My 2 y/o boxer attacked my ShizTU!

[cocome8]

Hello again to everyone. Thanks for such a warm welcome! I am having a BIG problem with my female boxer Bella. I have cried more in the last three day than I have in the last 3 years. When Bella was about 1 she started to "pick" on my then 7 y/o shiztu. I could call her name and she would stop. After the first time, I called the vet and went to speak to him about the problem. He suggested we have her fixed, as it would calm her down. She is your typical Boxer (all over the place). After a few other fights we decided to take her to a trainner. That has not worked either. Although now she is very well behaved and does almost all of her commands. Every few months she tries to attack again, for no reason. Zimba could be asleep on the floor and she would walk by and just jump on him. She is now 2 1/2 and has "pounced" on him quite a few times. Well, 3 days ago she attacked again, this time my little shiztu had to go on a nice long vacation to the vet. He had to have 2 emergency surgeries!! He still will not be able to come home for a few more days. I have no clue why she is doing this. We got her when she was 8 weeks old, so she has grown up with Zimba. I also have a brindle male boxer we rescued about a year ago. He is about 1 1/2 now. They get along so wonderful. They love to play all day. Bella is also wonderful with my children. She loves them and they love her. When I told my son Dawson (he just turned 5) we may have to find her a new home, he lost it. He told my she was his bestfriend and would never hurt him. They are so close!! He went to pick her out and we have always said she was his dog. She sleeps in his bed with him every night. He is breaking my heart.
Bella gives no signs when she is about to pounce on Zimba, she just does it. Have any of you had one of your babies act like this. I am scared she may kill him if it happens again. She was like a different dog when it happened. I almost could not get her off of him. I called the Louisiana Boxer Rescue to see if they could find her a better home, however they are full. I don't want to give my little baby away, but I don't know what else I should do. I don't think she would ever harm my kids, but I also don't know if it a chance I should take. I would love some input on what to do. I would love any advice I can get. Sorry it was so long!

 

[Dieselsmom]

Does she just pounce on the shitzu or is she biting and growling as well. If she's just pouncing maybe she's trying to get the other dog to play with her and the shitzu is too small and is being injured Also you may have to keep them separated, i know that's no fun, but it would keep one from harming the other.

 

[Angie K]

I'm sorry about your Zimba. I have not had this happen to me but I will give you my take. My male (80lbs) is great with small dogs, he will be very gentle and let them kind of paw his face etc. My female (48lbs) has never been allowed around a small dog long enough to find out. She will sit wait for the dog to come up to her and then Bam, she boxes them and the barking etc. starts. They both seem to have a high prey drive but my male will stop when told. My female on the other hand is so intent on her prey its like she totally zones out everyone around her. If she is watching a rabbit out the sliding glass door I have to physically move her to stop her and sometimes when doing so she will swing her head around as if to say leave me alone. She changes her tune as soon as she realizes it is one of us but she is just so zoned out that she is ready to get the prey. Is your Bella this way with any dogs her own size or larger? She may just have such a high prey drive that she cannot be around small dogs. Just a thought. Maybe a behavioralist can test that idea out with another small dog. I hope it works out.

 

[samsonite]

I was actually thinking the same thing Angie K just mentioned the first time I read your story. Small dogs tend to get "attacked" by other dogs because they act and sound like "prey". And, then again, the boxer may just want to play. I hope you can find an answer, and I'm sorry your little boy is upset. My son (6.5 y/o) isn't animal crazy, but now he can't sleep at night without his Samson! Hope you find a solution, even if you have to keep them separated :(

 

[cocome8]

thanks for the replys

Thanks for the replys. I just don not know what her problem is. I do know she is not trying to play. I guess I never really thought of her having a prey drive. She loves to kill squirls and would love to catch a cat. She hates them both. If she see on through the window she will go nuts to get outside to it. But why would she think of Zimba as prey. He has been around her forever!! She plays wonderful with big dogs. Beaux, our other boxer, is her best friend. She also plays with my neighbors dogs a rott and a lab mix. My husband and family think I should find her a new home. They are scared she may harm one of my kids or kill Zimba. Like I said, she is like a different animal when she attacks him. I had to grab her with almost all of my strength to get her off of Zimba. I was screaming, my kids were screaming, Zimba was crying, there was blood everywhere! After she snapped out of it, she just looked up at me like "what is wrong with you mom". What are the cances she will do this again. I have never used a crate with my dogs, and I don't thinks she can stay outside with the heat (it is very hot here). Also, do male dogs have the same prey drive as female dogs. What are the chances of Beaux doing the same thing? Bella never did this until she was a year old, and every time it has gotten worse. Thanks again for all of your replys, they have helped me understand beter.

 

[Jan]

I think you need to contact a behaviorist. In the meantime I would keep the two dogs separated.

 

[cocome8]

where can I find a behaviorist in Louisiana?

Ok guys. Does anybody know of where I can find a behaviorist in Louisiana?
I am not having much luck.

 

[sherri0121]

Same thing happened in my household

I really understand what your going through. My boxer mix Hailey attached my 9 year old male cocker- Alex. Alex just had a few deep puncture wounds, but he had to stay the night at the emergency vets office. I do know why that one happened, I just happened to have been next door at the neighbors house when it took place.

On the other hand the very next night my female boxer, Jasmine, was lying next to my chair and Sophie (my female cocker about 30lbs) was in my lap. Sophie jumped off my lap and walked around Jasmine to get a ball. That is when Jasmine jumped Sophie. I also had no warning what so ever. Jasmine definately had Sophie's head in her mouth and was in a different state of mind. I had to put my hand under Jasmine's jaw and curled her gums between my fingers and her teeth in an effert to remove Sophie's head. I figured if she bit down she would definately have bitten her gums first. Luckily, there were no major injuries, but who knows what have happened had I not been around. I spoke with my vet and he said that Jasmine and Hailey are reaching sexual maturity (both are spayed) age and are challaging for alpha position. His suggestion was to muzzle the boxers when the cockers are out for a period of 6 months. Now the three girls do attend doggie daycare once a week and there has never been any problems. I don't like the idea of muzzling, but I have started doing it on a limited basis and I also use crates. Unfortunately, there are very few actual animal behaviorists actually working in the US according to an article I just read in the AKC Family Dog magazine. You may want to check out thier website for the article or the tool to find a behaviorist. Hope this helps, since I know exactly how your feeling. I hope your little shih tzu is doing better.

 

[EMWAZ]

this may help... http://www.nadoi.org/states_la.htm

here's another one.. http://www.apdt.com/

 

[BasilStreets]

There are a couple of things you wrote that would make me think, as others have said, that it is a problem of prey drive.
The first is that you mention "after she snapped out of it....". My experience with dogs with high prey drive is that they certainly go into "the zone".
My two do this with cats, although with training its getting better, but it is absolutely like the dog has gone into a totally different state.
The other thing is that you wrote "she loves to kill squirrls...". By letting her do this she is getting better at attacking her "prey" and she is learning that this is acceptable behavior. If she is then seeing the smaller dog as "prey" also, she has not only gotten better at attacking, but has also learned that she is allowed to do this.
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck, perhaps try a search for cat desensitization, I know of many people who have high prey drive dogs who after working on this have been able to live with cats in the house.

Thanks for the replys. I just don not know what her problem is. I do know she is not trying to play. I guess I never really thought of her having a prey drive. She loves to kill squirls and would love to catch a cat. She hates them both. If she see on through the window she will go nuts to get outside to it. But why would she think of Zimba as prey. He has been around her forever!! She plays wonderful with big dogs. Beaux, our other boxer, is her best friend. She also plays with my neighbors dogs a rott and a lab mix. My husband and family think I should find her a new home. They are scared she may harm one of my kids or kill Zimba. Like I said, she is like a different animal when she attacks him. I had to grab her with almost all of my strength to get her off of Zimba. I was screaming, my kids were screaming, Zimba was crying, there was blood everywhere! After she snapped out of it, she just looked up at me like "what is wrong with you mom". What are the cances she will do this again. I have never used a crate with my dogs, and I don't thinks she can stay outside with the heat (it is very hot here). Also, do male dogs have the same prey drive as female dogs. What are the chances of Beaux doing the same thing? Bella never did this until she was a year old, and every time it has gotten worse. Thanks again for all of your replys, they have helped me understand beter.