BowWow

I personally wouldn't allow my young daughter to experiment with this either and I keep a watchful eye when the kids are around. I reiterate the rules to both dogs and kids - kids not to get on the floor with dogs, no food until everyone is sitting, no dogs on beds or couches, dogs get fed after humans (and no begging around the table or the humans go bananas) etc etc and the list goes on. However I am still accutely aware she has tried this kind of behaviour on the youngest human member and not the rest of us, so I'm guessing she's trying to elevate herself further in the family pack. I also caught her sitting on the youngest one's bed recently (strictly forbidden in this household) so further cause to believe she is trying her luck. This little BT is a strong-willed girl but with no nastiness or deviousness and she accepts discipline very well. I believe (after reading through many threads on this forum and others) that she is behaving like a typical dog and it's good that I am now able to read the signs better than I could before and at least nip issues in the bud as they arise. I think that is the key and on past occasions have missed warning signs and not completely understood or interpreted canine behaviour correctly. I've dealt with horses for years and the behaviours there are totally different from dogs. It wasn't until I truly took the time to understand the equine mind and behaviours that results followed surely and swiftly. I guess the same principals would apply for dogs too except I've never owned a female before and their way of going when they're in season is certainly something I'm not used to!! Anyway attached a coupla pics of mum and'the upstart'!!!!

Thank you for all your views. SOL, no she is completely submissive with myself and my partner. In fact, after she threatened my daughter, I immediately went over and removed her bone. She daren't challenge me whether that be food/space/toys and I can take any one of those things off her at any time, whenever I feel the need and I do it often and regularly. She sits before getting her food and I take the bowl away whilst she is eating. Actually, to date all three dogs were always fed together without issues and I think it might be her being in season and maturing and thus attempting to elevate herself within the pack. She already controls the other two dogs and perhaps is attempting to extend her standing with the younger daughter. Of course I'll need to address this. With past issues between the dogs (and usually when the little upstart was in season) I'd scold the young one which generally only made matters worse. But I found going with the natural order of things and acknowledging her as pack leader amongst the canine family members, kept things calm and problems never arose after that (I think I may have posted about previous problems before here on the forum) but now it's arisen again and I'm guessing her heat cycle is a part of it, albeit not an excuse, as well as her age. She's back to being little miss sweet today btw :S I'll take the advice given here, be even more watchful and mindful and perhaps engage a behaviorist if things don't calm. Any suggestions for Narbethong way (Victoria). Thanx!

My BT bitch (unspayed as yet) is almost 2 and we have basically resolved issues with her getting along with her (spayed)5 y/o mother. Today I gave all three dogs bones (it was a beautiful day and they all enjoy a munch in the sun). The older two (male staff as well) had lost interest in theirs but the young one was still chewing. When my old staff walked past she launched herself at him to warn him off - until I intervened and yelled which made her stop. What worries me is my young daughter (7) was playing in the yard and there was no more disturbance until I popped inside to the toilet and my daughter then decided to come inside too. My young bitch ran at her (didn't touch her) growling and then stopped when my daughter yelled at her. She has never done this before and it worries me. She is normally a beautiful dog and any trouble that has happened in the past has been when she's in season, but she has never challenged my kids before and this really bothers me, especially with all the recent press on dog attacks. My daughters helped hand-raise her as a pup and have always followed my instructions when it comes to interactions with the dogs but this incident rattled me a heap. My bitch is getting spayed when her season has passed but the behavior today, I have no idea which way to approach. Any advice would be most appreciated.

My Bull terrier bitch's nails have overgrown badly. My other two dogs are fine, it's just the older one. She's not as active as my other two and their nails are managable and I do them myself, but her nails have grown at a funny angle and she won't let me touch them. Her paw pads look terrible with the weird nail growth too. The vet has suggested I take her in to get them cut right back under a general, and he'll then cauterize. From there on in I should be able to manage them myself again, but at this point I won't be able to cut them back myself enough and surgery is necessary. Has anyone ever had this procedure performed on their dog and what can I expect.

We are absolutely infested with mice this year - worse than I've ever seen it here. I'm nervous of using bait as the secondary poisoning aspect makes me too nervous, I have little faith in Hugh Wirth's take on this, plus I know many people who have lost pets to secondary poisoning. Glue traps are just plain cruel (and illegal in Victoria I believe) and live traps present the same problem of having to dispose of live mice. The best (and most) humane traps are the Rat Zappers - believe me these things are the best. We have two. When the mice first venture into our home at the turn of the weather, we set both traps and after perhaps a dozen kills we are mice-free and peace is restored. Ours have lasted about 5 years and we have only just ordered replacements, so they last and will cost you little in the long run. The Classic (older) model runs on 4 AA batteries and will last one month or approx 10 kills (sometimes more), whichever comes first. The new Ultra model takes 4 DD batteries and apparently offers 60 kills and two years on standby, although I'm awaiting my Ultra to arrive so cannot vouch for this yet. We use dry dog food (and we all have some of that kicking around!) - kills instantly by electrocuting the critters and no need to touch or look at the dead rodent. Light flashes to indicate there's a kill. They are effective and this season we have set it every ten minutes and caught a mass amount of mice (40 the first week alone) although now all is once again going quiet. No threat to other pets, unless you have pet mice or hamsters that run around the house too! Expect to pay around $80 or $90 for both models. They have taken out a few hefty rats here too, so good for mice and rats. Can't recommend them highly enough. I have bullies and a staffy and they are all pigs and love to hunt, so I definately don't want to go the poison option.

The Bullies and kids comments always gets the response that :it's quite ok for today - my Bullies have already consumed their daily quota of one small child each. Yours are safe for the time being No SOH - don't get a dog methinks!

It will help her not have pups. I honestly can't see how it would help with anything else. What issues are you having with her? ETA: Just checked your other posts and this is the bitch that's been attacking your older dogs. Have you seen a behaviourist yet? My question was what difference (if any) would desexing her at this age make, apart from the obvious of her not being able to have pups. Does it change the aggressive personality in any way? Could it possibly curb her need to attack? My older bitch was always a bit of a couch potato prior to desexing but afterwards became a little lazier and preferred to blob on the couch, Her diet is excellent and she isn't overweight - just a lazy old moo now compared to before and hates the idea of anything more than an slow stroll around our property! Taking the pup to the vet this week for full check-up first as advised by the behaviorist (Dr Robert Holmes) whom I have spoken with on the phone. Meanwhile keeping her seperated from the others until vet results come back and before appointment with the behaviorist. Banging up seperate areas in my house yard meanwhile so I have options inasfar as seperating her from the others. I was just wondering if desexing could solve at least part of the problem as I've not desexed a bitch this young before (I've always had dogs prior to my older bitch) and she was desexed after her litter a year ago (Pyometra).

With regards to spaying a one-year old female, would there necessarily be a big difference (if any) in attitude? My older bitch was spayed at 3 (following a litter of pups) and tended to blob out a bit. Where exactly is a one-year old in terms of hormone development etc and would spaying help?

OMG this thread scares the living daylights out of me. I have three dogs - an older Staffie, Bull Terrier female (fixed) and her (unfixed) daughter who turned one today. The last week the little one has taken to savagely attacking both my older (very gentle natured) dogs. Yes I understand the value of behaviorists and would love to take this path if a) I could afford it and b) I thought it would settle the situation once and for all but I don't think that's the case. I just think the pup I chose to keep is a strong-willed and very dominant bitch. I kept her because she was the alert and plucky one right from the start with all the attributes I was seeking, but she's turning out to be a bossy little nightmare with the other dogs (not me though). Luckily she's only little right now but she'll grow and then I don't like to think of the damage she could cause. I'll seek solutions in the interim but will probably end up rehoming her as I have young kids in the house and can't risk them being exposed to fighting Bull Terrier bitches. It looks like this one intends being boss and scares both the other dogs no end. Luckily they don't retaliate otherwise things would turn nasty very quickly. Certainly this thread makes me rethink my original spaying and professional help approach.

Yes you're right on all these counts and certainly a pattern is forming! Having had to seperate fighting bullies on two seperate occasions in the past makes me even more aware of the need to intervene now as I don't want to go through that again! It's frightening for sure! I'll seek out behaviorists on here and get some help on this I think. Thanx for the input

Hi there Cosmolo, I am located in Narbethong (near Marysville in Victoria). I would certainly be interested in having someone assist if they are able to come out. It's a worrying situation for me, more so as we have younger children. Thank you.

My almost-12-month old BT pup has started giving her mum and my other old Staffy male a hard time, growling and charging at them notably after feed time and when they try to get up to share their couch. Other times they could all be curled up on there together snoozing happily! My older BT is becoming quite nervous around the young upstart, and avoids her like the plague. Other times they sit and groom and cuddle one another! I realize the pup is asserting her dominance with age and wants to be queen bee, but it's becoming more frequent and her mum is becoming a timid wreck. I was hoping to get the younger bitch spayed whilst meanwhile trying to correct the behavior with vigilance and a firm hand. Do you think spaying would help? Luckily the older BT isn't aggressive one bit otherwise I'd imagine I'd have a fight or two on my hands but nothing serious has happened as yet. It worries me though that as the pup gets bigger, she could do more damage and I want to avoid this at all costs. Should I turn a blind eye when she snarls the others off the couch and generally behaves like a pig or should I react? She sometimes even has a go at her mum when mum walks near that couch area and won't let her into that zone at all. I'm aware of the pecking order of the pack and my interferring could make the situation worse which I don't want either. All in all our household (and all the other animals that live here) are content with no issues so I'm not sure how to handle this one!

They are fed at the same time, seperate corners of the kitchen and nobody is allowed to wander over to the other's bowl once they're finished - that rule has been firmly established from day one! EVERYTHING is mine in the house - they all know and accept that and I insist on constantly asserting my rightful possie as leader of the household. If I yell, they all scarper!! Gosh I sound like a horror but it seems to work well!!! Just wanted to add to this thread that the little one is now going out of season and along with this goes her snappy little temperament and she's back to her sweet little self. Having said this, she's off to be speyed soon and the training will still continue daily. I must say I was surprised at the change in her behavior whilst in season, especially as I haven't had two bitches together before. Definately a learning curve and not for the feint-hearted! Thanks for the advice. Would be interested in hearing how others with multiple bitches manage theirs too.

My bully pup is now 9 months old and is in season. I also have her mother and an older Staffie male. Mum has the most beautiful temperament but she is being terrorized by junior. Puppy has started chasing the two older dogs away from their bowls/prize spot in front of the fire/bones etc. My beautiful older bully (god love her) is very passive and is in fact becoming rather timid around her terrorist daughter. I'm wondering if this behavior coincides with pup's first heat or if her behavior will get worse. The last thing I want is two females that don't get on. Mum has been speyed and I'm wondering if speying the little one will calm her down also. I was going to breed her but have decided against it as she has developed a slightly undershot jaw. She seems only to get aggressive around food times and shortly afterwards. I haven't had two females before and I know both bitches are well bred and trained so I'd really like to get on top of this before it becomes a problem. She seems less aggressive towards my male however. At other times Mum and daughter will also spend alot of time curled up together asleep or grooming one another, so I can't understand the aggression that surfaces every now and then. Any tips would be most welcome

All's good and puppy has managed to slip her way in with the big dogs without fuss. There are three hammocks and sometimes when it's colder I find her snuggled up with mum or my male staffy and nobody seems to mind. Yesterday after a cold morning, I found the three of them on top of each other in one hammock - the other two hammocks were vacant! Made me laugh so hard! It's working fine so far and everybody seems happy enough.