Separation Anxiety? Alpha Female? Or Missing The Mommy?

[Guest tggraymouse]

This happened today. JJ our almost 4 yr old female attacked Lyric our almost 7yr old female. Very severe,to neck will be having surgery in am. This is the 2nd attack in a month. First one resulted in torn and stitched ear and somehow Lyric lost a canine tooth.

 

Prior to the first attack, there has never been any problem. Lyric was here first, and JJ has been here about 18 months. We also have 3 senior males all 11 this year.

 

First time, I was gone to Michigan visiting family and getting my 5 yr old grandson to bring back to tennessee with me. My husband was here working and home at night with them. My best friend who is here quite often, and has helped out before, was coming every day to let them out, play with them, and makes sure they got some attention. Upon letting the dogs in Lyric ran up the stairs and Jj quickly followed and got after Lyric. My friend said JJ was rrelentless. It happened on day 6, I came home as scheduled the next day.

 

Today, my husband came home from work, and it looked like a slasher movie. Lyric's neck was ripped wide open on the back. JJ was covered in her blood. Again I have been gone, I left early afternoon last Thursday, my best friend went with me. My husband worked shorter days Thursday and Friday and today, and was with them on the weekend. So today was day 5 of me being gone. I was 2 hrs from home when I got the call.

 

While my grandson was here, then were no problems between the dogs or with him. JJ was actually very lovey with him and would lay on the sofa with him or on him even. Currently my husband wants to bounce her back to the group. He is really JJ's human, but Lyric is his love. I'm just the door opener and butler and chef and water boy for the girls. The boys are my babies. I don't want to bounce her, and right now I think he needs a little space.

 

However, if anyone has ever had this type of problem, please let me know. I just can't stand the thought of giving up on this lil girl. I love her and it isn't right to give up on her. My solution is crate when we are gone and muzzle when they go out?

 

Help please

[KickReturn]

MUZZLE EVERYONE. Should have been done after the first attack, (before the first attack would have been even better).

 

If it were me the muzzle would never come off the attacker, and I would find her another location where this couldn't happen - specifically, those two dogs should not be together. This is serious stuff. Make the best decision for all your dogs and try to keep your feelings emotions out of it. What's best for the dogs might be painful for you - comes with the territory.

 

Sorry.

[robinw]

Have you taken JJ to the vet to see if maybe she isn't feeling well? At the by least, always keep them muzzled. If JJ is healthy, you might want to think about rehoming,her. This is serious. I know of at least one situation like this that resulted in the death of the older hound.

[3greytjoys]

Sadly, I agree with others. JJ has already turned on Lyric very seriously twice within one month. Who knows what set JJ off, but both incidents seem to have been intentional attacks without being related to food. I agree to have JJ vet checked and be sure to consider if she's currently on any medications that may contribute to aggression as a side effect.

 

If given the opportunity, I would fully "expect" JJ to attack again. Thankfully, your grandson was not in the middle of them. If JJ is healthy, it sounds like she may do better in a home without four other dogs. She may have been hyper-stressed and on dog pack overload, or she may have an increasing female-to-female problem with Lyric. One of your senior boys might not be able to handle getting in the middle of a fight with young, strong JJ. Frequently, other dogs in the vicinity will join in a fight, and pack fights are horrific.

 

One of my experiences happened when I was a young child (3 y.o.) living with two different large breeds (not Greys), but the (newer) aggressor dog killed our original resident dog. Sadly, the aggressor dog didn't stop there. Two years later, I was among his seriously injured victims.

 

If you really want to keep JJ, a licensed veterinary behaviorist might be able to help. But if JJ is healthy (i.e., lacking a painful medical reason for aggression), IMO, it would be MUCH safer to return JJ to your adoption group for them to find an "adult only" home where she could become the single canine queen bee. That would be safer for your family, and for JJ. Winding up with a bite record could place JJ's life at stake. Whatever you and your husband decide to do, please ensure ALL hounds are muzzled for now. They can still harm each other with muzzles on, so I'd suggest making a plan - look around rooms you frequent most to find large, flat items to help separate your hounds, keeping yourself at a safe distance. I agree that JJ should be crated or otherwise securely separated from the rest of the pack when you leave. (After 18 months, I wouldn't consider these incidents part of a new retiree adjustment period either. JJ's done serious damage twice, and losing her canine tooth likely would have been caused by a strong force.)

 

We have a hound with severe separation anxiety, but her S.A. does not manifest in any dog-to-dog aggression. She's fine with all our hounds and hound visitors. We have had a couple of Greyhound visitors who acted aggressively towards our resident hounds, but I was able to halt their behavior before it escalated to serious harm by placing a tall chairback between their faces and front legs to separate them. (Both hounds were standing up like bears on their hind legs.)

 

If JJ's aggressive behavior increases, an attempt to control/manage it could become highly stressful for your family over time. I'm so sorry you are facing this difficult situation. My positive thoughts are with Lyric for her successful surgery and recovery. Hopefully others with multiples will respond with their experiences.

[Guest IrskasMom]

What KickReturn said ..... do it immediatly

[Guest tggraymouse]

She was muzzled all night. Currently she is laying in the same room with me. and is very subdued. My 11 yr old boys that we had for 9 yrears have never worn their muzzles except when being transported together. I am planning on taking JJ to the vet today, for observation and a medical work up. I will give her up to be rehomed if there is nothing wrong medically.

[philospher77]

I agree with all the others that this dog needs to be rehomed. An attack to the back of the neck is an attack to kill. There's no way that was accidental, or just a warning or correction. Inter-female aggression issues are very difficult to resolve, since it's all about one dog saving resources for her and her potential offspring. Two bitches with litters means that resources would need to be shared. Yes, your dogs will never have litters, but they don't that. If you don't rehome JJ, you are looking at managing this situation for the rest of the dogs' lives by ensuring that the two females are never in a situation where they can be loose together. At that point, I personally feel it's best to rehome, so that each dog can live a fulfilling life.

[Ragsysmum]

I'd rehome her too. Once you get two bitches fighting it usually escalates and can get really, really bad!

[krissy]

I agree with all the others that this dog needs to be rehomed. An attack to the back of the neck is an attack to kill. There's no way that was accidental, or just a warning or correction. Inter-female aggression issues are very difficult to resolve, since it's all about one dog saving resources for her and her potential offspring. Two bitches with litters means that resources would need to be shared. Yes, your dogs will never have litters, but they don't that. If you don't rehome JJ, you are looking at managing this situation for the rest of the dogs' lives by ensuring that the two females are never in a situation where they can be loose together. At that point, I personally feel it's best to rehome, so that each dog can live a fulfilling life.

 

The dog I just rescued (pictures of her and her puppies in Off Topic! ) came from this exact situation. They had two littermate siblings who got along great. Both got pregnant and had litters at the same time last September. Ever since they have been at each other's throats and the owner had to keep them separate at all times. One was in the crate all day then they switched for the night. He finally decided he had to give one away before something really bad happened. Of course, Daisy managed to get pregnant again right as he was looking for a new home for her!