This is a very interesting article -- as we've had some recent queries regarding dogs fighting within households I thought I'd offer this link:
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=17521
Note this vet has the same message that many have made here -- IF you have dogs that are TRULY fighting, the best solution is almost always to rehome one of the dogs and accept that you may have a dog that simply does not want to share a home. IF you choose to keep two dogs, they will need to lead fairly separate lives and only ever have access to each other in very controlled circumstances with the owners at arms reach. I've heard trainers speak to this issue many times and IF dogs are fighting (really fighting, not just scrapping) occasionally the chances are this type of behaviour will only increase over time with possibly tragic results.
I also think this point is so, so important:
As she later notes, making assumptions about dominant/submissive dogs and behaviour can lead to catastrophes -- owners accidentally encouraging aggressive behaviour, or putting dogs down -- often from wrongly guessing which dog initiated fights and problems. The average pet owner in my experience with conflicts, and from talking to several trainers, usually assumes (thanks to the distorted information offered by popular TV trainers) the *wrong* dog is starting things... often it is the dog that has had enough that responds and gets labelled the problem dog.
This article, Are you Fluent in Dog, by the same vet is extremely useful too!!
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=143615&pageID=1&sk=&date=
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=17521
Note this vet has the same message that many have made here -- IF you have dogs that are TRULY fighting, the best solution is almost always to rehome one of the dogs and accept that you may have a dog that simply does not want to share a home. IF you choose to keep two dogs, they will need to lead fairly separate lives and only ever have access to each other in very controlled circumstances with the owners at arms reach. I've heard trainers speak to this issue many times and IF dogs are fighting (really fighting, not just scrapping) occasionally the chances are this type of behaviour will only increase over time with possibly tragic results.
I also think this point is so, so important:
There are no truly "submissive" or "dominant/alpha" dogs and by putting these labels on dogs we blind ourselves to all of the interesting information that the dogs are communicating with its species-typical postures.
As she later notes, making assumptions about dominant/submissive dogs and behaviour can lead to catastrophes -- owners accidentally encouraging aggressive behaviour, or putting dogs down -- often from wrongly guessing which dog initiated fights and problems. The average pet owner in my experience with conflicts, and from talking to several trainers, usually assumes (thanks to the distorted information offered by popular TV trainers) the *wrong* dog is starting things... often it is the dog that has had enough that responds and gets labelled the problem dog.
This article, Are you Fluent in Dog, by the same vet is extremely useful too!!
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=143615&pageID=1&sk=&date=