Our puppy’s dad mum has killed another dog

[Oakley628]

I feel sick with worry. Our pup is 7 months old, we got him from friends of a friend. A lovely farming family, both parents lovely natured etc. Mum is 10 years old and has attacked the smaller family dog who’s had to be put down. They’d lived together for 10 years with no issue.

I’m now very worried about our pup. We also have 2 cats. They’ve all been getting on great. We are able to keep them separate and we’ve never left them alone together anyway.

[Oakley628]

Sorry the title should just say mum

[fancynancys]

So what has that got to do with your puppy? What are you worried about?

[Oakley628]

I don’t know why I’m posting really. I just very worried.

[Ughmaybenot]

Sometimes illness can cause a dog to act out of character like that, especially if you know she was otherwise good natured. Also, while I’m not saying nature counts for nothing, nurture is a huge part. You know your dog.

[Oakley628]

fancynancys I’m worried our pup could have inherited this aggression that’s caused his mum to attack another dog.

[TippledPink]

If they have lived together peacefully for 10 years there is obviously something that has triggered the attack- maybe she was unwell. All dogs have the ability to turn at any moment, you can NEVER trust a dog 100%.

[PanicAtTheDiscLo]

I think you need to decipher what’s worrying you.
What caused it? It could be provocation, pain, or a genetic issue like rage syndrome.

I think you’re likely to be alright - but when you work out your particular worry then things will change

[fancynancys]

The dog is 10, it's clearly not an aggressive dog and something else has triggered the attack. Your puppy may turn on someone/another animal, it may not. It's absolutely impossible to know.

[Oakley628]

I don’t think the mum has any illness going on but the dog she attacked was very frail and old and would snap and growl at everything.

[silverbubbles]

Continue letting it socialise with the cats etc. if you start acting weirdly you will unnerve it and create problems.

[Bunnybigears]

After 10 years of not attacking things this latest incident inst a character trait. What breed are they? 10 years is old for some breeds so things like dementia, illness, pain deafness could all have played a part in the attack.

[Oakley628]

Sorry I’m not an experienced dog owner so I’ve gone into a panic that our pup could have this aggression in him and could one day attack our cats or a person/child. That’s what’s worrying me.

[Oakley628]

They’re a mixed breed, spaniel/terrier. Typical farm dog so not a specific breed.

[LuluBellaBlue]

I’ve had my dog for 8 years, always lived with cats, very gentle girl. A few months ago she got inside a chicken coup and killed one of them! Totally out of character for her.
But you never know with any animal (or human to be honest!)

[PanicAtTheDiscLo]

so, old frail dog snapped and growled.
Young(er) dog retaliated after provocation likely feeling threatened.
Snappy antagonising dog couldn’t finish the fight it started.

I don’t think your dog will attack as long as you dont allow them to be threatened in their safe space

[Oakley628]

Ok these replies are bringing my heart rate down. I thought I’d be told to never take eyes off pup, that it could be aggressive, that we’ve been irresponsible to have a pup with cats at home etc. I thought people would be horrified that a dog could kill another dog.

We have always been very careful with the cats and we don’t leave them alone together, we’ll continue with this.

Pup is lovely. He does growl a lot during play which surprised me at first but I was reassured that’s not aggression but just that some dogs are vocal.

He’s not reactive to other dogs/people/ cars. Any cats we see ok walks he just likes to sniff (if they’re friendly). He does like chasing birds.

[Oakley628]

PanicAtTheDiscLo I don’t know the exact circumstances of what happened just that the dog that died is known as being miserable, snarles and snaps. She growled and snarled at our pup when we were at the house a few weeks ago, pup ran away from her.

[RedRed9]

It’s a good lesson to learn that you can never trust a dog 100%.

Unfortunately there are plenty of stories of old dogs suddenly snapping/fighting and the fighting leading to death. It’s usually that they’re unwell themselves or they sense another dog is unwell and react.

Absolutely traumatising though. I’m not suprised that your immediate feeling was worry.

[Oakley628]

I’ve had a bit more information now and it sounds like mum was being protective of her pup (they kept one from the litter). Attacked the older dog’s leg and the decision was made to put older dog down instead of putting her through an anaesthetic etc when she was already very frail.

[Spotsandstars]

Which breed is it?

[Oakley628]

Typical mixed breed farm dog-spaniel/terrier type.

[Spotsandstars]

Spaniels tend to be fine. The terrier or collie type not so trustworthy and can be quite snappy. As others have said I would always be keeping an eye on it. Collies in particular quite neurotic.

[Ughmaybenot]

How is that typical? That could be anything, the amount of different breeds of spaniels and terriers.
All that aside, please do try to stop worrying. Carry on as you are with socialising etc and keep reading up on dog ownership and you’ll be fine.

[Oakley628]

Sorry, I meant ‘typical’ as in a mixed breed. You do tend to get mixed breeds on farms don’t you? She’s a spaniel terrier cross.

[Bunnybigears]

Sorry, I meant ‘typical’ as in a mixed breed. You do tend to get mixed breeds on farms don’t you? not really, in my experience farm dogs are collies, gun dogs are spaniels or labradors. Lamping dogs are lurches and rattling dogs are terriers. Sounds like you have a mongrel (which is fine my dog is a mongrel) Just ne careful or the high energy coupled with tendency to chase and snap that you get from a spaniel, terrier cross.