Fighting Shelties? Or something else?

P

prospect

Forums Regular
I have two shelties, Mick and DJ, who are littermates. They are two year old neutered males. Recently, they have been "fighting" - their tails go up, they growl, they jump on each other, much growling snarling and barking ensues. They haven't damaged each other although some fur has been loosened.

This is an escalation of their normal behavior - more aggressive than they have been. What's going on?
Ideas?

About 6 weeks ago, we got a new puppy (Pomeranian). They do not "fight" with Roxy although they do play a little rough with her.
 
Hard to say without seeing it. It could be play or not. However, around 2yrs(actually be loosely noted between 1yr to 3 yrs or so) is the last milestone in social developement(maturity) in dogs were the final pack order is made espeically in males. Even though they are neutered it doesn't stop that. The addition of a young female could have upset the order. Again hard to say without seeing it. Some play can look rather rough.
 
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I agree its really hard to say. My two growl and bark at each other, pretending they are ferocious, nip each other, even mount each other and it is definately only play, but they have played like this for a long time. How different is your two's current behaviour to how they usually play? And as Justicemum says - at 2yrs old they have only just become young adults so there could be a bit of posturing going on too.
 
As Beckon grows, he takes on Bitsy Boodle, our Alpha, once in a while. So far, she lifts her lip above her eyebrows, whirls and snaps at him. Chicken boy woofs and backs off. Annie mounts him in mock-fighting just to remind him he's only slightly above a toaster on the evolutionary scale. :lol: So I suspect it's dominance games. Oh, the joy of raising a pack!
 
Chris said:
As Beckon grows, he takes on Bitsy Boodle, our Alpha, once in a while. So far, she lifts her lip above her eyebrows, whirls and snaps at him. Chicken boy woofs and backs off. Annie mounts him in mock-fighting just to remind him he's only slightly above a toaster on the evolutionary scale. :lol: So I suspect it's dominance games. Oh, the joy of raising a pack!
Click to expand...

LOLLL
Bitsy Boodle... I love hearing stories about her :)

IS there a video of them 'fighting'? Be easier to form an opinion on which it is.. also are you able to take a video or you are in there having to separate the stinkers for fear of them doing damage to each other?
I am sure some disagreements are normal... aka Bitsy style, but it shouldn't become a huge fight... hard to tell which it is
 
Toffee's Mom said:
LOLLL
Bitsy Boodle... I love hearing stories about her :)

IS there a video of them 'fighting'? Be easier to form an opinion on which it is.. also are you able to take a video or you are in there having to separate the stinkers for fear of them doing damage to each other?
I am sure some disagreements are normal... aka Bitsy style, but it shouldn't become a huge fight... hard to tell which it is
Click to expand...

I thought you'd never ask!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1wvE1SFzi8
 
They do not hurt each other (although sometimes a little loose fur does fly). It definitely seems faster and more aggressive than their normal chase-each-other-around-mount-each-other-then-bark-like-crazy routine.
I don't have video.
 
Chris said:
As Beckon grows, he takes on Bitsy Boodle, our Alpha, once in a while. So far, she lifts her lip above her eyebrows, whirls and snaps at him. Chicken boy woofs and backs off. Annie mounts him in mock-fighting just to remind him he's only slightly above a toaster on the evolutionary scale. :lol: So I suspect it's dominance games. Oh, the joy of raising a pack!
Click to expand...

Lips over her eyebrows . I just happen to catch one of those looks from Justice to Diva. They were playing and Justice was done and need a water break, he gentlely told Diva that's it. This happened when Diva decided it wasn't and it was so fast I didn't see it as I was looking though at the camera. I saw the quit snap though.:smile2:

Justice looks like a really vicious dog in this picture. I was shocked when I saw it. The second picture is about 5 minutes later after a water break. . Round 2. Still friends Haha
 
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