# how do you punish your gsd's?



## kimi (Jul 29, 2010)

What do you do? or how do you "punish" or "reprimand" your multi-dogged pact when a fight happens? 

I don't mean aggressive punishment or beating your dog kind of stuff. I am looking for some guidance on how to deal with this issue in a positive way-so please refrain from rude comments or mistake what I am asking...


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Time outs.
My dogs don't fight, luckily.
But my two females are dicey now and then.
If one gets a bit standoff-ish I'll verbally correct her(Onyx is the one that always starts to act like a bully with Kacie) or bring her inside if she won't let up.
I've not had to do anything more than a neck scruff to stop it if she does start posturing and won't let up, but I know that if I get involved it will ramp up the situation instead of diffusing it. 
Better to just separate them before it escalates. And keep a calm attitude so the dogs won't go off on each other before you separate them.
If you do end up with a fight, grab one by the back legs and wheelbarrow the dog away if possible, and stay away from the mouths or you'll get bit!


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

Yep, I would imagine a time out is best before you have an actual fight on your hands. I've had to scruff Denali when she bullied the puppy, but not in an angry manner. When she did it, I put her in the bedroom to chill out.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

I try to make the punishment match the crime. So it varies anywhere between a stern look and being pinned.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Separate them. We have two females that can't be left alone together and if anyone, including me, gets to close to DH the boxer will attack Jax. *** Removed by MOD ***


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## kimi (Jul 29, 2010)

Usually with mine the moment just happens. I been just putting them in their crate for time out. I was just curious what others did...


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## yuricamp (Mar 13, 2011)

what’s “DH” stand for?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I really only had one dog that would start fights and she was an English Springer Spaniel. She did not have the freedom to be with the others unsupervised. I don't really allow much roughousing and posturing between my dogs.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

kimi - I think if you watch closely you'll see something trigger it. With Sierra and Jax it's if anyone is getting rowdy, even just laughing loudly, Sierra turns on Jax. If anyone gets to close to DH, then Sierra turns on Jax. He was giving me a hug this morning and Jax was on the other side of us but Sierra still headed her way to do her thing. Some dogs just can't be left alone together.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

PaddyD said:


> I try to make the punishment match the crime. So it varies anywhere between a stern look and being pinned.


Same here, matched with times out.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Mine have only had what I call arguments and it'd just a lot of noise. I just separate them (sometimes that's as little as me in between or as much as in crates) until they calm down and then keep a close eye when they are allowed to interact again until I'm sure they've moved on.

DH = Dear Husband (the meaning of D can vary)


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

My dogs used to fight when I added the second one and they were still getting used to each other. If the fight was about a toy, I'd tell them to knock it off and get between them. Then I'd take the toy and tell them both to lay down. I'd make it clear to them that the toy was mine by holding it for a while, and acting like I was playing with it. Then I'd give them each their own toy back (I always get toys in sets of 2) and that would be the end of their fight. I don't know what triggers your dogs fights, but whatever it is, show them that you are in charge, and everything is actually yours. This worked great for my dogs.


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

We separated them before things escalated, but things started to get really bad (emergency trip because the rotti wouldn't let go until i hit it with a chair) so now we have to crate and rotate, if our old girl sees the rotti she goes after her, but she's the one that ends up in the er vet. so we don't deal with fights anymore. I didn't "punish" either dog, because it didn't have any impact- neither seemed to know that they did something wrong, so i tried to stop it until we couldn't anymore.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

raised voice, raised voice while standing in front
of the dog with my hand under his chin to make him
look up at me, hold him by some neck fur and raise my voice.
my dog really didn't like the holding of the neck with
the raised voice. when i held him by the neck fur
he use to lower himself to the ground and look away
so i stopped doing it. raising my voice and making him look
at me was enough. now if needs some direction
i can simply say "no", "leave it", "hey, don't do that",
"get out of there", "what are you doing?", etc.

oops, i just read where you said multi dogs and fighting.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I only have one dog now, and my previous two dogs never once fought or scuffled. I have also had foster dogs but I've never had any fighting with them either. If one of the foster dogs started getting too riled up, being pushy or rude I would give them a warning (uh-uh or 'play nice') and if they continued, I'd separate them until they cooled off. IMO scruff shakes and pinning does more harm than good. 
If I had two dogs who fought or scuffled repeatedly I'd focus work on their behavior and/or training.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Mine don't really fight, sure they can get a little rough,,and my 'voice' is usually all it takes,,so it's a KNOCK IT OFF NOW! and then I give them my very very mad "look", they know when I give them "the look", that I am not kidding)


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