supposed to do, and who it was supposed to do it with. Then find a breeder who selects for this ability to live with other pack members in harmony.

Many of the hound breeds, both sight and scent hounds, have been selected over many generations, for hundreds and even thousands of years, to hunt and live together as a family group, or pack. This is in marked contrast to dogs who have been selected to do work individually, but who may or may not be expected to work or live together.

For years, like many other people in my breed or related breeds, I have kept my hounds together, usually 6-12 individuals, intact, various ages, some litter mates, usually all related in some way, as a (mostly) harmonious group. Sometimes, but rarely, two do not get along, and then decisions have to be made, whether in terms of management, behavior modification, neutering, or separation. But I expect my hounds to enjoy living together, and that is an aspect of living with them that I treasure. However, this ability is something that has consciously been selected for over time, and certainly is something I
select for in my breeding program, because it is important to me because I treasure it.

So, find a breed which works together cooperatively (hounds, but some others as well), then look for a breeder who actually maintains a pack and selects for this ability. Of course, there are many dogs who get along with most other dogs, in all breeds or mixed breeds, but this would maximize your chances.

Then, it depends on how many, of what ages and reproductive status…your least likely combo is two or more intact males of about the same age, but it certainly can be done, and I expect mine to get along, and have had as many as six adult intact males living together in harmony. Of course some of the foxhound packs have thirty or more intact males living together, so that is really nothing to brag about!

I guess my point is, yes, there are indeed some breeds less likely to fight with one another, and if you then go to breeders who are selecting for that, then go to composition of your pack, you could significantly decrease the chances of fighting.

But, I imagine you would have other qualities you would like your dogs to have as well.

[vacation1]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;5747055]
I am going to respectfully disagree with whoever said that the OP should look for a popular breed. Cocker spaniels and Dalmatians are just two examples of breeds that explode in number due to Disney movies and consequently were bred indiscriminately.

That was me, and I meant that breeds which have been popular pets for a long time have had their edges smoothed overall in ways that less common or newer breeds have not. Yes, popularity surges in breeds creates opportunistic breeders who create thousands of unhealthy, uncharacteristic puppies who often wind up dead. But a puppy mill Cocker is not worse than a carefully bred dog whose breeders are aiming for qualities like aggression.