dog just bitten...

Chestnutmare

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my bro in law has two malamute puppies both 7mths old and sisters, they fight over food, we were in kitchen and there was a bag of food on floor in lounge and they fought bro in law pulled them apart and his dog has just bitten his finger off...he's gone to hospital dog is in her cage...still growling afterwards too...what happens now to her? she is a babe but this has totally shocked me and them i think....the other dog is OK and is the softest of them...just so scared now as she may have to be PTS or got rid off....
 
Vibes for you bro.

But it does appear that it was his fault for leaving the food down.
And why wasn't this behavior sorted before?
Slaps as a bit irresponsible to me.
 
Added my comments on your SB post - sorry if I sound harsh
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Ouchies, hope he recovers ok! Not sure on laws around this but if it is their own dog then I think it would be their decision re. PTS. Definately seek professional help with training as food aggression can be so easily avoided especially when they are so young
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not at all...they knew they fight over food...and the bag was left on floor i'm sat here crying now bout it looking at her i really hope they dont put her down or get rid of her...it was his fault yes I agree entirely.......just dont want her to go i really dont!!!
 
She's still a youngster, it may well be that much can be done with a good behaviourist.

Cayla I reckon would be a good bet for advice.
 
What would we all do without Cayla
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It will be interesting to see what she says, I personally would think rehome to someone prepared to train her with a behaviourist, malamutes are lovely dogs but I can see that a litter brother and sister would be a real handful to have together
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i've opened her cage up and sat down by her to talk and stroke her belly as i feel it wasnt her fault for all this...whilst i was doing this she was very quitely growling so I thought Oh ok then I shall leave you be for a calm down...she has also been caught by her eye by the other one...although its just a tiny nic..I'm still sat her in total disbelief about all of this and hope that bro in law is OK and that he wont come and do anything horribe to her or anything else sure that he wont be in anger.....he has a bit of a temper! I would step in on that thats for sure although for the training he has been doing wonders on them both and I know he loves them dearly...
 
It can be easy to get bitten when you step into a dog fight.

Please ask him to see a behaviourist. At seven months old, they still more than a large chance of having this behaviour corrected.

I have a litter brother and sister and there is no way I would feed them in the same room, they get fed seperately, as all our dogs have done. Have seen too many fights over food!

Hope he isn't too badly injured and as for his temper? What good will taking it out on the dogs do, several hours after the event? They wouldn't understand.

I would also see a vet, you don't want a nick in the eye to get infected.
 
they do get fed seperately in their cages...they know that they go in there on their own will when its dinner time, they are good dogs very loving it was i think just a freak accident him getting his hand in the way....
 
Hope your brother in law is okay. Agree with other posters that you need to get some professional help with training them, 2 siblings can be a problem, particularly with a powerful breed like a malamute. I am a bit concerned that you say she is growling at you whilst you are stroking her, is this normal behaviour? Is it possible she has been bitten somewhere other than her eye and is in pain, definitely think she should be checked over by a vet.
 
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I personally would think rehome to someone prepared to train her with a behaviourist, malamutes are lovely dogs but I can see that a litter brother and sister would be a real handful to have together
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Agree! Some rescues won't rehome 2 dogs of a young age because of the attention and training they need so I feel two 7 month olds of this breed is too much, but it should never have got this stage. Also a bit worrying that she is still grumbling
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UPDATE: his finger has a clean break to the bone..top of finger is off and he has to see a plastic surgeon tomorrow am he's not got any ill feelings towards her she is very sorry about it as she didnt mean it, he is going to spay them both and seek professional help with them her nic isnt in her eye just under and i've already addressed this...she's is OK!
just all abit of a shock really she didnt mean to do it...she's been and said hello to him with her head down inbetween her knees....he still loves her!
thanks ever so much for all the advice much appreciated and have forwarded this on to him.
 
I personally don't recommend siblings together and 2 bitches to boot, but this is a predictable situation food-fight-bite, I have been bitten badly splitting dogs up, but luckily still have all my fingers, jsut some really deep scars
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It's absoloutley normal for dogs to fight over food and for an intervener to be bitten in the process, the dog is doing whats natural protecting it's food and in the midst of defence it's a free for all, including any extra fingers
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, however I agree with MM the growling towards you is not acceptible and indicated there are already signs of early aggression issues, and as sugested in a breed to big and powerful this needs to be nipped in the bud yesterday, I personally would advise rehoming 1 bitch, puppy fighting is nothing compared to full on adult dog fighting esp between 2 bitches, does your brother have an experience of owning this breed and know of it's requirements? if not then maybe worth speaking to cyrus on here for a little advice esp in regards to exercise.
Have the dogs shown any aggression towards each other or humans before?
 
cayla - No they havent shown any aggression to humans at all...they are the softest dopest dogs ever, Tifa - the dog, gets panicky if pulled away so it was her instinct to protect herself here, he was and still is extreamly upset by what happened and is not prepared to rid of the dogs he has done a huge amount of research on their breed and has been watching dog whisperer and tbh he has actually done so well with them they are normally sooo well behaved and this has been put down to a one off accident he has no malice towards her and is beside himself about it, they know what they need to now do in respect of seeking advice they are walked everyday twice a day and are no way aggressive towards other dogs out walking they love other dogs have done since tiny pups, we all love them to bits and I really would like to thank you all for the advice here last night - I was in total shock by this so couldnt really think straight....but i'm sure all will be fine.
They often come up the yard with me to have a run around on the gallops...they love horses..they really are lovely dogs.
 
I really hope he manages to cope with them and that all the good advice on here helps. Bitches fighting are far worse than dogs imo
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, have to say I am quite surprised at the breeder letting 2 siblings go together.
 
I have 2 siblings (brother and sister) and have not had any problems with them apart from the usual puppy mayhem and training. The only fighting they do is play fighting in the garden (which they normally get tired of within 5 minutes and then just mooch about together). My dogs have been well handled and trained from the day they came home, we have attended puppy class, intermediate training and a heelwork and recall workshop. To be honest they would have been fine with just the puppy class but we enjoyed training so much with them (Our trainer is great!) and it helped us to becoming more knowledgeable and responsible dog owners, even though I owned a dog previously who never put a paw out of line. As pups we used to hand feed them and taught them the leave it command over their dinner so they learnt from an early age that food does not belong to them. From having my 2 I don't think it matters that they are siblings, they are just 2 dogs who we have trained to a good standard and who respect us as their pack leaders.
 
Sorry yes, I meant same sex siblings, although as you say training two can be hard work. I have always taught my pups that I control when and where they have food, (even when I have had a litter of the little dears) and never had problems with food aggression. Evie will sit in front of a bowl of food and won't touch it until given permission.
 
My two are opposite sex, they get fed seperately and agree that boundaries should be set with food as soon as is possible.

The main problem I find is that they focus on each other and zone out, if they are playing and hooning around, I have to be a bit more sharp and find it harder to get their attention if I want it!

But as I have said, bitch fights can be horrible, particularly sisters/mothers and daughters.
 
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