Killing off the older one??

forestfantasy

forestfantasy

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I share a house with my friend and her 3 dogs:

Sheepdog bitch - 6yrs
Jack Russell dog- 4yrs
Labrador bitch - 13yrs

Milly (lab) was always the 'top dog' in the pack, as she's got older she's obviously got weaker and suffers with a bit of arthritis but is otherwise very bright and happy.

About a month ago we came home and there had obviously been a fight.
Milly had some awful cuts to her legs and ears and was shaking in the corner.
We know it was the sheepdog that had set upon her (the jack russell is scared of both of them but will quite happily join in with a fight and just nibble at anyone)
She slept all night and healed nicely and everything was fine - until today.

We had gone to muck out before work, my friend returned home and it had clearly happened again.
Milly was in a similar state, bites to her legs and ears, shaking and she had also pooed herself, which is something she would never do in the house.

So all this makes me wonder whether they know she's getting older and their trying to 'kill her off' for want of a better phrase?

I must add that these are the only 2 times this has ever happened, both other dogs were brought up with Milly from being pups and obviously they are now going to be kept in separate rooms when we are not at home.

My friend goes to take them a walk in her lunch hour so we will see if she's any brighter.
When she left for work Milly refused to get off her bed and just laid there looking so sad and upset :(:mad::(
 
I would seperate them
immediately to prevent any further incidents. Poor old girl - she must be very stressed and unsettled :(
 
It could be that there is a pack hierarchy thing going on but I would be more concerned Milly has had some sort of turn/ collapse causing the attack . If she were mine I would take to vet for a full check up. I presume she has been left separate from others. Mow
 
poor old girly. unfortunately when my lab reached a similar age my younger dogs got increasingly intolerant and did go for him. We had to keep him separate and moved him into the conservatory so he could have his 'own room'. When travelling he went at my feet in the front as he got picked on in the back with the others. Really sad but he was happier with his own space.
 
Sorry i forgot to add they were immediately separated & this is how they will be at all times now when we aren't around!

It's so strange as they all go walking together/travel in the car/eat together without a problem - it just seems that they have decided to pick on her when we aren't around.

Very upsetting as she's such a lovely girl :(

Edited to add that she has regular check up's at the vets as she does suffer from mild fits, she is on medication for this and rarely has one now (maybe 1 a month) so it is likely that she had one during the attack.
 
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If she has fits, it is very likely that caused the attack. My dog has recently had a fit and the main concern from my vet, was that it would trigger my other dog to attack her.
 
This is horrible but I'm afraid is perfectly natural. If the dog had a fit I've no doubt whatsoever that the others would attack it. If a dog yelps out in pain its companions are likely to attack it. It is normal pack behaviour. The safety of the pack is the prime objective and if one of its number is weak and makes a noise it is likely to be killed by the stronger members.

It is hard on the old dogs because they will lose their position as the dominant individual as they age. If they don't give way gracefully - and most don't - they will be beaten into submission and sometimes that beating doesn't stop.

I'd make sure she is NEVER left alone with the other dogs. If you can't take her with you when you go out leave her in a seperate room or in a roomy crate. It will be safer to exercise her alone,just in case something happens whilst the dogs are running free.
 
She only ever has fits at night & when she does have them the other 2 are very concerned and stay away.
She's never had one in a morning, although obviously its a possibility that she may have had one.
 
jendie said:
This is horrible but I'm afraid is perfectly natural. If the dog had a fit I've no doubt whatsoever that the others would attack it. If a dog yelps out in pain its companions are likely to attack it. It is normal pack behaviour. The safety of the pack is the prime objective and if one of its number is weak and makes a noise it is likely to be killed by the stronger members.

It is hard on the old dogs because they will lose their position as the dominant individual as they age. If they don't give way gracefully - and most don't - they will be beaten into submission and sometimes that beating doesn't stop.

I'd make sure she is NEVER left alone with the other dogs. If you can't take her with you when you go out leave her in a seperate room or in a roomy crate. It will be safer to exercise her alone,just in case something happens whilst the dogs are running free.
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Hi,
Thanks for this, it's what i was thinking.
She certainty isn't one to give way gracefully.
Although i'm 99% certain she didn't have a fit - she may have done during the attack but not before, usually if there's any issues between them it's either food or Milly getting annoyed with the jack russell licking her mouth!
There was no food around so it could be that she yelped at something or that she growled at or told Paddy off and Tilly intervened.

They are and will be kept apart at all times when we aren't around.
 
I've heard of packs of hounds attacking a hound who has had a fit. Interestingly, when I was speaking to a huntsman he told me that hounds never went for a hound just because he was old, it was only when they displayed odd behaviour like fitting.

I think it is more likely that your old lad was attacked because of the fit rather than his age.

Hope you get is resolved.
 
My elderly bitch had a fit and her best friend of 12 years leapt in and started on her, accompanied by our young patterdale dog. I hope everything settles down for all concerned.
 
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