Hi all,

I was here a few months ago, discussing the problems we were having with our two whippets. They were fighting quite badly and needed to be kept separated.

It's been a while since I've been back... it hasn't been a fun few months. Sadly, we had to put one of our dogs to sleep.

After their first fight months before, they had a horrible fight about 3 months ago. It was grusome and so hard to witness. The dominant dog, Luka had my dog, Scout by the front leg and was shaking it like a toy... it was moving in a way a leg shouldn't move. Even months later, thinking back to that moment is really hard. My girl hardly got a bite in, she was so dominated, she didn't stand a chance. We were able to break up the fight after about 2 minutes (seemed much longer, could have been less - I'm not sure) and Luka was looking more aggressive than I'd ever seen her - and she was very aggressive towards Scout. It was so hard to hold her back, all she wanted was to get back to Scout.
Poor Scout was in a very bad way. She had blood pouring off her leg and her face. She couldn't walk and had to be carried home. (We were in a small park across the road from our house) I had Luka on the lead and took her straight into the backyard and onto her tether. She was so pumped up she was having a go at me. It was horrible to see the blood around her mouth knowing it was Scout's blood. She didn't have a scratch on her - Scout didn't get a single shot back. My heart broke for my poor girl.
Scout was taken into the house, blood pouring off her. Her wounds seemed severe so we rushed her to the emergency vet hospital (it was a Sunday, our vet was closed) It turned out that her wounds looked worse than they were however she was in lots of pain and needed some treatment.

After all we'd been through with our dogs, this incident was close to being a decision maker. All along we were dedicated to working hard with them and find a way to help them to co-exist again. It was starting to seem that goal might be too hard and too far away - if not, impossible.

Two days later, both dogs were tethered, in sight of each other and barking very aggressivly at each other. They'd done this before, often before but it was steadily getting worse, not better. They were showing more aggression and taking longer to settle. On this particular occassion, the dogs were very hard to settle, especially Luka. I was with Scout, stopping her... my partner was with Luka. She put Luka into a submit position (like we'd been shown by our behaviouist) which was how we settled the dogs in these situations. Luka turned and snapped at her. Anne growled at her and again attempted to submit her. Luka turned again, snapped and connected with Anne's hand. She bit Anne knowingly. That was a first. She'd never bitten a person before, only Scout... We have two young kids at home... This was pretty serious.

Given the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears we'd put into these dogs and over months of hard work, we saw no improvement. In fact, it was getting worse. Luka was Anne's dog - any decision regarding her fate was Anne's. Without discussion Anne announced she wanted to surrender Luka. The risk of others being bitten - the KIDS being bitten - was too was too much.

We took Luka to the RSPCA. They assess dogs for re-homing and we were confident that they'd be able to find her a more appropriate home. Maybe a single dog house with someone that's home often. We were told that the fact that she can do a standing jump over a 6 foot fence was enough for them not not rehome her. With the aggression on top of that, it would make it even harder. With the information they had, their only option for her if we were to surrender her was to put her to sleep. We spent hours outside the RSPCA building crying, calling as many people as we could for advice. A decision had to be made, Anne knew what the right one was but the reality of it all was too hard to deal with. It was like grasping at straws.

After long thought and lots of tears, we went inside and surrendered Luka. We were reassured it was the right decision, didn't make it any easier though. We said our goodbyes and Luka was taken away. Moments later her collar was bought out to us, she had already been put to sleep. It was so quick. The shock of that was too much - there were more tears.

The drive home was hard. We knew we'd done the best thing but thoughts of 'what if we'd done more' or 'did we give her the best chance in life?' were running through our heads. Telling the kids was hard. We decided to be as honest as possible and tell them that Luka had died. We didn't want to create a story for them to find out years later that it wasn't true. They took it pretty well however my eldest son still gets emotional when he thinks of Luka.

It has been about four months since that day. In that time we have found that Scout is a much happier dog. She put weight on, she started wagging her tail again... it was so good to see her happy. We had her tested for aggression by our behaviourist and were told she was perfect. She showed all the signs they look for in a well adjusted dog. That was very reassuring.

Two months after Luka's passing we adopted a new addition to our family. Bleech is now 3 and a half months old - a cavoodleXmaltese - and has become a fun and much loved member of our family. I still think of Luka and miss her dearly however I have high hopes now that our people/dog family will live happily ever after.

So sorry to hear you lost Luka but as you say it waa the best thing to do for her and for you and Scout. Try to remember the good times you had with her before the fighting started and not dwell on the problems that resulted in this sad story.

I am assuming by you name they are whippets I too have whippets and know how derermined they can be if they get it into their head to do something or decide they don't like something Thinking of you

Helen and gang

I'm so sorry you have had to go through all this, but if you knew the RSPCA were going to put your dog to sleep upon surrendering her why didn't you do it yourself? Let her go around the people that loved her

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www.cynomania.com

I am sorry to hear this aswell, how awful for all concerned.

However, it is not that uncommon for same sex dogs in the same household to fight to become dominant, or just fight, especially bitches. And they will fight until one is dead. It will be impossible to encourage them to get along if this happens, and they must be kept seperated at all times, or one rehomed.

They will most likely get on with other dogs out of the household, and it doesn't mean they are a risk to children or humans.

Hopefully peopel will take heed of this post and not end up in the same horrible position you have.

OMG how awful. What a dreadful time you and your family have been through! And poor Scout! As much as it hurts, you made the only decision you could have. It's a real shame though that they were so insensitive to just take her and put her to sleep there and then. I'm sure you would have liked to hold her while she fell asleep. But don't beat yourself up over that, you were both heartbroken and disorientated.

Now is the time for healing. You have made your family whole and happy again, and please God long may that continue.

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It only takes a minute to find a special one, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, and a lifetime to forget them.

I've had bitches fight and I understand it's not the most pleasant situation, I infact lost one of my dogs due to a spat while we had an animal behaviourst in trying to sort out the problem we had with a dog of ours.
I'm not going to hide behind it as it was well publicised on another forum by someone who I confided in so it's no great secret.

There are ways around getting bitches to tolerate one another without going to the extreme of having one put to sleep, I know, I've been there. There hasn't been a single spat in the house since between any of our bitches either, it just depends on how you want to invest the time or whatever money you may have.

I don't regret what I did, I think I would have been more regretful wasting two lives instead of one

Of course I think about the dog I lost every single minute of everyday and how we could have prevented it, I haven't had one single problem with my dog since I allowed Les Price to work with her.

Of course, I'm not saying this would work for everyone - it worked for us and we have a better dog for it

Her story is at the bottom of this page

royvon dog training school!!

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www.cynomania.com

How awful,I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this.

We had two Stafford bitches years ago,they got on fine together till they hit maturity and then the trouble started,a fight broke out one day completely out of the blue,from that day we knew they had to be kept apart.It was difficult but we knew we couldn't let them be together ever.

They would stare and challenge each other and we knew niether would back down.
I would be very careful having two of the same gender again.

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ruardeanstaffords

What a sad story. IMO I think the RSPCA were rather quick to put the dog to sleep.
I am in a situation with 2 of my bitches. They hate each other, have had a few scraps but it is jealousy between the 2 of them. If I have one up beside me the other will try and have a go.
I am able to control the situation as I know what kicks them off. They all sleep/ live together and I have never came home to a fight.

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CLICKETY CLICK I KNOW YA WANT TOO

Wat a sad story so very sorry it had to end this way...and yes...the rspca was blooming quick to put ur dog to sleep.

I have a domanant bitch in my home and anotha bitch who wants to be domanant over that bitch...they do get on most of the time but i ave to be very carefull just incase....so they are never togetha wen im not around.
my domanant bitch had a big go at my old staffy going back a numba of years ago..it wasnt pretty...she ripped my older females thumb of and tore at her legs and neck...luckily myself and family got them apart...that minutes fite did seem like ages...was the scariest thing ive ever gone thro and i make damn sure it wont happen again...ive now got my male dog trying to dominante them all now so my dogs are 100% supervised all the time to avoid this and all get equal loving time wiv the family...2 at a time
once they pass over rainbow bridge there is noway ild ever get same sexed dogs again...specially seeing one of my bitches is very very protective of me...she dont let none of the otha's pass me wivout having a go...but its all unda control now seeing she gets a stern telling off and put in a room for timeout..which she h8s becoz she is away from me and knows the others ave me to theirselfs...so she comes back out a good girl afta 5 mins .

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On guard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckMvj1piK58

thats such a sad story, it must have been terrible to have to go through that
must admit i'm put off having 2 bitches so just have the one and dogs.

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Paula
Grifdegalles