[dobegal]

My question is about show dogs. There are multiple males in the rings at the same time. What about male on male aggression I have never seen it at any shows that I have attended so how does this not happen?

 

[ZeldaRules]

I've seen males growl and posture at each other if they brush up too close to each other. The majority of show dogs are trained and raised in that type of environment from wee pups so they are easily managed and controlled/can tolerate being around the same gender on lead.

Bully breeds are very prone to DA issues. The AST's all seem to get along just fine in a ring together at shows but I guarantee you if they were all off leash together a blood bath would ensue.

 

[lolonurse]

yup... like she said - they are socialized, trained, in handling classes and junior shows - all sorts of exposure to get them accustomed and comfortable with being around, and behaving among, other dogs. it's really not that hard to do if you are comfortable with dogs - and you start early and keep it up consistently. we've always had multiple males, and never, ever had a problem. this is the first time we have ever had only 1 male, 1 female - and it feels really weird!

 

[Murreydobe]

My question is about show dogs. There are multiple males in the rings at the same time. What about male on male aggression I have never seen it at any shows that I have attended so how does this not happen?

Sometimes it does, although not anywhere nearly as often as it could. MOST males can be trained to ignore the presence of other males in close quarters while on leash. Handlers/owners also have the responsibility of keeping an eye on their dog's body language, and heading off problems before they occur.

There ARE males who have been known for same sex aggression in and around the ring.

 

[Julie W]

While it can and does happen on occasion it's not very common to have incidents at shows. It's quite different being surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of dogs vs facing one lone dog or worse, sharing the house with another male. The sheer volume of surrounding dogs is desensitizing. Not to mention dogs at shows are strung up quite snugly against their handlers sides. It's not like they are wandering around sniffing everything and everyone at the end of their leashes. Also, for the most part the people handling the dogs are knowledgeable and already know if their dog is dog aggressive and will quite easily divert any stand-offs before they even start.

 

[Fitzmar Dobermans]

My Harvard is male on male aggressive, but I know it and keep him focused on me ringside. Not to mention that I avoid letting him make eye contact with another male. In the ring they are not in a position to look at each other and are mostly focused on their handler and the bait.

That said, I feel rumbling by my boy before anyone would hear it and immediately end it.

One of my best friends also has and shows a male Doberman - our boys can't even look at each other without rumbling. At the last show we were at, we were joking that the next time we breed or buy a show puppy that we need to get girls. We can't even stand next to each other ringside - ha ha.

 

[Marieldobes]

I've only witnessed one outright fight at a dog show and this happened just this past summer here at the CDA shows. The Akitas were in the ring with Bull Mastiffs waiting to go in. There was a boy (probably about 15 or 16) holding his youngish male Akita and fairly close by was a handler/owner holding a male Bull Mastiff and apparently neither was paying attention to their dogs. We heard somebody holler out "don't let them make eye contact" and the next thing all hell broke out. The Akita really didn't have a chance and was badly injured. It took a number of people to pull the BM off the other dog. The Akita was down on the ground and eventually transported to the ER vets. I don't think his injuries were life threatening but certainly very serious and the boy was devastated. Even if your own male is not aggressive, you need to be paying attention to the dogs around you.

Jan

 

[saraheg55478]

Completely agree with you Marieldobes. Im a groomer and work in a salon with nine other groomers in a small space, you learn how to move dogs quickly and be vigilant about you surroundings and who you need to walk by quickly and not give time to react and who will stand on leash while you discuss appointments or schedule them. At shows my boy (mind you he is still young) is very outgoing so I try to keep his focus. He tends to think everyone is his friend but doing that with the right dog and he'll end up with the akita. I think handlers and owners at the shows I have been to try to keep some distance as far as letting the dogs go nose to nose or someone running up on another.

 

[Amelia_]

A lady the other day told me that a Rottweiler bit her Doberman in the testicles at a show!

I am a novice to showing, but I always make sure I leave a far bit of space between the person in front of me, so if anyone comes up too close behind me, I can move forward. My boy is very well socialised and as of yet has shown no male aggression (not that it won't come, but here's hoping)

 

[Hillside]

I think when a lot of people hear the word "aggression" they picture an out of control monster. This isn't always the case. A dog can be same sex aggressive without being reactive. I think "reactive" is the word that most people think of when they think of aggression.

 

[Toby'shuman]

Here in Spain we do not have that many Dobes at the shows so we tend to have them paraded one at a time so avoiding the issue of male on male aggression.
When they do have to go into the ring together they are always kept well apart. The Dobe ring is always one of the biggest I have noticed used later by the Stamfords, the Rotties, the Mastif's etc. etc so allowing enough room to avoid close quarter encounters.
Outside the ring I have seen many fights involving a variety of breeds some of whom you would not associate with aggression persay. At the last show I came to a conclusion. The majority of people who show here in Spain are not what I call 'Dog People'. I can safely say that every fight was caused through the people not understanding body language on their dogs behalf. Which to me says they are not 'Dog People' they don't even listen to the rumblings dogs make or the snapping half the time. Instead they are too busy I swear trying to look either 'Macho' with their big dog, 'super cool' or just 'fashionable'. No end of times they walk around as if in a dreamworld blithely allowing their dogs to foul the hall in which they are showing followed by barge up and sniff or worse other dogs to which some obviously take a dislike. Half the time the dogs are left unattended, their owners having popped their dogs into crates and then disappeared for coffees or so they could go chat with their friends and parade up and down with their numbers on their arms as if they were famous actors or the like and were expectant of adoration.
At the last show, one woman having preened her Chow to perfection left it standing hooked up to the grooming gibbet as I call it and disappeared off to the loo or wherever, whereupon the Chow promptly became distracted and jumped off the table and hung itself. It took several people risking life and limb might I add as the dog was terrified to save it from hanging itself. When the woman came back, was she grateful, NO! she just started screaming the other exhibitors were trying to sabotage her dogs chances by scruffing him up.

UNBELIEVABLE.

 

[iceman]

I was at IDC2012 in Hungary earlier this year where there was 666 dobermanns..
The only aggression issue i saw there in 3 days was when some idiot, who had his male on a long leash in the crowd and the dog at some point must have felt threatened for some reason and attacked a guy who invaded his space.
Generally the dogs were all walked through the crowd when going in and out of the rings and not one of them growled or barked at each other or any of the spectators.
Show dogs are usually socialized and trained to ignore the presence of other dogs around them..In the ring,their focus is usually on the second handler.
Having said that,the rule is that they should not be allowed to get too close to each other or make eye contact..
Although according to the rules "shy or aggressive dogs are disqualified" , the judges in Europe tolerate some male to male aggression..
It is aggression toward people they have zero tolerance!!