HELP! Sudden aggression

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

shouse

Boxer Pal
I aquired an 11 month old nonspayed female boxer Wednesday last week. She has done well acclamating to the family so far. I also have an 8 year old neutered lab and a 14 year old neutered toy poodle. She's been enjoying laying down by Sam (the poodle) on the pillow in the living room and shares my bed fine with him. But my Sam was attacked by a Pit yestereday. We had a home trip by the vet yesterday and then he went for the patch job today. He should be dead, but he and I are extremely fortunate.

Today, Spirit (the new boxer) decided she was going to snap and growl at Sam when he went to try to get a bite out of what I thought was the community food bowl. She didn't like it. So I got his old bowl back and let him have that. She didn't like that either. It's like she didn't want him to eat.

Then when he went to lay on the pillow, she laid there and put her chin on it and looked at him and was growling. She's snapping and growling out of the blue. But she's seemed a little edgy today anyway. And to top it off she witnessed the attack yesterday.

Could she just be sensing that Sam is down on his luck and is trying to dominate? Right now I've crated her for Sam's sake, but it's almost bedtime and she's used to sleeping on my bed. I don't know if I could trust her though.

Suggestions???
 
S

Shadowboxer

Boxer Pal
My immediate thought is - is she coming into season? Some bitches do become grumpy and temperamental at these times. How is she with the lab.?

The other thought is that Sam might smell different after his visit to the vet and this is confusing her a bit.

I would keep on with the separate, supervised, feeding and also keep a close eye on the situation.
 
Krikkit

Krikkit

Boxer Insane
She's snapping and growling out of the blue. But she's seemed a little edgy today anyway. And to top it off she witnessed the attack yesterday.
Click to expand...
Her stress levels may be really high so she is more reactive. She may have some resource guarding tendancies that are normally kept in check but with the rise in her hormones etc, from stress about the attack, the change in routine, Sam smelling different and not being well these may be more prone to come out. It might just be a stress reaction, full stop - she has only been with you a week and would have already had higher levels of stress than normal.
Could she just be sensing that Sam is down on his luck and is trying to dominate?
Click to expand...
This is also possible, some dogs are more opportunistic than others ... but I'd be inclined to be thinking of stress first.

Am hoping Sam recovers ASAP and that things in your canine family settle down.

Sharon
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top