I am getting hopeless so I am turning to my fellow EOCers for some help or guidance! We have had our 2 dogs for over 5 years - Jake and Allie. They were both rescued... Jake is a boxer/pit mix and Allie is a rhodesian ridgeback/pit mix. Allie has always been the more dominant one - but they've always gotten along really really well. In fact, they lasted in the back of the E for trips back and forth from Massachusetts to Texas 3 years in a row... and sleep together by the heat radiators.

For the past 8 weeks Allie has been attacking Jake. She gets vicious - she'll all of a sudden run after him and start attacking him - there's no other way to describe it. She has even gotten teeth marks on Jake that bleed a little bit. Jake luckily doesn't do anything back, and the poor thing shakes after it happens and then he stays away. Sometimes we've noticed it's by the water bowl or food bowl, sometimes it's after they eat a treat, but the last 2 weeks it's over everything and anything - Jake will come into the same room as Allie and she goes crazy for him - it's like she wants to kill him. This morning it happened and I pulled Allie away and in the process one of my fingers ended up in her mouth and it was very scary.

I can't take it anymore. I don't know what to do. We've done EVERYTHING that we've seen Cesar do - but it doesn't matter.

One thing that may just be a coincedence - we've noticed red bumps on Allie - all along her belly and around her "privates"... and they are also getting worse as time goes on. Maybe something going on with her hormones which in turn is making her angry? I don't know... but we do have a vet appointment on Monday to talk about the bumps and I'll certainly be bringing up everything else.

Does anyone know what could possibly be going on?? Any thoughts are really, really appreciated! I'm at my breaking point.

Here's Jake and Allie - Jake is darker and Allie is tan -

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/7/dogsyk2.th.jpg (http://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dogsyk2.jpg)http://img511.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/4120/alliejakeum2.th.jpg (http://img368.imageshack.us/my.php?image=alliejakeum2.jpg)http://img368.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

My mom with the dogs at our old apartment:

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5820/momndogsmc1.th.jpg (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=momndogsmc1.jpg)

The first thing you should do is to have both dogs evaluated by the Vet. Most common reason for a radical change in behavior is a medical 'condition'.

I cannot stress this enough, even if you think everything is fine, have them both seen by a vet, a dog's behavior doesn't 'just change'

pits commonly have thyroid issues... get them checked out. i got chewed up by one, so don't ask me what it think of them.

And you still responded even without liking pits! Thanks!! It must be a Buffalo thing =o) My partner is originally from Buffalo... we're going there next weekend to see the Bills - Jets game!

But Monday can't come fast enough for our vet appointment. Allie is so hot and cold - right now the dogs are cuddling on the oversized dog bed... earlier she was trying to draw Jake's blood. I know it's bad to say but I hope that something is wrong... that way we can fix it and be done with this aggressiveness.

Yes, vet.http://www.skidmore.edu/e/eoc/spacer01.gif

Are both animals fixed? I assumed so because they were rescues, but that isn't always the case.

Good to see a vet; hope you can figure things out quickly!

Yep - they're both fixed!

Oh boy, this is no fun.
We had this problem with our two spayed females, both rescued from the pound. We got them together as young pups. GermanShepherd mix (Abby) and BorderCollie mix (Sidney). They were best of friends until they were 3 years old, then they too got wierd. Abby would try to dominate. As long as Sidney submitted (drop and roll on back), Abby was okay. This went on for TEN years, you just couldn't trust them together. We made many trips to the vet for wound care. We ended up keeping them separated at all times, in the house, in the yard, at night, always. They were both very sweet dogs. Both had my wife trained and would bug her all night to go in/out and for treats.


Feed them apart.
Pay attention to the dominant animal and "ignore" the other when they are together.
Praise the Alpha for not attacking the other.
If we got excited, Abby would become dominant. We had to stay calm around them.
When they do fight, stay calm. Yes, it's ugly sounding.
Be careful, they get very focused when in the agressive state. They don't mean to bite you, but they won't listen either.
DO NOT allow them to try to assert dominance over you. The first time they test you with a growl, immediately:
[ *]loudly say "NO"
[ *]roll them over on their back
[ *]grab their snout, get in their face and repeat "NO"
this will enforce that you are the Alpha.


About a year ago Abby became very sick, blood in urine, incontinent at night, not able to pee when she tried, low appetite, restless. She ended up having a bladder stone that was the size of a very large grape or foos ball. The day after the surgery, she was a new dog. Happy and puppy-like. She was also much friendlier with Sidney.

Sidney passed away last May. Abby is now 14 years old, and has taken on all the annoying habits Sidney used to have [conservation of personalities].

These animals are incredibly important in our lives. Our emotions are altered when we have pets to share our love with. Sorry this got long....kgr

Visiting the Vet is your best bet - sounds like something physical (maybe causing the rash) is bothering the dog, making it uncomfortable, which is leading to a low level of tolerance that results in aggression. Just like us not being in the best of moods when we are irritated or sick, and something small sets us off.

From your comments on when it happens, near water/food bowls or after a treat - how are her teeth and gums? A bad/sore tooth can make a dog pretty grumpy. :confused:

that sounds like doggie politics.... but it also sounds like allie might have a medical condition and is protective over her territory. vet (and remember to bring a standby muzzle just incase she is sensitve down there and will attack anyone wanting to help her) is probably your best bet. for the time being separate the two, but dont let her get territorial over the rooM!

Feed them apart.
Pay attention to the dominant animal and "ignore" the other when they are together.
Praise the Alpha for not attacking the other.
If we got excited, Abby would become dominant. We had to stay calm around them.
When they do fight, stay calm. Yes, it's ugly sounding.
Be careful, they get very focused when in the agressive state. They don't mean to bite you, but they won't listen either.
DO NOT allow them to try to assert dominance over you. The first time they test you with a growl, immediately:
[ *]loudly say "NO"
[ *]roll them over on their back
[ *]grab their snout, get in their face and repeat "NO"
this will enforce that you are the Alpha.



ABSOLUTE SOME OF THE BEST ADVICE!!!

Having 3 Pit bulls currently, 2 of which are spayed females, my house is divided in half and I absolutely HATE it! But it is absolutely necessary for the suvival of both girls I love dearly!!

Sarah, if you want to correspond with me, I'll do all I can to help you through this! :) I have nearly 15yrs of Pit bull experience to include rescue.

~Kerri, Kacie, Atlas, Angus, and Angel (Kacie is my 13yr Alpha, Angel is my 3 yr old abuse gal.)