Dog Fight
 

Hello, I used to be a pretty active member of this forum - but I haven't been on in a long time (almost a year I think). Anyway, I'm hoping someone can help. This weekend my 4 year old niece was visiting and Gertie - my 1 year old yorkie was sitting on her lap. Biddy, my 3 year old yorkie/jack russel mix jumped up on the couch to join them and out of nowhere Biddy attacked Gertie! She clamped down on Gertie's face & I couldn't pry them apart! Of course, I whipped them off of my niece's lap and they continued to fight pretty brutally. In pulling them apart I got bit pretty bad. Gertie was covered in blood - but after I cleaned her up it wasn't much more than a scratch. I, however, ended up in the ER until 1 in the morning getting a tetnus shot and some anti-biotics.

My girls have NEVER fought before, but this scared me pretty bad. Any ideas on what happened & how I can prevent this from EVER happening again?? Please help!!

I have no idea what could have happened. I am sorry you were bitten and glad it was not worse than it was. Your niece must have been very frightened.
I hope you can get some answers. Perhaps Biddy was jealous of your yorkie getting attention from your niece. You have every right to be concerned.
I hope you can get to the bottom of it. Welcome back to YT.


Carol & Buddy

It has to be a dominance thing. Misha is 1 & is fixed, but lately she has been a royal bitch to Piper. Always growling at her, snapping at her, showing she's incharge. Piper is 7 months easy going never barks, nothing. Piper is fixed also. I think Misha's hormones are wacky. If I am cuddling with Misha & Piper comes up, Misha will go after Piper. It's been going on a month or so. I just tell Misha no a lot & to behave.
PS if your dogs had their shots, why did you need a tetnus shot?

I needed the tetnus just because it was a puncture. They weren't worried since she was up to date on her shots, more that I would get infected because the puncture was pretty deep.

I should also mention that Biddy (the attacker) is fixed and Gertie (the victom) is not. This may be part of it too.

Biddy was being dominate of your niece...She was telling your other one that your niece was her's. Sorry you got bite, hope everything works out okay...but I would watch them cause if you don't let them know your the alpha they will do this again...I hate to say that, I know how it is with this little ones, those cute little faces, but you got to be the one they know is in charge...:D

Tell me if I'm wrong.... But everyone I know that has a Jack Russel (even mixed) and a yorkie, trouble follows. A guy I work with just had to sell his Jack Russell because he kept beating up his two yorkies. It got so bad that the yorkies wouldn't even get in his lap because they were afraid of the Jack. They found a really good home for the Jack and the yorkies are back to their normal, loving selves.

I'm not saying Jack Russells are bad. But they are more aggressive than yorkies (from what I hear) and they won't back down. I have a neighbor that has two Jack's and she even has trouble with them getting along.

Has anyone else heard this????

I don't think it has anything to do with the breed. I've had Biddy for 3 years and she has never shown this behavior before. That is the whole reason why I am posting this. It is SO out of character for her. JRT's are more energetic, but I definitely wouldn't call them "trouble". A troubled dog comes from a troubled owner, in my opinion.

There is just no excuse for that kind of behavior and you should hire a behaviorist to come find out what's happening and to correct it. I'm so sorry you are going thru such an upsetting time and in getting bit yourself. Goodness, I've never in my entire life had to deal with a biting dog, and I'm sorry you do.

Didn't mean to insinuate that Jacks are 'trouble', just meant when the two breeds are together, others have told me that trouble usually follows. But if this is the first time in 3 years, then something's going on. I know my yorkies get a little more out of character when going into heat. Could that be a factor? Hope I didn't offend you in any way.... :p

Hey Jessica !! Long time girl -

I felt so bad reading that - do you think that was a one time thing ???? I'm glad little Gertie didn't get more seriously hurt -

i would say the one sitting on the little girls lap was protecting the little girl and when the other one jumped up they reacted, could be one is coming in season, could be a smell your niece had on her maybe even from another dog.
i wouldnt get to worried if its only happened once, but i would next time your niece comes over not let them on her lap just incase she gets hurt.:)

Chances are the yorkie challenged the other dog first, with just a look, things we as humans don't notice. Since the yorkie got the worst end of it, it may not happen again.

I'm thinking it was more of a possesive issue than a protection one.

It could be that the younger one is just now getting old enough to want to try to dominate the older one and the older one isn't going to take it.

Heres a TIP

I don't know what you told them in the ER but most ER's are required to report dog bites and they will go on record as being vicious. So if there is any way around it, try to report it as something else. A nail puncture or anything other than a dog bite. some cities have a three strike rule for dogs.

Sunnie's(2 yrs old) in heat right now and her and Maggie(6 yrs old and spayed) are fighting like that over toys. This is the first that we've had trouble with that. Hubby tries to break them up by reaching in between them. He's been bit twice.

That sounds like Resource Guarding, and it's the same type of behavior Eddie occasionally exhibits against Jack. No warning, just a vicious attack. I've had people tell me, "Oh, just let the dogs work it out on their own," but when serious injuries occur, you have to do something about it.

The question is, what? A behaviorist would be ideal, but you're talking $100-plus an hour. I was referred to a book called "Mine! A practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs," by Jean Donaldson. But, dang, it's tough to follow. Scientific terms, and the book is written for behaviorists and seems to assume some prior knowledge. I dunno, you might give it a look if you're serious about it.

But I think I've found the root of my problem. With Eddie, the resource is toys. I 've taught him that he's in charge when it comes to his toys. Since he was a pup, I chased him around the house as a game. I'd grab the toy and toss it for him, but in the end he always ended up with the toy. He was in charge. If Jack even looked at it, he got a beating.

Recently, I've stopped chasing him. And in the evening, I put all the toys away. I give them to him in the morning. Now, I'm in charge. I'm not sure it's going to work, but I believe I'm on the right track.

This is where my advice runs out, though. I'm not sure how that relates to problems with people, but that book considers it the same problem. Your aggressive dog wants to be in charge. Somehow, you created an environment where she thinks she's alpha in the house over you and everybody else, at least regarding that one resource: Kids.

I wonder if there's a way to limit both dogs' ability to climb on people's laps unless they are invited. Or maybe don't allow one dog to monopolize anyone's time. Give both of them equal access. I dunno, I'm running out of ideas. Hopefully, something I've said will get you to thinking: "That's it!"

Good luck. One thing to be careful of is scolding the aggressor and babying the nonagressor. That just makes it worse.

I have jack russels in the past. 2 of them was very aggressive at times to other dogs. The other 2 was sweet most of the time. One of them attacked a german shepherd and the german shepherd carried her out of my yard with my dog attached by her teeth to the german shepherds back..:eek: . I have heard that the slick haired ones are more aggressive than the long haired ones and that was also my experience. All of my jack russels were very dominant over my daughter though, they would constantly fight for her attention...and I really mean fight...blood and all. I loved them though, I just think its best to have only 1 jack russel.