My two female dogs are fighting till they draw blood due to jealousy – is there any solution?

Human leadership accounts for at least 30-40% of it, both in terms of prevention and resolving issues.

But what really puts the problem to bed is simply acting in a way that encourages the animals to be friends. Everyone does it—or doesn’t—in their own way.

Two unspayed females who become best mates won't fight, but there’s one exception to keep in mind:

Certain drugs can really mess with an animal’s state of mind. To date, the nastiest triggers—the ones that have baffled many people, except for two researchers (clinicians)—are exactly that. One of the pets comes back from the vet and, BAM, a fight breaks out.

Animals don’t realise that medication can alter their perception.

Thanks for the explanations. I've contacted a behaviourist and I'm waiting to hear back. For now, we're making sure they don't cross paths, but it's a right military operation! As you said, it’s tricky with kids because they're so quick to open a door. In the meantime, I’m going to try and increase their playtime and walks. We’ll see what the behaviourist thinks about spaying, especially since the Jack Russell is already done and the problem probably isn't just down to the big one. *Sigh*... it’s all a bit depressing. That’s great! Thank you for the effort you're putting in, for being willing to re-evaluate things and for giving these two girls another chance. You’ll see, a behaviourist is definitely worth the time and money; having an objective outside observer helps a huge amount. They need to see you as a family with the dogs, both indoors and out. Two or three sessions at the start are usually enough to figure quite a bit out; the hardest part is putting it into practice, essentially changing our own habits. I used a trainer in the past; it was a lot of hard work and I was exhausted at first, but I don't regret it because I was heading for disaster with my second dog. Keep us posted, and let us know what you think of the behaviourist (if you have any doubts, etc.). And if you go ahead with spaying, there are low-cost animal clinics that provide the same care for much less; I’m not sure if there's a Belgian equivalent to things like the PDSA or Blue Cross clinics we have here.

Keep us posted!

Thanks for the explanations. I’ve contacted a behaviourist and I’m just waiting to hear back from her. For now, we’re making sure they don’t cross paths, but it’s quite a mission, and as you say, it’s tricky with kids because they’re so quick to open a door. In the meantime, I’m going to try and step up the play sessions and walks. We’ll see what the behaviourist thinks about spaying, especially since the Jack Russell has already been done and the problem probably isn’t just down to the big one. Phew... it’s all really getting me down.

Seriously? 🤪🤷 We’ve always had at least two males for a few years now, even three back when our dear old Lab was still with us… and we’ve never had any bother (except right now, there’ve been a few spats because the Cocker has been a bit "grumbly" ever since that incident), but otherwise they’re usually very affectionate—proper mates, really ^^ I did say "quite often"; it’s true that the worst-case scenario is two females together, as @energiesolaire pointed out. And I reckon that’s frequently the case with certain breeds.

"Spaying? Yeah, okay, but at this age I’m not sure it’ll actually solve anything. I’ve read that with females, it can sometimes even make them more aggressive." You’re right, it won't be enough if the two dogs already hate each other. The damage is done. That being said, having two unspayed females is definitely a recipe for disaster when it comes to developing an unhealthy rivalry. Science is pretty clear on this (based on clinical studies, one of which actually lasted 10 years). It’s heartbreaking, really, because a friendship can be shattered over a single heat cycle. It doesn’t make them 'aggressive' as such; it makes them emotionally unstable and more driven by instinct. So, they might start sensing rivalry (and that’s the key word here) where they wouldn't have seen any at all before. That’s the real tragedy of it.

I would say the same, two unspayed females... there’s a massive risk of fighting. I also agree that getting them spayed at this age might not necessarily solve the problem, but why not give it a go? It might be better than having to rehome one of them... We’ll see... Mind you, when these behaviours are deeply ingrained in daily life, in the same environment and over the same triggers, it’s a real challenge... Impossible? It depends on the person... But I get the feeling that you, as the owners, are out of your depth, and have been for a while now, haven't you? You need a pro to help you set some boundaries for your dogs. We have two unspayed females here; we set a lot of boundaries for our little one, she’s a year old—a real turning point during adolescence. The dominant behaviour she’s shown since she was a puppy can make her far too bossy, jealous, and possessive... Now, being dominant isn't a flaw; we chose her for her strong character. On the other hand, yes, it’s a constant job when we’re around in terms of supervision. At first, we didn't leave any toys lying around, then we tested it with one, then two... In short, we train them together, go on walks both together and separately, and things go well when we’re away too. They’ve known each other for a long time, but living together for three weeks is already quite a big step for them. To let them rest, I’ve been separating them at night for the last fortnight. It helps them recover and they’re happy to see each other again in the morning... All this to say, you have to know your dogs and how they’re developing, their temperament, and what resources they value... You have to set boundaries right from the start... One has to learn to "leave it", and the other has to stay calm and not take advantage by having everything handed to her right under the other one's nose... Merline mentioned having males that got along, so I imagine it’s like anything else—it comes down to training. If a fight breaks out right in front of the owners, it suggests there’s already an issue with authority and boundaries. At that point, you’re stuck reacting rather than taking proactive educational or preventive action. Retraining two dogs at the same time... will you have the energy, the time, the motivation, and the skills for it? (A pro should be able to help you with the skills part).

Spaying is all well and good, but at this age, I’m not sure it’ll actually fix anything. As for females, I’ve read that in some cases, it can even make them more aggressive. If there were a male in the mix, you might think they were fighting over him. But here, it just looks like a bit of jealousy. In my case, I’ve got an intact female. A mate of mine has a spayed female, but she’s incredibly clingy with people, always demanding attention and pushing other dogs out of the way to get all the fusses. She attacked my dog. She’s hated her from the start because the newcomer stole the limelight. We’re probably at fault for letting the big one hog our attention for so long, and maybe for showing my dog too much affection. Ever since that scrap between them, they can’t stand the sight of each other, so we don't put them together anymore.