As most of you know, my 2 dogs have to live outside because dad says so...well, now he's gone to WV for a while for work so we thought we'd let them come in just to visit and stuff. Well, both of them were in the hallway right next to me and there was a rawhide treat nearby and both of them started brawling with each other and it scared me so bad I just froze. We got them apart eventually and sent Sophie outside and checked them over and Bignose(yes, that's right, its bignose, ha...aka JOE) has a small bite wound on his neck. So, I washed it and let him go out to pee and Sophie started another brawl, which my brother tried to break up and fortunately he didn't get bit, so I told him to never try and break them up because he'd end up in the ER. I cleaned it, flushed it with hydrogen peroxide and put some neosporin on it and I'll keep an eye on it in case he needs antibiotics. We're letting him stay in tonight and leaving Sophie outside so she can chill.
She got a rabies shot yesterday (in between her shoulder blades) do you think it might have been sore and he touched it? Or was it over the rawhide? Because she came upstairs and stood over HIS treat and growled at him so I grabbed her foot before she could get near him. This has never happened before where one got hurt, they play fight and have had just a few brawls with no blood.
It was quite a night, I am still sort of shaking. I really don't know what to do. Sophie likes to chase my kitten and my kitty smacks her around and hisses but now I will never trust Sophie with any other animal, including Bignose. I'm afraid she will kill my kitten and she'd have to be put down immediately cause I won't have a dog that does that crap. I'm thinking if we get rid of her, we'll keep Bignose and let him live out the rest of his life (he's 12-13) and we won't get anymore dogs(I will be moving out in a year or two and I can't take animals with me...maybe a kitty, and I'm the main caretaker of all 3 animals)
First thing is, when breaking up a fight of any kind have a breaking stick, if you do not have one grab the dogs around the belly right in front of the hind legs. NEVER try to break them up any further up than that you will get bit. Also don't freak out if you freak out they will also and could turn into a worse fight. I've broken up many fights in my house.
Secondly, Since they are not in the house, they could have a lot to do with it. They are more confinded inside then they are outside. You can try it again but put leashes on them both and do not give them any toys or treats until you know you can trust them together. If your keeping Joe inside tonight bring Sophie inside tomorrow she may understand plus Joe had all night to get used to being inside. It is sorta a "new" alpha roll bringing Joe in first them Sophie.
It's weird because they've been inside together before, and some yesterday. I really hope it was a one time thing because if it keeps happeneing, she can't stay. I can't risk anyone or my other dog. He's old and I feel more sorry for him when they fight.
My brother wants to wrap a belt around sophies neck next time and pull her away...I'll make sure he doesn't...Crazy boy.
If Joe's wound looks infected at all, do a compress of Epsom salt in hot water for as long as he'll let you. I like betadine (the brown-staining stuff) for drying out infection and cleaning after you do the salt.
I am guessing you just had a spat over a toy and that when they saw each other again, it was still fresh in their minds and too soon. I do not equate it one bit with anything like killing a cat, and just because a scuffle happened does not mean that Sophie is going to become a cat killer. (I also don't believe that a dog that doesn't like cats or even that kills a cat should be PTS) But I would keep her and Joe separate for a few days.
I'm real careful. My doggies do not "just get along" like in the fantasy stories. They might not have a problem with each other, but it never gets to experimental levels with my group...I really choose interactive mates. Treats are dispensed daily, but in individual kennels...
my frenchies have "gone at it" a few times. they are best friends , cuddle , play and love on each other. when treats are involved, its a whole different story. they stand on their back legs and viciously attack each others faces. i have to feed them treats far apart from each other. luckily they are small dogs and i can grab them both by the scruffs of their necks to separate them. they have even got into a couple of times over toys, but i stop it immediatly.stormy is right about not getting your hands in there. they can leave some serious bites. giving them time out away from each other and keeping all treats and toys seperate is a must.
"Do HUH????? That can and will chock her! NEVER wrap a belt around a dogs neck. Put collars on them both and leashes."
I know, my brother's an idiot. It'd be way better than trying to hit them with a breaking stick or grabbing them, though. I'm not about to try and split them apart, I'm not risking my face or arm, ha.
If she killed my cat, yes I would have her put down. I would never trust her around anyone or anything again. I don't see it happening but that's what we'd have to do.
If she loses her marbles and goes after a cat, she may be a danger to the baby. It was prolly just the treats that caused it, unfortunately, dogs that mix it up like that often repeat the episode, and it escalates into truely dangerous fights later in life. Growing up, I had two intact girls that would fight about once a year. The last fight they had resulted in a leg almost torn from the one dog. The vet bill was huge...
Well, Sophie doesn't have her sex organs anymore so I'm thinking it was a dominance thing. I hope. I just won't trust her anymore with other animals, I just can't. Or with Sarah, she'd be dead meat if she hurt her at all. I just won't let Sarah visit Sophie, just Joe. He wouldn't hurt a fly.
I'm glad she doesn't live inside full time like most dogs, my cat would be traumatized with her in there all the time. She scared my kitty so bad last night she peed on a blanket on my floor. shew
Oh, the belt thing, you just reminded me... We could see the fight coming, sometimes. I saw them get that look, and said " oh no you don't" and stepped between them just as my favorite dog lunged at the other dog. Instead of Lava's face, Katrina bit hard into my leg and the fight was over when she looked up and realised what she had just done She slunk away with tucked tail. Me, I learned not to stick body parts near fighting dogs
I know that Koda will fight with another dog over a rawhide, him and Kaia got into it a few times, (My daughter had given Koda a rawhide not knowing that he is VERY possessive of them) Koda ONLY gets treats alone, I know that he has this issue but it was NEVER consideration of getting rid of him or having him put to sleep. We just have to make sure that he only gets his treats, and food in his crate. Koda would NEVER get that way with a person EVER, I know that for a fact. But I know that he cannot be trusted with his food and treats around other dogs, it is not a huge issue, I just make sure that he is seperated when they are fed. Sometimes you have to work around their quirks, it isn't hard to do. My kids have learned NEVER to touch the dogs treats and rawhides, I trust Koda but I know that he is still a dog. My husband and I are the only ones that take the dogs bones and food. (Although my kids do help feed the puppy) If your dog does kill your cat for whatever reason, please just find her a home as an only dog. There is no reason to have her put down, at least not without a complete evaluation from a behaviourist first. JMO
I like to let my cat on the back porch to sniff around and stuff so I'll shut the gate at the bottom of the steps so Sophie won't do anything. It'll take a while for me to fully trust her again...she's very good with Sarah and everything, I just can't take her out to see her anymore. I think if we ever had to get rid of her, I'd like to find her a home as an only dog, like Katz said. She likes to be the center of attention and she can't always be. Her and Joe are fine today, no fussing or fighting. I washed Joe's neck and sprayed antibacterial stuff on it. It's looks fine now, I'll just keep my eye on it.
But yeah, they scared me to death when they fought, I just froze and did nothing. We're not going to break them up anymore, we don't need to visit the ER anytime soon. I'd rather let them have a scrap and be done. The 2 they had last night laster like 5-6 seconds each.
"Do HUH????? That can and will chock her! NEVER wrap a belt around a dogs neck. Put collars on them both and leashes."
I know, my brother's an idiot. It'd be way better than trying to hit them with a breaking stick or grabbing them, though. I'm not about to try and split them apart, I'm not risking my face or arm, ha.
This is why I said Keep Leashes on them. Putting a belt around a dogs neck because you think they are going to fight is just ludacris. Dogs have spats they are animals thats what they do. Just because they has a spat with eachother doesn't mean they will act differnet around childern or people. A child should never be left alone with any animal anyways, I'm sure she would be perfectly fine around Sara (sp) like she always was. My dogs have had many of fights but that doesn't mean i'm going to cut off all interaction with people, they didn't fight cause of people they fought because of other reasons. If you act scared of her she will know it, dogs can sence fear and they feed on fear. She ill try and dominat you if she knows your scared of her. You can't act differently with her when she was just being what she is a animal. Having animals especially dogs you have to expect a fight or two.
I agree with stormy's last post. Animal aggression and human aggression are UNRELATED. Not to mention one spat does not mean she is even animal aggressive. And a spat with Joe over a treat has absolutely nothing to do with how she reacts to the cat or to Sarah. If she was fine with them before, she still is.
I agree with Katz that finding another home without cats would be the way to handle a dog who is cat aggressive, NOT putting them to sleep. I would never adopt a dog to anyone who felt that PTS was the answer if it killed a cat. Some dogs don't like cats, is a chance we take when we take on the lifetime responsibility of a dog. PTS would NOT be responsible; finding a loving, cat-free home would. You see them all the time at shelters for adoption-- it will say "this dog needs to go to a home with no cats." It's that simple, dogs that don't like cats can still be great dogs and bring a catless family years of pleasure and companionship.
I can't imagine my dogs fighting. Scary. My six live in peace. I know I just got lucky. Don't get me wrong, their are growls and snapping but I've never had a fight. Zoe's gotten bit a few times but only once that broke the skin. She deserved it. I just can't imagine having an actual dog fight. Thats scary stuff.
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Saving just one dog won't save the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog. -Richard C. Call
no, my brother never said he'd put it on her just because, only if he saw them fighting and it was the only way if we had to break them up...we won't try to break them up anymore. Joe and Sophie have been fine with each other all day, maybe she learned her lesson. I hope it was just a one time thing. She really scared old Joe...I felt so bad. She likes to chase the cat, but I can't leave her alone with her, she's not trustworthy. They don't live together so I'm not worried about it, the cat lives indoors.
She slunk away with tucked tail. Me, I learned not to stick body parts near fighting dogs
