Hi,

We have noticed over the last few months that our 2yr old staffy bitch will sometimes attack our lab cross who is about 4 for no reason. It has happened 3 times now, and she has punchered his nose in one attack, and his leg in yesterdays attack. Our lab is not the kind of dog who will back down so once she attacks him he them goes for it himself. All three times i have had to get inbetween them (and end up with bloody hands), and am a little concerned what would happen if i wasn't there...how far would it go etc.

Strange thing is a few hours after the fight (yesterday evening) they were happily snuggling up in their beds together.

obviously we don't want it to be one day that one of them seriously injures the other, any advise, do you thing we should let the staffy go????

i would muzzle the staff when my oh had this problem years ago with his 2 so when they were round each other we muzzled her it was always the female who kept going for him for no reason we had them done as the vet said this would calm them down (but it never) my oh hand got broke by her as he was trying to get her off and she bit him .in the end we had to let one of them stay with a family member as it was to much .

Sorry SM but I think one of them has to go before its to late. I also they should not be left alone together again as from now

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Operant symbols

+P = Positive Punishment
-P = Negative Punishment
+R Positive Reinforcer
-R Negative Reinforcer

Do you know what triggers it?
I would first check the bitch`s health. Is she hormonal for instance?
Then look at the environment and routine.
Dogs can get snappy for all sorts of reasons. It could be redirected agression as a result of stress, it could be panic, or it could be resource guarding.
Do you know what generally triggers these?

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There's normally a reason - food or toys left out, a bed, space, resources...

if no reason you can see, then manage & prevent (I'm sure you know).

If you have to break it up, cover them in a blanket then pull them away - it's not fun breaking up dog fights... or have them on a line in the house...

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hi all, thanks for tips and advice.

there appears to be no triggers. Yesterday they had all eaten (all get fed at the same time, but our big black lab gets to start his first, then the lab cross and then the staff - although she is normally the first to finish as she wolfs it down), then about 10 minutes later i was outside with them all on the decking, the staff was sat about 1metre away to my rear left, and the lab cross just walked up to me to my front left and then she lurched at him. Nothing that I can figure it out triggered it and last time, they were all just playing in the garden when she bit him. But today they have been fine...

Like i say my main concern it that when both myself and my partner our working they spend the day in the side pen/run together....

The chances of something very serious not happening are so remote its not worth thinking about, they have to be seperated, of the 4 drives which make up mammals psychology the fight or flight drives are the most powerfull.

__________________
Operant symbols

+P = Positive Punishment
-P = Negative Punishment
+R Positive Reinforcer
-R Negative Reinforcer

some staffies can be game with other dogs and no amount of training will change them. So please dont leave them alone in the pen if shes being unpredictable with the lab cross, its a tragedy waiting to happen.

Cant you keep them seperate? maybe build another pen?

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sounds like jealousy to me actually

you say he walked over to you and she went straight for him?

my girl used to do that with my boy but because he would back down it never turned into anything nasty and she was a hell of a lot smaller than him.

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hi thanks again everyone, that pretty much what we are thinking. Quick question, could it have anything to do with the fact that she only came off heat a few weeks ago? To paint a picture, the male lab and female staffy are not done (get seperated when shes on) he pesters her a lot (sniffing, licking etc) but she has never gone for hi. The lab x has been done and doesn't really bother that much with her when she is on. thanks