hi all, i need abit of advice.
i have four dogs, 2 staffords a bulldog and a german sheperd.  they have all lived in harmony until this week.  the two staffords are no problem, but my sheperd keeps attacking my bulldog.  the shepard we rescued about 7 years ago he is probably about 11 years old now, hates other dogs, but has been fine with our own dogs in the house, he is also castrated.  now the bulldog is nearly two and is entire.  for the last week the shepard will go up to him and start attacking him for no reason, and my bulldog won't fight back but just looks abit shocked after.   he also doesn't touch the staffords.  i have one stafford that is in season at the moment, but  the stafford is no where near the other two dogs when they have there fight.  i am dreading to think they will not live in harmony again, as i do love my dogs, and they haven't been a problem before.  any help/advice welcome.

thanks

angela

Hi Venus,

Does your GSD regard himself as the Alpha male??

The scent from your in season bitch even if in a different part of the house can very easily still be found, dogs can smell an in season bitch from miles away. Being in a different part of the house will make no difference.

Your entire male will be emiting hormonal smells that your GSD can pick up on so he may be enforcing his pecking order on your Bulldog. It may be best to keep the dogs apart whilst your bitch is in season and hopefully things will go back to normal afterwards. :-)

hi Angela, i went through a situation last year, where after 3.5 yrs of my dogs all getting along, suddenly mother & daughter started fighting, really fighting !! it was awful & it got more intense each time , to the point i knew 1 more fight & they would kill each other, i posted on here for advice, & i knew in my heart i would have to rehome one of them , people on here agreed & supported this . i was lucky that my daughter was in a position to take one so i still see her most days , its hard to let one go but best for the welfare of the dogs IMO.

hi thanks for your advice, the thing is he will not always attack the bulldog, they could one minute be next to each other, then the gsd will go up to him and start!
he is now 11 years old or so we think, do you think something is going on in his head?

I would ensure that, whilst your girl is in season - whether or not she is near them - that you try and ensure that there is a door between the bulldog and GSD!   The pheronomes exuded are always going to upset the tranquil balance of a pack.

We had to rehome our 8 year old lab bitch just a couple of weeks ago - she went for our young lab bitch & one of the aussies - but they piled back onto her - resulting in an enormous vet's bill and upset all round.   

Margot

thanks margot, the thing is rehoming is not really an option, as no-one is going to want an 11 year old gsd.  its hard, but my other stafford is also an entire male, and he doesn't fight with him

Obviously the GSD is - or considers himself to be "top dog" and your entire staffy must as well .....it's just the young upstart bothering the old boy!

Dogs aren't as bad as bitches, once a ruck is over, they forget it - trouble with bitches is they don't!   That's why sadly we had to rehome Gypsy (but she's now living the life of Riley as an "only" dog).    I do realise that rehoming isn't an option for you - but after 3 weeks or so, you'll be over the problem ......for the next 6 months.    It will give you breathing space to work out just how to move the dogs around, if it looks like happening again - maybe puting one of the boys into kennels for the duration of the season - might be worth considering.

Margot

gsd is top dog, but he always approaches the bulldog.  the bulldog will never go up to him and start.  i feel sorry for my little bulldog, hopefully like you say it will be over in 3 weeks!

Just be careful as it doesn't always resolve itself. I had this happen when a bitch of mine came into season. My Golden started attacking my cavalier (both male and like in your case the Cav never fought back). It's now 8 years that I've had to keep them apart permanently as the Golden never forgot.

Just another thought!  Are you sure health wise that your GSD or even the Bulldog are OK.  Sometimes they can sense when something is wrong with another dog and not react in the way that we would expect, or maybe there's something wrong health wise with your GSD.

More than likely it's just the bitch being in season. 

I hope all goes well.

Know what it's like with dogs fighting my young boys pushing the boundaries at the moment.

Ensure you do keep them apart for this time, don't be tempted to think that it won't matter if you allow then to be together - one more scrap could be the one that makes the dogs change towards each other for all time.

If it carries on after the season is over, although i agree it may be because the bulldog is young and up and coming in the GSDs eyes, it may be worth having a thorough vet chekc of your GSD in case there are health reasons.

Lindsay
x

Snap :d

:rolleyes: hi thanks all for the info, i will watch and see, like you all say hopefully its just because of my little bitch being in season!!

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