6 Month Old Staffy Be Aggressive Towards Pup

[staffy2]

Hi all

Not sure if I'm posting this topic in the right section but here goes.

4.5 months ago I brought my beautiful Pepper Girl ( staffy ) she has been the only dog in the house until 2.5 weeks ago we resuced Roxi ( staffy also )

Pepper welcome Roxi with open paws see just loved her, Roxi being a resuce puppie was very timid but within no time see was full of life now all of a sudden Pepper is being aggressive towards Roxi they both get same amount of attenion but Pepper gets a little excited and starts to be rough with Roxi, We correct her when she does but all of a sudden today when I fed them Roxi wouldnt eat or go near Pepper and Roxi went back to being very timid not sure whats going on beside know Pepper is being nasty I not sure if this is because Pepper is on her first heat she is 6.5 months old now so I guess I'd just like some advise.

Thanks in advance

[Salukifan]

Two young female Staffords.... not a choice I would have made.

Dogs don't do "nasty". Are they just playing rough or is there more going on? Very hard to tell from your description.

There will be a reason for this behaviour and my advice to you is to summon an experienced dog behaviour professional and be quick about it. There is potential for this to end very badly for one of both of your dogs. There are no equals in the dog world. One or the other will be the boss of the pair and by treating them equally, you are potentially making it worse. Get help.

Rehoming Roxi might be something you need to consider if the professional identifies aggression between the pair.

You do understand that SBTs can be more prone to dog aggression than many other breeds I hope.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[Sandra777]

What HW said.

You need professional assistance and quickly.

Two female Staffords this close together in age is a very difficult situation to manage.

[Salukifan]

This may be self evident to a lot of us but you're not feeding them both from the same bowl are you?

Feed them separately, preferably not in the same immediate area. Different rooms is a good start or one inside and one out.

And get that help.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[megan_]

What HW said.

You need professional assistance and quickly.

Two female Staffords this close together in age is a very difficult situation to manage.

yes - especially since one of them is entire.

Re: the food, I would feed them with a physical barrier in between them even if there weren't problems. Dogs can eat together in peace for years and then it can be on for young and old. You have a powerful breed and it would be very hard to stop a scrap over food.

Edited April 3, 2013 by megan_

[staffy2]

Two young female Staffords.... not a choice I would have made.

Rehoming Roxi might be something you need to consider if the professional identifies aggression between the pair.

You do understand that SBTs can be more prone to dog aggression than many other breeds I hope.

Well rehoming Roxi is not an option I did not get her just to rehome her that would be just plain cruel to her she would not understand why my family that I have grown to trust has sent me away, and these are not the first staffies I have owned so yes I do know their breed

I came here to ask for advise and since this is now the 2nd topic I have post I feel I just wont be asking anymore questions as all I feel is that I'm being judged on both topics.

My understanding of these forums were that people that love's their pet could ask for advise but I think I miht of got this wrong I dont mean to sound hasty but this is how I feel sorry if I have offended anyone but this is how I feel

[Salukifan]

If someone told you that there's every chance that Pepper might maim or kill Roxi, how would you feel about rehoming her then? If she's going to live in fear every day of her life of Pepper having a go at her, how is that not cruel. Get someone in to tell you what's going on.

I appreciate that you are not getting the advice you seem to be seeking but here's the facts. Many many experienced SBT breeders would not attempt to keep two bitches so close in age together and risk a serious fight. It happens. Dogs die.

Yes, I appreciate that you love your pets but you've made a very challenging choice of two dogs to keep together. If you'd asked up front about it, you'd have gotten advice not to do it. Now its up to you to get some help to make sure that this does not end in disaster for either dog OR you if you intervene in a fight.

And I'd be remiss if I attempted to sugar coat this in any way. Heed the warnings, if not from me then from Sandra 777 who is an SBT breeder and has given the same advice.

Edited April 3, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[Kavik]

At least keep them separated until you can get someone in to help you.

[mixeduppup]

Apart from the great advice above if you haven't desexed I would be doing that straight away with your older girl.

[staffy2]

In no way shape or form did I say I did not say appreciate the advice givin or taken it on board and I would not expect ANY one to sugar coat anything all I said is that since joining I feel that I have been judge with the choices I have made with my dogs it is possible for to staffies of any age to live in peace together if they are treated right and raised the right way . All I asked if is it normal for these to dog to show any signs of aggressive behaviour while my older one is on heat as her hormone levels would of changed because before this they got along fantastic

[staffy2]

At least keep them separated until you can get someone in to help you.

Thanks

[staffy2]

Apart from the great advice above if you haven't desexed I would be doing that straight away with your older girl.

Thanks I would love to but she has demodex at the moment and my vet wants to hold of on doin this until most of the mites have cleared up

[staffy2]

This may be self evident to a lot of us but you're not feeding them both from the same bowl are you?

Feed them separately, preferably not in the same immediate area. Different rooms is a good start or one inside and one out.

And get that help.

No I'm not feeding them from the same bowl

[Cosmolo]

Yes the bitch being on heat may have an impact.

What training are both dogs enrolled in at the moment?

Keeping bitches together of any breed is considered riskier than male/ female combinations. Keeping terrier bitches of a similar age together increases the risk once more as does keeping same sex dogs of a breed more prone to dog aggression. People are urging caution based on their experiences and because they DON'T want to hear of anything terrible happening. I have clients who have similar situations and have done just fine- with ALOT of training AND management strategies in place. This is why i ask you what training you intend to do with both dogs. :)

[Sandra777]

I don't see why you think you are being judged.

You are being given advice by a variety of very experienced people on two subjects that many people have dealt with - demodex and same-sex aggression.

If the advice you receive doesn't match what you want to hear, take it or leave it as you like.

One of the basic rules of living in the real world is you don't ask for the benefit of other people's experience then decide that everyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong/being mean/judging you - that's the behaviour of a child. Yes, that one IS a judgement.

[WreckitWhippet]

Two bitches of a similar age is certainly not a combination that I encourage any novice SBT owners to take on.

Yes, you can possibly manage the two but you probably never be able to relax and simply enjoy them, because you will find yourself spending the time "managing" them.

Genetics also plays a big part in what a Stafford bitch will tolerate in terms of other bitches. You can raise them well, put the time and training in but there are some that will not do anything more than tolerate another bitch and can quite frankly be volatile and easily set off.

I'd certainly be speaking with the breeder of your bitch and asking about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to her dam.

You are dealing with a breed that has the potential to kill one another and bitch fights in SBT's tend to happen without a lot of warning or body language ( they do give you an indication but often it's subtle or misunderstood)and they will fight to the death.

Have they actually had a fight ? and if so can you say what the aggressive bitch did in terms of going for the throat, attempting to take out a front leg etc ?

[staffy2]

I don't see why you think you are being judged.

You are being given advice by a variety of very experienced people on two subjects that many people have dealt with - demodex and same-sex aggression.

If the advice you receive doesn't match what you want to hear, take it or leave it as you like.

One of the basic rules of living in the real world is you don't ask for the benefit of other people's experience then decide that everyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong/being mean/judging you - that's the behaviour of a child. Yes, that one IS a judgement.

Sandra777 Since we are now passing judgement well here is mine of you " You think you are a know it all that thinks you know everything about everything well lets get one thing straight you dont know a thing about me or my life experience so before you judge me on being childish maybe you should re-read your comment because you seem to be the one being childish I did say quote Im sorry if I sound hasty but I feel like Im being judge with my choices I didnt say once you all are judging me there is a difference between fact and how I felt as for livin in the real world like I said you know nothing about me and my life experience and yes not everyone argee's so let me be the BIGGER person to say lets agree to disargee

[Sandra777]

I don't see why you think you are being judged.

You are being given advice by a variety of very experienced people on two subjects that many people have dealt with - demodex and same-sex aggression.

If the advice you receive doesn't match what you want to hear, take it or leave it as you like.

One of the basic rules of living in the real world is you don't ask for the benefit of other people's experience then decide that everyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong/being mean/judging you - that's the behaviour of a child. Yes, that one IS a judgement.

Sandra777 Since we are now passing judgement well here is mine of you " You think you are a know it all that thinks you know everything about everything well lets get one thing straight you dont know a thing about me or my life experience so before you judge me on being childish maybe you should re-read your comment because you seem to be the one being childish I did say quote Im sorry if I sound hasty but I feel like Im being judge with my choices I didnt say once you all are judging me there is a difference between fact and how I felt as for livin in the real world like I said you know nothing about me and my life experience and yes not everyone argee's so let me be the BIGGER person to say lets agree to disargee

What do you want to agree to disagree about?

I thought you were looking for advice from a variety of people with experience in the problems you are having so you could make some decisions about what you could do to solve them. I seem to have been wrong and you only want to hear from people who agree with you.

Good luck with that.

[Staffyluv]

You have been given very good advice so far - probably not what you wanted to hear but it is still very relevant and good advice.

Most of the people who have responded to you have years of experience breeding and showing staffords - they do know what they are talking about.

I totally agree with not having 2 stafford bitches so close in age together.

You may have to make the decision to rehome one or the other, depending on which dog you prefer.

Rehoming is not cruel, it is in the best interest of the dogs.

It is not fair for one dog to live in fear of another or another dog to be constantly stressed about having to put another dog in its place..

It would be a happier home for you and the dogs.

But get some professional help first by contacting a good behaviourist to come and see the two dogs together and how they interact.

I notice you are in Victoria - Cos from Underdog training is down that way and if you let us know exactly what area you are in we can recommend a good behaviourist (please don't use bark busters or just anyone)..

[WreckitWhippet]

I don't see why you think you are being judged.

You are being given advice by a variety of very experienced people on two subjects that many people have dealt with - demodex and same-sex aggression.

If the advice you receive doesn't match what you want to hear, take it or leave it as you like.

One of the basic rules of living in the real world is you don't ask for the benefit of other people's experience then decide that everyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong/being mean/judging you - that's the behaviour of a child. Yes, that one IS a judgement.

Sandra777 Since we are now passing judgement well here is mine of you " You think you are a know it all that thinks you know everything about everything well lets get one thing straight you dont know a thing about me or my life experience so before you judge me on being childish maybe you should re-read your comment because you seem to be the one being childish I did say quote Im sorry if I sound hasty but I feel like Im being judge with my choices I didnt say once you all are judging me there is a difference between fact and how I felt as for livin in the real world like I said you know nothing about me and my life experience and yes not everyone argee's so let me be the BIGGER person to say lets agree to disargee

I can tell you now she's got more Stafford years under her belt , then you could ever hope to have.

Stafford folk don't fluff it up when it comes to the risks of owning two bitches of similar age. You may well find you come home to a dead one, it's as real as that.