boxer fighting with our other dog

Question
Hi

We have a year and half old, girl Boxer named Bailey, and we also have a 11 year old girl Staffordshire Terrier named Jewels. Bailey has been fighting with Jewels. This just started Thanksgiving week and she has started 3 more fights since then. The first one the dogs and I were in the living room, I was going though a treat box and Bailey started fighting. Second time we were in the kitchen cooking dinner and she started it again, tonight I could tell Bailey was going to fight again, at one point I could see it her eyes while being in the dining room, I grabbed her by her collar and said No, you don't and put her in the kitchen and put up a baby gate so she couldn't come back into the room. Later, about an hour or so I let her back in, I could still see it in her eyes so I thought maybe if I play with her she wouldn't think about it and grabbed her rope and played, she jumped on the couch, I noticed my shoe was untied so I sat next to her, she went around me and jumped down and started fighting with Jewels, who was just standing there doing nothing. Again I grabbed her and put her in the kitchen. Right now she is laying on one couch staring at Jewels, while Jewels is on the other couch across the room.. We have taken her to puppy glasses when she was about 10 months old. She also has a problem with barking, say for example my husband will be sitting on the couch watching TV and she will go up to him and start barking, pretty much in his face, grab his shirt around the wrist and pull it. She also jumps on people when you come in the door.

Thank you for your help

Sue

Answer
There are likely a few things going on here.  One, Bailey is at an age now where she is testing her limits and trying to figure out her place.  The barking, grabbing your husband's shirt, etc., is rude pushy behavior that you should work on stopping.  The "Nothing In Life Is Free" (NILIF) program is good for adolescent Boxers who like to push the envelope; it's a fair yet firm way to remind them that the humans are the ones who control the resources and set the rules.  Here's a description of the NILIF plan; there are many others, of course:
http://www.goof.com/~pmurphy/NILIF.html

As well, Patrica McConnell's booklet, "How to be the Leader of the Pack", is basically an expanded NILIF program.

You might also consider taking Jewels in for a veterinary workup; while it may be mostly Bailey's age and lack of a clear hierarchy coming into play, dogs are also known to start fights with other dogs who are not well - a throwback to their wild heritage when a weak member could endanger the entire pack.  (A workup on Bailey wouldn't be a bad idea, either, especially a full (OFA) thyroid panel, as imbalances can sometimes cause aggression.)

I'd also suggest contracting a qualified behaviorist to evaluate the situation and see whether they think it can be helped with training or management.  Dog fights have a high potential for human injury, so you definitely want to get to the root of the problem and start working to change things as soon as you can.

Here's a good site with information on various form of aggression in dogs:
http://aggressivebehaviorsindogs.com/

Good luck!