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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My dog killed my other dog

73 replies

heartbrokendogmum · 20/01/2020 12:32

On Saturday I came home from doing the weekly shop to find my beautiful, sweet dog had been killed by one of my others. I rushed her to the vets but there was nothing they could do.

I'm absolutely heartbroken.

The dog who died and the dog who killed her were kept in an indoor pen together, and I'd only been out for a couple of hours. There have never been any signs of aggression towards each other, it's a complete shock. Both females. When I got back the pen was broken and she was laid on the floor.

I feel absolutely sick about it. I know it sounds extreme but she was my baby, I've had her since I was 19 and first moved out of home. She was only 10 years old, she should have had a lot of life still left. She's been with me through so much, I love her so much.

We had the dog who killed her PTS. We have another dog left who wasn't involved but is the same breed as the one who attacked. I feel like I don't want to keep him anymore and I'm considering rehoming him. I feel like I can't trust the breed anymore, even though they're supposed to be considered as a gentle breed and he wasn't part of it.

I don't know what to do. I'm a mess.

OP posts:
Whynosnowyet · 20/01/2020 14:43

Looking back had you noticed any slight changes in ddog? One of my ddogs likely has a brain tumour the vet told me. Subtle changes have included increased thirst. More greedy but only every few days not all the time. Eyes sometimes with droopy lids. Extra sleepy only some days. Cba attitude at times. Extra happy other days. Changes in her prob only I have noticed.
So sorry again op.

labazsisgoingmad · 20/01/2020 14:43

Trouble is dogs are pack animals and one dog has to be top dog they tend to fall out over things like that if one tries to take over being top dog. often something like food can cause problems too i am so sorry it must be horrible to find something like that if there is nothing in the cage that could have caused trouble toys food etc it may well be a who is the top dog situation i am so so sorry could you tell us what dog the one who attacked was? i understand knee jerk reaction would be to put the other dog to sleep or rehome but i think you need to take a breath and settle a little before making a decision you may later regret

Mumbassa · 20/01/2020 14:48

I’m so sorry opFlowers

DramaAlpaca · 20/01/2020 14:52

I'm so sorry this happened, how awful for you Flowers

TeacupRex · 20/01/2020 14:57

I'm so sorry, this is any dog owner's complete nightmare :( Unfortunately there is a saying - dogs fight to breed, bitches fight to breathe - the fights between girls can often be much nastier and seemingly come out of nowhere. Were they similar ages? I have heard of some dogs turning on the older one if they perceive it to be weak, injured or unwell.

If it provides the tiniest bit of comfort, any breed could have done this to a dog of a similar size. I knew of a lady that ended up having to rehome one of her cocker spaniels (bought two as littermates) because they started having awful fights and there was no doubt in her mind that one of them would have ended up dead if they didn't separate them for good. And cockers are well known for being gentle, soppy things! If your dog was already elderly and frail, she wouldn't have been able to fend off the attack. We have to remember that as much as we love our dogs, they are still animals - they act this way out of instinct, whatever the reason was. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but this sounds like a very sad accident.

Original poster
heartbrokendogmum · 20/01/2020 15:01

@Whynosnowyet she'd been off her food for a few days earlier in the week, but she'd been okay again the past couple of days. Apart from that, I hadn't noticed anything else out of the norm with her.

@labazsisgoingmad yes, the one who died was the top dog, she always had been. The dog that attacked was a Boston Terrier. There were no toys or food in the pen with them at the time though. I'd often give them a dentastick when I went out, I hadn't even done that this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
heartbrokendogmum · 20/01/2020 15:07

Thank you for a lovely response @teacuprex. The dog that attacked has just turned 8, so not too far apart. The dog who passed wasn't really elderly or frail, she's a long lived breed, but the other dogs breed is much physically stronger I think, despite being similarly sized.

Although that being said, the vet did say to me it was a possibility that either could have been unwell and we didn't know. The dog that passed had had a cancerous lump removed last year, maybe it had come back and we didn't know yet?

OP posts:
Whynosnowyet · 20/01/2020 15:16

My ddog with the suspected brain tumour also had a big cancerous mammary tumour removed last April....
In your shoes I would allow myself time to grieve then never mention it again. Beating yourself up will do no good. Spend time with your ddog and move on.
Flowers

TeacupRex · 20/01/2020 15:26

There very well could have been health reasons involved, especially if she had tumours in the past - dogs can sniff out cancer and determine that something is very wrong. In the wild, pack animals would drive out any members deemed to be sick and leave them to die, and mother dogs will often neglect one of their puppies if they think something is wrong with it and won't survive. It's horrible but sadly it's nature :(

Itsjustmee · 20/01/2020 15:48

One of my dogs had a tumour and chewed and bit through the fence to get to the other dog who he attacked
Luckily the other dog is fairly submissive which is probably what saved any damage to him from being worse
The first dog we had put down a few days later due to the tumour and we obviously couldn’t trust him anymore.

These were very very big dogs as well
We have always had several big breed type dogs and the amount of money we have spent on fencing and redesigning the garden so that we have several individual areas for the dog I could weep
And these two dogs had lived with each on and off for several years with no problems at all

The dog that had a tumour strangely didn’t attack his fellow kennel mate for whatever reason he wanted the other dog and like I said chewed the fence to pieces to get to the other dog

Wereallsquare · 20/01/2020 15:51

I am very sorry this has happened. Please do not look askance at your remaining dog. He/she needs your love more than ever. But if you feel that you can no longer genuinely love the dog or feel comfortable with him/her, the poor dog will sense it. So in that case, re-homing to a person/ family who can love him/her unconditionally may be the best thing.

I feel terrible for you. Unfortunately, in my lifetime, I have seen my dogs do vicious things to each other and to cats and sometimes been unable to stop them. I still loved them, though, because they were not malicious, just following certain instincts.

It is a horrible shock, though.

Thanks
pigsDOfly · 20/01/2020 17:22

What a awful thing for you to have come home to.

Don't be suspicious of your remaining dog. If he didn't get involved he's not done anything wrong and may have found the whole thing very traumatic too.

Try to get past the idea of it being breed related and help your remaining dog feel secure and loved. It's not his fault.

Two females in the same home can often result in awful conflict and vicious fights.

dogcrazy · 20/01/2020 17:38

Don’t blame yourself, it’s not your fault. I have a Boston, as you say they are generally a gentle breed, you’ve been incredibly unlucky, try not to hold it against your current one iyswim Flowers

NumbersStation · 20/01/2020 17:53

I’m so sorry.

Please be mindful about your boy. He will be traumatised himself.

I’ve noticed sometimes with dogs that suddenly start snapping or growling tend to do it when the other dogs don’t have long on this earth.

As a pp said, it is nature.

In your case, it could well be that one of them had a go because it was ill or because the other dog took a turn. It doesn’t make it easier I know. Flowers

Honeyroar · 20/01/2020 18:01

Your remaining dog will be shocked and be missing his friends. Don’t push him away and try and make a fuss of him.

And while I’m so sorry for what you’ve gone through, I think you need to rethink putting dogs in pens together when you’re not there.

Whynosnowyet · 21/01/2020 08:56

How are you both today op?

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 21/01/2020 10:54

Just wanted to add my sympathies, what a horrible shock. I agree, there must have been something wrong that you couldn’t possibly have known about or been able to prevent. You say they’d been perfectly happy together until then.

Give your poor boy a big hug from me. Poor little fella. Flowers

NumbersStation · 21/01/2020 13:31

Thinking of you and your wee dog today. I hope you are finding comfort in eachother. Flowers

Original poster
heartbrokendogmum · 21/01/2020 15:06

Thank you everyone.

I'm still upset, but feeling a bit less emotional. Fewer tears, apart from when the post came and there was a lovely condolences card from the vets we took them to.

I'm making a big effort with my boy, lots of treats and cuddles. I'm going to keep him, I do love him and I know none of it was his fault, and just because he is the same breed as the dog who attacked, doesn't mean he will too.

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied to me, I can't tell you how much it has helped me to talk through everything.

OP posts:
VisionQuest · 21/01/2020 15:28

Wow so sorry to hear this OP. I can't imagine how awful that was for you.

I have five dogs who are allowed to roam the house whilst we're out. There have never been any issues but I guess you never know what might happen

pigsDOfly · 21/01/2020 18:12

Glad you're feeling a bit less raw OP and have decided to keep you dog.
Flowers

NumbersStation · 21/01/2020 19:54

Sending love to you and your boy.

I hope you manage to heal eachother x

Hovverry · 21/01/2020 20:56

I had two bitches, mother and daughter, who had frequent scuffles. Never had any trouble with one of each sex regardless of breed.

bobstersmum · 21/01/2020 21:14

So sorry to read this. We had two male Jack's that once fought really badly, out of the blue. Blood everywhere, I was there to split them up fortunately but my older one we had to drive to an emergency vet 20 miles away to have surgery that night. We rehomed the dog that initiated the fight, he was only 18 months. You just never know with dogs. So sorry.

Christmaspug · 22/01/2020 13:25

I was just wondering how you were ..