When Dogs Attack Dogs

[Terrasage]

Hi everyone,

I haven't been on in QUITE a long time, so Helllooooo again! Sweet William and the rest of our 4-legged family are all doing great.

Unfortunately for my cousin and her boys, things are not so great. They had an adult toy poodle that was killed recently by a rescue lab they'd had less than 24 hours.

As it was described to me, the lab charged right through a screen door to get at this poor little poodle, who was on a leash being brought in after going out to pee. The lab had been neglected previous to my cousin rescuing it. She was not spayed, nor was the poodle.

Can someone help me understand why a dog would behave this way? Was it a turf issue? My cousin was taking it to the vet the next day, so I can't tell you if it was sick. Apparently the dog was fine with people.

Thanks for any light you can shine on this tragedy.

Tracy

 

[BLCOLE]

Originally posted by Terrasage:
Hi everyone,

Can someone help me understand why a dog would behave this way? Was it a turf issue? My cousin was taking it to the vet the next day, so I can't tell you if it was sick. Apparently the dog was fine with people.

Thanks for any light you can shine on this tragedy.

Tracy

My family had Labs before I got Zeus, my Newf. From my PERSONAL experience, SOME labs can be overly territorial and overly protective. I would say this is particularly true of the intact Labs that we had. As you state, these dogs did FINE with people, just not with other dogs. We would have shown one particular intact male if it wasn't for a problem with other dogs.

 

[Sue M.]

Hi Tracy! Glad to see you posting. I was wondering how you've been.

I'm so sorry to hear this about your cousin's poodle!

Where did she rescue the lab from? Usually, if the dog was in a Humane League or the SPCA, they will test a dog for agression and/or any issues before they put the dogs up for adoption.

It's hard to say what the case was for this lab. Different breeds exhibit different traits and who knows what this dogs life was like prior to this incident.

I'm sorry this happened to your cousins. I'm sure they are heart broken over the ordeal.

Don't be such a stranger! We miss you!

 

[Windancer]

I have seen dogs become really territorial when comming to a new home and claiming it. I think she was illiminating her competition. I don't know how the two of them were introduced, or if the lab was warned by the alpha humans that the poodle belonged to them. I once had a rescue young female chow, who bristled up and took a stance at the resident Aussie. I told her firmly NO!!! and stared at her, and she never acted dominent over the Aussie again. She became a wonderful dog. Julie

 

[Terrasage]

Thanks for your responses everyone--my cousin saw this lab chained outside a house day after day, and finally asked the family if she could have it. I did a google search on the issue, and wound up at a PETA article regarding a connection between chained animals and anti-social behavior--which makes sense to me. "Chaining, by definition, keeps a dog in solitary confinement, continually thwarting [the animal’s] pack instinct to be with other animals or with [his or her] human ‘pack.’” Here's the link:http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_chained_why.asp

I don't think she even had a chance to properly introduce this dog into it's new home--if I understood her properly, she was bringing it into the house for the first time and it ripped the leash out of her hand, went through a screen door and killed the poodle.

It's just sad, sad, sad. She returned the dog to the family and begged them not to leave her chained out like they had before, but of course, that's exactly what they did. After a lot of harassment, she was finally successful in getting the Humane Society out there to take the dog. She'll probably be put down, but my cousin felt that was better than living the life she had with this family.

Thanks again!

 

[Garden_girl]

I just want to say

...long time, no see... Tracy! I'm sorry about your cousins poodle, such a sad situation.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

It is nice to see you back, Tracy, but too bad it had to be on this sad note. Chaining dogs can make them mean and especially that this one was not neutered. It is a shame the lab owners negligence had to result in this sad situation.

 

[angie j]

So sad for everyone

I have often wondered why people get dogs... just to leave them tied up in a corner. It has always seemed odd to me. Heres hoping the ordeal heals in your family memory quickly.

Angie J