Sibling Rivalry, Alive and Well

[gebower]

HI Everyone,
As a lot of you know, I have a big male Chow, Max, 75 lbs. plus and his half sister, Zeena, 55 lbs. I have to break up fights at least twice a week. And it isn't Max starting them, it's Zeena. She seems to want ALL the attention and Max can't have any. Max may be a lot bigger than her, but she shows a lot more tenacity and spunt and backs him down. And when she gets riled up, it takes about 3 minutes holding her off before she "cools down". As someone once said on this forum, when a female gets spayed, the testosterone takes over. I sincerely believe this. They say there is a pecking order and this is it, I'm on top, my wife second, Zeena third, Max last. Zeena respects me a lot, but when her temper goes, she sees NOTHING but who she's mad at and that's always Max. The good thing on this is, she always goes for the mane, not the face. I'm so glad of that because Max is a pretty boy. I hate to see scars on his face or hers. Since she is black, it would really show up on her. If Max had not been neutered, this would never happen. He would be putting her in place and he has the power to do it. I use a push broom to back her down. Pardon the pun. But, as long as I keep it in her face until she cools down, it works. I don't think I'll ever get this under control until they maybe get older. Max will be 3 the 21st and Zeena is now 2. As I said, sibling rivalry, that's all it is.
By the way, even though they've had vicious fights, they have no scars. They go for the manes. I'm glad of that.

Gene.

[vicster605]

Gene, honey I hate to say this BUT if you think they can't get seriously injured because they only go for the mane.....I have to tell you.....your wrong. Kearra almost lost her life to an injury 1 hair away from her jugular vein. Because she is also black puncture injuries in the mane area are hard to see & they also get infected very easily, over night in fact. I took Kearra to the Vet because I saw a little blood and couldn't find where it was coming from ....after they shaved her mane she had a terrible puncture wound to her neck that required surgery. 1 hair closer and that would have been it for her. I had no idea. So don't think OH they only go for the mane....it can be VERY SERIOUS there too. Better think more like...... Is there a puncture wound in the mane that I can't see?? Check their manes carefully to make sure they aren't sensative to touch....run you hands through their manes and be sure you stick your nose in their manes and check for a bad odor.....like I said puncture wounds can get infected over night and with a black Chow it's impossible to see.

[CoraP.]

That's scary. I hope the two can find some peace before one of them gets really hurt!

[Victory]

Believe it or not, their behavior is normal, as long as it's not a fight every minute of the day. The females ALWAYS win, even if Max were not neutered he'd back down from her. (he'd be overly aggressive and somewhat sociopathic if he didn't) A male canine that doesn't give way to the female should never be bred.

If she really wanted to hurt him she's go after his legs or face. My Firesong used to grap my Darkwind, (she's 40lbs, he was 70lbs) by his mane when he was laying on the floor and try to drag him off like prey. He'd put up with it for a bit as long as she didn't grab skin and when he was tired of it, or she did grab skin, he'd jump to his feet and chase her, (which is what she wanted anyway). But he never pinned her, never flipped her, never growled at her or anything. Usually it was me saying, "Firesong! Leave him alone!" I still say that a lot, because Dreamdancer isn't as big as Darkwind and he's the omega in our pack, and she'll really tear into him if I allow it. I've learned that when she gets hyper about anything, (mostly the squirrels and birds outside, or noise from upstairs and I'm home, she'll go after him, so I stop it before it starts, by telling her to calm down. If she does it anyway, then she gets a time out, and he gets attention.

I'd suggest some of the say for you, watch her closely to see what makes her go after him, if it's only attention, then try a little NILF with her about it, she has to earn your attention. This will reassert your role as alpha and let her know that attacking him is not allowed. Also you might want to exercise her more or give her more to do, the females seem to have more energy, and need more stimulation, (mental) than the males do. In my house if someone is into something they shouldn't be, (trash, stuffed animals, on the furniture, raiding the dirty clothes etc) it's Firesong, she's 8 years old and acts like a puppy, he's not quite 4 and he's the one that mostly lays around all day...