My Life with Dogs and Cats

OK-- normally I wouldn't post for your thoughts or advice about Bella (35lb beagle) and Simone (65+lb Boxer/AmStaf) having a tiff. They do this on a daily basis, with Bella coming out the winner every time until today.

This morning all the seemingly harmless fighting came to a head. It started Thursday night, when they had to be separated by force. Bella seemed to be the instigator.

The Thursday night fight was over an empty bowl (which had white rice in it). Bella was sick, so I gave her some rice to settle her stomach. She ate it, and Simone came over to check out her bowl. Bella was nasty and started snapping and growling. Usually Simone would back off from this behavior but she did not. It took 2 of us to get them apart.

Friday was not much better with little tiffs breaking out between the girls over NOTHING.

This morning all 3 dogs were restless, and having little break-out fights over nothing. Simone being the main "actor" in the fights. I thought they needed some outside time.

Instead of a long walk, I took them to my neighbors fenced-in yard so they could run free and get some of that energy out. Everything was going fine. About 15 minutes into the appropriate play and run time, Bella snapped at Simone and Simone attacked her. When say attack, I mean, she grabbed Bella by the neck and just started shaking her. Bella broke free and went right back after Simone. The fight lasted about 30 seconds.

My neighbor came out to see if he could help me separate them.

The end result was Simone's mouth bleeding, and Bella with blood all over the left side of her face, blood spitting out of her mouth, and nose.

This has NEVER happened before. Neither dog has ever been bleeding after a fight.

Simone has a tiny nick on her outer jowl, but it seems OK. After washing all the blood off Bella I found a tiny lacerations on her forehead, scratches on the inside part of her ear and a 1/4" gash in the cartilage on the upper outside part of her ear. The scratches inside her ear were bleeding so bad, I thought they were MUCH worse than they turned out to be.

Thoughts for solution, or cause, so I can prevent this from happening again?

Jeanneh, how awful! I can't imagine how you and your friend were able to separate them - a miffed bulldog no less! Were either of you injured? Did either Simone or Bella require medical attention? I don't know dogs, I can only offer my condolences and wishes for a speedy resolution top this sibling rivalry.

-Lynn

This is a tough call ... Bella fighting ??? I can't believe that ...

Simone is really playful ... means no harm .. but if Bella hasn't been feeling good and Simone is on top of her ... I can see Bella snapping on her ...

Maybe it would be good to separate them until Bella feels better ...

Or when you see signs they will fight .. call there attention ... that way they know you are watching them ...

time out usually works ...

I'm so rusty when it comes to give advice to dogs ... all my life had dogs .. now its Kitty !! ...

NO medical attention needed, except for me washing Bella and treating her wounds myself.

When I saw Bella all bloody I thought we were going to have to go to the vet, but after cleaning her, it really wasn't serious. The inside scratches were so bloody--but they are just scratches. Her ear must just bleed alot if it gets scratched.

I think some of the blood on Bella was Simone's.

Currently, they are cuddled up sleeping together on the couch!

Posted By: jeannehCurrently, they are cuddled up sleeping together on the couch!

hahahahhahahaahahah I'm not surprised !!

You mention that Bella has not been feeling well. Maybe Bella is being extra defensive and Simone is becoming a more aggressive because Bella, who usually wins the small fights, is not 100%. I would keep them separated during meal time and play time for the most part until Bella is well again.

Bella seems to be feeling fine now.

She had grabbed some french fries from the ground before I could stop her and they made her sick a few days. She was the only one of the dogs that got those icky french fries.

An afternoon update: The girls are sleeping with their heads tucked together on the couch. No one seems upset about today's bloody event besides me. I'll monitor any rough play throughout the night.

Food sharing has never been an issue here. Bella shares, Simone shares, Hunter shares reluctantly. I only separate them for eating because Simone eats puppy food and the beagles are on special (expensive) diet food. They happily wait their turn for treats.

Simone is now 11 months old (as of Thursday). Bella has always been in the TOP DOG in the house. I was considering that Simone is getting a little sick of being pushed around by a little brat. Maybe she's attempting to move her position up in the pack?

Maybe todays events have settled their dispute.

Time for you to have a glass of wine and relax!

your Grills are fighting? Time to choose between gas and charcoal. Go with natural lump charcoal.

Paging Dr. Bajou..........

las, is that aggression vet just for cats? or does she assess dogs too?

Sometime when a animal is sick others will see it as a time of weakness and try to dominate it.. I don't know who is the hierarchy of them but that is usually a sigh of dominance with the grabbing of the neck..

I am not sure about the agression but we use a water spray bottle when our girls get out of control. It works great everytime and now I just have to show it to them and they stop. This may be good for you because you won't have to worry about getting bitten or injured, etc.

Posted By: canismajorPaging Dr. Bajou..........

Um, Bajou is on an MOL hiatus...

We actually do have water bottle we use on the dogs. It works great!

I did not bring it with me to the neighbors.

Saturday NIght update: Simone hangs over Bella. because she has the height, Bella growls, but is backing off. When they are not doing that--they love each other.

Posted By: canismajorPaging Dr. Bajou..........

Posted By: PeggyCUm, Bajou is on an MOL hiatus...

sad, but true...

jeanneh how are the furballs doing?

All is at peace Monday.

I am getting very involved in any play time, so if I think it will escalate...I distract Simone--who appears to be the one that gets rough first.

Still peace on Tuesday.

Maybe whatever their issue was has been resolved?

Huh. Maybe they just needed to clarify their relative standings in the pack. Glad they are getting along better.

Well, If Simone wanted to--she could take the lead on both beagles now. She just doesn't seem to want to.

She is getting to be a pretty powerful puppy. My neighbor was laughing the other morning, as Simone bounced over to greet her...all 65+ lbs of happy-to-see-you puppy.

She said "It hard to think of her as a puppy--look at her!"
Her husband added that NO ONE will want to break into the house now--he came over when we were not home and I guess Simone was jumping up at the glass door showing him how scary she can really be.

I am eager to hear solutions to this problem, because fear of this happening between Rachel and Juliet has stopped me from going to JAC to pick up little Juliet immediately. I saw Victoria of "It's Me or The Dog" deal with this issue about two weeks ago. Unfortunately I was doing something else at the time, so I didn't see the whole episode, only snipets. She got it working, but she mentioned it was hard.

I don't have a solution.

Apparently, the fight they had has settled their dispute.

I am much more involved if they play--distracting Simone if she seems to be getting rough.

I keep thinking this thread is about bra fitting advice!

Posted By: jeannehCurrently, they are cuddled up sleeping together on the couch!

Go figure!

.

Crazy Quilter--you crack me up!

I learn a little bit more about you every day.

Note to self...CQ's a perv.(LOL)

Posted By: jeannehI was considering that Simone is getting a little sick of being pushed around by a little brat. Maybe she's attempting to move her position up in the pack?

This sounds like it could be very likely.

Honestly, if it happens again, please contact a behavior specialist. I would suggest you reach out to the folks at St. Hubert's in Madison. They are very good at what they do and really know their stuff. This could be happening for any number of reasons (although, as I said, the above sound very likely), and you will need to get a handle on it and resolve it ASAP, before it escalates. I'm glad to hear all is peaceful now and hope it stays that way.

One question I do have: Have you made it clear that YOU are the pack leader? Especially with Simone as she is a breed that tends to like to dominate whenever and where ever possible.

Since I had Bark Busters come in 2 years ago and I was trained on how to stay pack leader....YES I am in charge!!! ABSOLUTLY!

St. Huberts knows Simmy--she was a star pupil in their puppy class last August. Recently Simone started testing her humans--not listening to commands, and being pushy---and the humans here do not tolerate her behavior.

Simone has just started to show some dominate behaviors towards both beagles. She is now 11 months. She has thus far been content to be low in the pack. Her nature is normally, just passive and silly. Her mother was extremely passive.

I had a boxer for 12 years (Molly) and the 1st Three years she and I went round and round over who was in charge. She had a very aggresive dominant personality. At age 3--she calmed down, and for 9 more years was a great dog.

I understand that I have a lot of work to do with Simone. Right now she's trying out things...finding her place. She is by no means a bad dog. She has a loving, sweet heart.

I'm much more involved with play time between the dogs now.

If it looks like I need help--I'll seek it because I do not claim to be an expert--that's for sure.

OK, so we are now neck deep in "puppy-ness" in our home with Simone.

Simone is at LEAST 65lbs, now and will be a year old on Valentine's Day.

It was suggested that I not let her sleep with me in the bed, and to not fuss over her as much as I have. This is hard for ME, but am doing it so that I can have some control in the home.

Her fight with Bella was a wake-up call for me. I just LOVE her and hug her, kiss on her and trained her in the basic commands, but clearly her personality and breed trait need more attention than the BASICS. No more hugs and kisses--at least for now.

SO, I am thinking I might have this moved over to the BLOG section, since now I am going to document my odyssey into serious puppy training, and the joy and perils of it all.

Log:
Day 4 of Puppy training: Simone eats wall to wall rug.

Ok--so it only took 2 nights for Simone to accept that she cannot get on the bed. The first 2 nights were riddled with crying, and jumping up, and being removed, and barking well into the AM's. So now DAY 4--I think she's happy...sleeping on her bed, or chewing her bone on the floor.

BUT, as I start to fall asleep, listening to KNAW KNAW....KNAW...KNA....I hear,..RIP!

RIP???..WHAT???
The rug is torn right off the floor, and shredded.

Now I have a 3"x5" missing section of my wall-to-wall carpet in the bedroom.