huski Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 no dog should be attacking pups, I used to own a badly DA rescue dog, he would try to kill any adult dog (hence why he never saw the inside of a dog park!! or off lead beach either - I never allowed the chance of an incident to happen!! was never let off lead) however he raised countless numbers of foster pups, they could do anything to him without fear of an attack.... any pup was safe with him.... No dog 'should' attack other dogs OR pups but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. My dog that would attack pups would be great with them once he knew them, because he was fear aggressive so the aggression was triggered by unknown dogs and puppies. There are no rules when it comes to DA, it's not the same for every dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Why do people always think that an adult dog won't hurt a puppy? I don't know, but it is the way I was educated from a child. Good dogs didn't attack pups, and male dogs didn't attack females, and any that did were considered 'wrong' and not kept. Shot I think in reality. On the other hand, aggression between adults of the same gender didn't raise much of an eyebrow. These were farm dogs so limited breed range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ons Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 my desexed male golden retriever attacks puppies particularly if there are things that he regards highly such as bones, he is a terrible resource guarder. And if there are storms around he is even worse No off leash dog parks where i live but we do live on 35 acres so no need. We also live with many other dogs that belong to my housemate and sometimes there are puppies, I do careful management and if there are pups out when we are outside he is locked away or inside nothing is left around that he can take and guard. He is not a dog that would go up to another dog and start growling and cause a fight, it's only when he has some "treasure" and is guarding that that he barks and chases other dogs away. Thankfully he knows that I am top dog and I take the "treasure" away from him without any problems. Like OP I also thought that older dogs wouldn't attack puppies and I also was led to believe that females and males wouldnt' fight each other - I think that is totally incorrect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Puppies can insight prey drive in some dogs. The fact that the dog shook the puppy makes me think it saw the puppy as prey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Puppies can insight prey drive in some dogs. The fact that the dog shook the puppy makes me think it saw the puppy as prey. Maybe, though it's exactly what my dog has done and it's definitely not prey drive. He has done the same thing to adult dogs too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I'm not even going to pass comment on the owner of the dog that attacked the puppy as my rant would be too long and fierce. Not so much for the attack but what they did (or rather didn't do) afterwards!!!! But I use to have the most obedienct, faithful and lovely sweet natured Border Collie/ACD entire bitch but she could not be trusted with puppies or kittens. She would do the same thing and we had a GSD puppy that we could never leave with her until he was safe at 7 months of age. Despite introductions and much supervision we knew she could NEVER be trusted due to other attacks in the past. We literally waited for her to pass away and then got our much awaited Cavalier puppy after her passing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I took my girl to dog parks as a pup, but I have always been very, VERY cautious. I don't go when it's busy and I have always avoided certain dogs and breeds. She ended up being attacked a few times, strangely enough NOT at dog parks, but at obedience and agility training/trials. She started exhibiting some different behaviours indicating that she didn't want to interact with lots of unknown dogs, so I rarely go to dog parks anymore. I do go with known, friendly dogs and it's a treat if there is no-one else there! If I see certain breeds or body language before I get in the park, I don't go in. Early on weekends is the best time as they are usually empty or have one or two regulars That being said, my nerves have been rattled and I don't know if I'd be able to stomach it with a new pup. Maybe that is why our experiences have been positive - we are usually only there with dogs we know. We have sort of a standing meeting at one of the local dog parks and it us usually the same group there at the same time each Sunday... We have about 6-8 dogs that seem to hang together and play ball together and they all get along really well. I have only just started going to this particular dog park and it does seem to have less attentive dog owners (they sit and chat while the dogs play) - whereas at the other park that we usually go to all the dog owners are up and with the dogs all the time (ball throwing etc).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 My latest pup got socialisation with trusted dogs and owners I knew and at his kindy classes (which are still going). He's a bit of a thug. No way would I let him play off lead with tiny baby puppies - he'd squash them. I make no assumptions about dogs at trials or shows. I avoid contact unless I know them or they are also baby puppies. Hard to avoid them when they slip their collar and make a beeline for your dog There was a baby whippet at one of the dog parks last weekend! Lets hope it stays in one piece. All it has to be is bowled at speed for a broken leg. A dog that slipped its collar and made a beeline for any of my dogs would be airborne shortly afterwards. I have no qualms about booting dogs to keep mine safe.. none at all. We had a baby Iggy up at this rougher park the other day - the owner picked him up and he wriggled the whole time to get down and play but there were bigger dogs there that would have made it impossible.. Darn but he was so very cute though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoTree Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have no idea why a mature dog would attack a pup, I have seen a mature dog attack a little pup even when submissive and showing it's belly minding its own business, not in its face or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I have no idea why a mature dog would attack a pup, I have seen a mature dog attack a little pup even when submissive and showing it's belly minding its own business, not in its face or anything. That is what this baby did - down on his belly... I always thought that pups had sort of a right of passage where grown dogs were concerned and they didn't attack them.. It is just what we were raised to believe.. Then again, times have changed so much as have training methods... I have to admit, I was totally shocked that it happened (because of my beliefs, which were totally wrong)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) I have no idea why a mature dog would attack a pup, I have seen a mature dog attack a little pup even when submissive and showing it's belly minding its own business, not in its face or anything. That is what this baby did - down on his belly... I always thought that pups had sort of a right of passage where grown dogs were concerned and they didn't attack them.. It is just what we were raised to believe.. Then again, times have changed so much as have training methods... I have to admit, I was totally shocked that it happened (because of my beliefs, which were totally wrong)... Pups have a 'puppy license' license with most dogs.. but not all. Some dogs are simply intolerant of pups. Others as you have seen have been downright aggressive. I have seen a 4 month old pup brought into the vet badly wounded by a dog attack.. .from its mother. Breed can play a part but it's not the be all and end all of the issue. Edited March 16, 2012 by Telida Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Why do people always think that an adult dog won't hurt a puppy? Because a puppy poses no threat? They are typically submissive. Have puppy licence? The question is why would a dog attack a puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I know with my dog he is more likely to attack dogs that are submissive. If he was confronted by a more dominant dog he would urinate all over himself. Again I think this is behaviour he learnt in a way because it's what happened to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charjas Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I'm no dog expert. My toy poodles are 3 years and 8 months. I never go to areas like those. I know it's good to socialise your dogs but I'm too scared to let them off lead. I'm scared of other dogs and have had a few bad experiences in my own neighbourhood. Some people insist on letting their dog out to roam. It sees me with Charlie and jasper and charges up . I'm terrified as I don't know what it's going to do. Sometimes I have picked them up and I know that's wrong. Once a jack Russell charged at Charlie and bit him on the nose and if we ever walk past it now Charlie barks quite ferociously. I find walking them a bad enough experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Why do people always think that an adult dog won't hurt a puppy? Because a puppy poses no threat? They are typically submissive. Have puppy licence? The question is why would a dog attack a puppy. This is what I thought - why I was shocked to see a grown dog attack a pup.. I know I have read about it on here before but I had never seen it, so was quite shocked at the nature of the attack - the shaking and pushing the pup into the ground. It was really horrible to watch and the owners really did not know what to do. Poor buggers just kept trying to pick puppy up to save him but the other dog would not let go.. It was totally unprovoked by the pup. The other dog was on the other side of the park to the pup... I get that some dogs don't like other dogs and have 'issues' but I had honestly never seen a puppy treated like this before by any dog (even my cranky old stafford who didn't like other dogs would tolerate a pup in his face)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) I'm no dog expert. My toy poodles are 3 years and 8 months. I never go to areas like those. I know it's good to socialise your dogs but I'm too scared to let them off lead. I'm scared of other dogs and have had a few bad experiences in my own neighbourhood. Some people insist on letting their dog out to roam. It sees me with Charlie and jasper and charges up . I'm terrified as I don't know what it's going to do. Sometimes I have picked them up and I know that's wrong. Once a jack Russell charged at Charlie and bit him on the nose and if we ever walk past it now Charlie barks quite ferociously. I find walking them a bad enough experience. If it protects them, it isn't wrong at all. People who will tell you that picking up a small dog that's under threat will make it "dominant" are full of it. Invariably, they don't own small dogs. The risk is real that a dog will jump up on you to get to them but they'd have to get past my boot first. If there is a car bonnet/roof nearby? Use that. And yell your head off at the oncoming dog. If it doesn't stop it, it may attract some help. There is something to be said for carrying a big umbrella or one of those groovy aluminium hiking poles.. it can be a barrier or a weapon if required. I have always maintained that folk who have never seen a serious incident in a public dog park are lucky.. and its only a matter of time. Edited March 16, 2012 by Telida Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoTree Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 If I had a little dog like a Chi I would pick it up, its not just 'attacks' but getting stomped on or rolled would freak me out. the leg bones are tiny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan3 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I always thought that pups had sort of a right of passage where grown dogs were concerned and they didn't attack them.. I think this is where the misperception comes from, it's partly true. But it doesn't mean that no dog will ever attack a puppy, and in nature there are many examples across different species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I always thought that pups had sort of a right of passage where grown dogs were concerned and they didn't attack them.. I think this is where the misperception comes from, it's partly true. But it doesn't mean that no dog will ever attack a puppy, and in nature there are many examples across different species. A lesson I learned yesterday... I will certainly be more aware of it now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I've picked up my 18kg dog when she's being subjected to antisocial behaviour from other dogs. My boy would let a puppy hang off his jowls, pull his tail and yap in his face. My girl isn't so tolerant and will tell them in no uncertain terms that they're being rude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now