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My dogs suddenly fight after vacation. How to stop dog aggression?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Male | unneutered

I have 2 dogs a staffie who is 4 and a bulldog who is 2. Me and the wife went on holiday for 2 weeks and left them both with a pet sittier who lives next door. Well we where away the staff has attacked the bulldog resulting in him.having to have surgery. When the staff sees the bulldog he goes mental and is trying to get to him. What can cause this and how can it be changed? These dogs have been together since the bulldog was a puppy and the staff hasn't got a bad bone in his body.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on December 13th, 2019

Unfortunately it's impossible to know without being able to observe the dogs. Certainly if both males are not neutered, that could be a big reason. Typically, intact males are more prone to fighting. It's possible now that the Bulldog is 2, he is now officially an adult and could be competition to the older male. That's just a guess. Canine aggression is a complex behavior as it can stem from dominance, possessiveness, fear, anxiety, resource guarding or a combination. Most people are not familiar with reading canine body language and training. Because of this, I recommend to work with a professional trainer. Researching on your own will also be helpful. Familiarizing yourself with canine body language and dog training can help you to recognize what your pet is trying to say. You can find many books written on the topic and there is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who I think is particularly helpful. Best of luck.

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