Hi
After some advice please.  Own 3 border terriers, 2 bitches and 1dog.
All have always got on really well, they are parents and daughter.
Just recently younger bitch (6) has started acting differently to her mother (10). Odd looks, bit growly on occassions, looking a bit cocky so to speak.
Older bitch seems oblivious to it all and dog (8) doesnt get involved.
Is this just a case of younger bitch trying to overtake top position from mum.  No actual fighting, but keeping separate when alone. Dont want to take chances.
Has anyone experience of this at such ages. Also older bitch has been spayed. Was planning on spaying younger one in new year but now not sure.
Advice appreciated.
Milly

>Is this just a case of younger bitch trying to overtake top position from mum.

I'd say so, about the right age, mine have usually done it at this age 5 - 6, if there is to be a take over, especially as seems with yours the older is happy to abdicate.

The younger bitch has been given a higher ranking with the older bitch being spayed.  I've seen it happen here, terrier breed, and the daughter has realised that she is further up the chain now.

The younger bitch has been given a higher ranking with the older bitch being spayed.  I've seen it happen here, terrier breed, and the daughter has realised that she is further up the chain now.

I agree with everything JeanSW says. The only thing I can to add to that is that each case is its own measure & its' own individual aspects.

You were/are right to keep the younger bitch seperate when your out or leaving them for a while, just make sure the younger one cannot get to the older one, as opposed to might manage it with some effort, somehow.
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Thanks for your replies.  All is well at the moment but still keeping separate when alone.  They played well together yesterday like normal.  Have been treating younger ones ears for a couple of days, wondering if shes been feeling a bit off colour as since ears been done acting more normal.
Is spaying her as planned likely to affect the situation.  Are they less likely to get on if both spayed.
Regards
milly

>Are they less likely to get on if both spayed

If you have the younger bitch spayed you will remove the reason for quarrels.  You will also remove the risk of pyometra which is always a good reason to spay.

There are no guarantees re having the younger one spayed and what's going on.  However, I'd get the younger one spayed in any case - there's enough to have persuaded me that the more seasons a bitch is allowed to have the greater the risk, and it is only a risk, of mammary, ovarian or uterine cancer later on and the ever present risk of a pyometra.   Most of our bitches were not spayed until retired, and we did have just the one who developed mammary cancer.  Not something I'd wish on my worst enemy.  

I'd do what you can to avoid the growling to escalate to a fight - once bitches fight, there is often no way back.   Males fight to mate, bitches fight to survive.   Could be the ears causing all this however.   Dogs know when something is wrong with another one and her ear infection could have made the younger one feel the need to defend herself, before anything happened?

We have had generations of related hounds under the one roof, mostly bitches, mothers, daughters and grand-daughters etc.   We only had one challenge situation between males - one young lad coming up to 2 started at his older uncle.   Try as I might, I couldn't get him to settle down so had to home him which I found better than having to make sure they were separated when we were out.