My dogs are fighting over food and jealousy. How can I help?

Question

Eclipse I've noticed has started snapping at our younger dog Athena occasionally. Just today they got into a fight I had to break up for the first time. It seems to be mostly if food is around Eclipse will bear her teeth, growl and snap. This has never happened before. Usually they play well. They get plenty of food and water and this behavior has just started. Eclipse also seems to get very jealous if we play or work with Athena on her commands. How can we help them not feel jealous/fight? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 7 months old | 35 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

I hate to hear this is happening. Unfortunately, it's impossible to know how best to advise you without being able to read the body language of the dogs. It's possible this is occurring because they are maturing. Both dogs also need to be spayed/neutered because this can help to decrease aggression. Intact dogs are much more likely to fight and have problems. 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.

My dogs are fighting over food and jealousy. How can I help?

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