I have two adult dogs aged 6 and 9 and i have a puppy bitch aged 51/2 months.
The pup has acted really strange today. First thing i noticed she had started barking and growling at people passing the house and noises she was hearing.

Then tonight after her walk this evening she nipped the 6 year old dog, he turned round to tell her off with what i presume was a friendly nip( they have been playing and getting on really well untill this episode) She launched herself into a major attack on him. I had to intervene and split them up.

Then later on in the evening when playing with a toy, the six year old came to play with her and she attacked him again.
I shouted at very loud and she has resigned herself to her crate for the rest of the evening and wouldn't come out.

Q. Is there are reasonable explanation for her changed behaviour

Q. Have i dmaged her mentally by shouting at her so lound, why has she hidden away all evening.

If anybody has any ideas how i can reverse this please help.

hi,
she may well be showing signs of comming into her first season,a little early but it is a possibility.
if this is the case she is full of hormones and i am presuming that your other two dogs are males? and un-neutered?

My other dogs are both neutered.

How should i deal with them if they start fighting.

Hi Xena,

Does sound like the beginnings of hormones and seasons, what breed if your pup?

I would seperate them when you are not there in case she gets the hump when you are not there to split them, which could end in BIG problems.

You should remove your pup, preferably by the scruff of the neck (gently) from your other dog and very firmly say NO!! Shut her somewhere and praise your other dog (as long as she hasn't attacked back, a little telling off is fine, thats just natural). You need to make sure that she doesn't start a habit, but it is more than likely to be the season and if you have her spayed about 12/13 weeks after the season starts, you shouldn't have any more problems. :)

manda
X

One thing that it could be which ties in with what someone else has said really is that your new pup is trying to become top dog already. Maybe, by accident, you have shown her more attention (new dog and all that) than the other dogs and she now "thinks" she is above them.
Try re-establishing the pecking order, feed, talk too, put on lead, give toys too, in fact everything has to directed towards your older dogs first. Once you have delt with them then, and only then, see to the pup. Right now the pup should be at the lowest level in the pecking order.
Let me know how it goes.
Davepu

Well first of all thanks V much for all your advice.

It hasn't happened again in the past two days, but thats prob cos the other dog is refusing to have much to do with her at the mo.

I really hope she is not starting to come into season as She is booked in for spaying on monday 19/5. What would hgappen if the process had already begun and they carried out the op?

I'm no great expert on this but basically there will be much more blood than usual and so as i understand it, it will be much more difficult to tie up the necessary blood arteries - I hope someone will correct me if I am totally wrong here ;)

Lindsay

Xena,
I was told by my vet that they will not do the op if they are in season. I was concerned that my Yorkie was coming into season as well, so that's how I know. But I don't know if your vet would give you a different answer. Shirl :D