I've got a problem

[clifty_man]

My female pit bull Coco is randomly attacking my only other female dog, a Shepherd mix named Freda,  Freda is a strange dog; she  doesn't made friends with any of the other dogs, and she doesn't make friends with people either.  She's a very fearful dog, but I call her my sweet girl.  She's been with me 11 years, and I love her dearly.   But I don'

Comments

[pickleboot]

we have that happen here, too, but with toby and walter. we *think* that it is a startle reflex or something over a favorite spot.

there is a saying about owning dogs- boys fight for bitches, bitches fight for stitches. i am finding this true in our little dog family- sophie is the one to jump into the "fray" of toby showing walter who is boss when there is no real fighting going on just a lot of noise and all that. it's frustrating and annoying, but we redirect the coming attack as we now see a pattern by getting them all outside and by then it's forgotten.

good luck. i hope it gets better. we are down to once every 6-8 months. much better than every 7-10 days.

[clifty_man]

The boys never fight. I can sometimes catch Coco stalking Freda and I just say her name. She immediately stops. I don't know what Coco's problem with Freda is, other than that they're both female. Poor Freda. Her last vet visit as a result of an attack by Coco cost me about $200.

[pickleboot]

i know this sounds so backwards, but we have instituted outside time when we catch the whale eyes or any sign of a scuffle/rumpus/whatever you want to call it from toby or walter. it seems to redirect it all into play as soon as we get outside toby is jumping around, play bowing, asking walt to play, which he will do in his own way. sophie will get in the middle of anything.

then again, toby pulls bites. he doesn't do much in the way of biting even when he goes after walter- it's all bluster.

[clifty_man]

I have dog doors in three locations in the house, so the dogs can go out anytime they want. But when I catch Coco stalking Freda, it's pretty eerie. Coco's tail is straight out and her gaze is fixed on Freda. I try to catch it when I see it, but I don't always see it.