Hi, Thankyou for your welcome.
As i said in my introduction, i am having a problem with fighting between my two female cavaliers. Piper is 5 and Lillie is 2.
I have had them both since puppies, Piper has always been very attached to me, we did obedience training and passed to silver level but could not pass gold level because she would not allow me to leave the room for a down/stay!!! Pipers only problem is barking at every and any noise she hears, particularly in the garden!!
I introduced Lillie 2 years ago and have done basic training with her.
At first all was fine but for several months, she has been fighting Piper. It started over food. (they kept trying to steal from each other bowls, also attempting to guard human food) I began separating them to eat and caging them while the children have food. This worked. But now she randomly fights with Piper. It starts with a growl and then almost immmediately she launches. For some reason always when my neighbour comes round and when i am in the room somewhere in between them. Most of the time they are fine together, playing, sleeping and seem to really love each other!! Piper is always the one underneath screaming despite the fact she was the first dog here and the biggest. They are happy to both sit with me on the sofa, although Lillie will jostle to be the one closest to my face. (climbing over Piper, sometimes annoying her so that she gets down)
A bit about Lillies personality... she has to be in on everything, she follows me constantly and licks whenever she can. So if my legs are bare she will lick as i walk, and everytime i come down to her level to do chores etc she will lick me. Piper can be in the room and allow Lillie to have sole attention, but Lillie will not allow this for Piper. Basically Lillie demands attention constantly. If i manage to leave a room without her, she goes wild when i come back in as if i have been gone for weeks!!
Other things are she yelps in excitment when she sees the lead but then continues it throughout most of our walks (people keep asking me what is wrong with her!!!)I can't trust her not to get up on the kitchen table, or pull the rubbish out. I know i need to be more vigilant with keeping stuff out her way but sometimes with rushing round after 4 children i forget!!
She displays very submissive behaviour to humans, infact i usually know when she has done something she should not before i see what it is simply by her body language!
Sorry this has been so long, yesterday they had five fights and i got bitten while trying to separate them, i am at my wits end.
I am not sure which dog is causing the problem... could it be Piper giving Lillie 'the look' which causes her to attack, or does Lillie just want it all to herself (attention, food etc) I love them both and want a solution but I am starting to think would it be kinder for Lillie to be in a home where she gets 1 to 1 attention? But would that be cruel to Piper? Or would Piper be happier having the sole attention back? I am SOOOO confused
Thankyou for reading this epic!!
Michala
As i said in my introduction, i am having a problem with fighting between my two female cavaliers. Piper is 5 and Lillie is 2.
I have had them both since puppies, Piper has always been very attached to me, we did obedience training and passed to silver level but could not pass gold level because she would not allow me to leave the room for a down/stay!!! Pipers only problem is barking at every and any noise she hears, particularly in the garden!!
I introduced Lillie 2 years ago and have done basic training with her.
At first all was fine but for several months, she has been fighting Piper. It started over food. (they kept trying to steal from each other bowls, also attempting to guard human food) I began separating them to eat and caging them while the children have food. This worked. But now she randomly fights with Piper. It starts with a growl and then almost immmediately she launches. For some reason always when my neighbour comes round and when i am in the room somewhere in between them. Most of the time they are fine together, playing, sleeping and seem to really love each other!! Piper is always the one underneath screaming despite the fact she was the first dog here and the biggest. They are happy to both sit with me on the sofa, although Lillie will jostle to be the one closest to my face. (climbing over Piper, sometimes annoying her so that she gets down)
A bit about Lillies personality... she has to be in on everything, she follows me constantly and licks whenever she can. So if my legs are bare she will lick as i walk, and everytime i come down to her level to do chores etc she will lick me. Piper can be in the room and allow Lillie to have sole attention, but Lillie will not allow this for Piper. Basically Lillie demands attention constantly. If i manage to leave a room without her, she goes wild when i come back in as if i have been gone for weeks!!
Other things are she yelps in excitment when she sees the lead but then continues it throughout most of our walks (people keep asking me what is wrong with her!!!)I can't trust her not to get up on the kitchen table, or pull the rubbish out. I know i need to be more vigilant with keeping stuff out her way but sometimes with rushing round after 4 children i forget!!
She displays very submissive behaviour to humans, infact i usually know when she has done something she should not before i see what it is simply by her body language!
Sorry this has been so long, yesterday they had five fights and i got bitten while trying to separate them, i am at my wits end.
I am not sure which dog is causing the problem... could it be Piper giving Lillie 'the look' which causes her to attack, or does Lillie just want it all to herself (attention, food etc) I love them both and want a solution but I am starting to think would it be kinder for Lillie to be in a home where she gets 1 to 1 attention? But would that be cruel to Piper? Or would Piper be happier having the sole attention back? I am SOOOO confused
Thankyou for reading this epic!!
Michala