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think I could sell her to the gypsies?

Harper & Libby

This past weekend, we flew out to Eugene to surprise my FIL for his 90th birthday (and boy, was he surprised!). Of course, we left the fur babies with our vet, where they enjoyed indoor, air-conditioned kenneling and serious spoiling by the staff. So, Saturday morning, my cell phone rings and it's my vet. The following convie ensued:

vet: Hello Becky!

me: Hey doc, is everything okay?

vet: Well, the girls seemed to have gotten into a bit of a fight last night.

me: Oh really? How bad was it?

vet: Well (pause), we had to sew up Harper's ear this morning.

me: Really?! Is she okay?

vet: Oh yes, fine, just fine. Just missing a bit of her ear.

me: Missing? As in gone? Where did her ear go?

vet: I believe it's inside Libby's tummy.

me: (pause) I see. Well, if you wouldn't mind, could you please put "Hannibal Lecter" up for sale on the bulletin board and we'll be picking up Jackson and Harper on Monday morning?

vet: (big laugh) We'll talk about some ideas when you get back.

Seriously, I'm still shaking my head. Libs and Harper are sisters and have rough-housed and tangled with one another a time or two in the past year we've had them. But something changed in both of them since they were spayed last winter. It's like one of them gets a bee in her bonnet and they take turns deciding who's going to be the Beta in the household. Most of the "fights" are harmless, but we've had a couple that landed one of them in the ER for stitches. Everything I've read, everything I've been told, has assured us that they would "grown out of it." Ummm, NOT. So, Tuesday we'll have hormone tests ran on both of them to see what's going on. Meanwhile, I've got Hannibal Lecter and Vincent Van Gogh running around the house as if nothing happened. Not kidding here -- they are like BFF's again.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? If so, I welcome any and all suggestions!! Note to self: never (I repeat, NEVER) get two females at the same time!

No wonder I never had kids! lol

Becky

Published: 07.23.2009
Tags: family

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Posted by Kirsty-Ann on 04.02.2010

Just last night I cried myself to sleep cos I miss my two "girls" so much - and this after 8 years. And then I stumbled upon your story. I know this is now an old post but I hope you do not mind me adding my story even if it has a sad ending. My 2 Jack Russel sisters were fine for 8 years and then one day started fighting and 2 years later it was so bad I had to have them both put to sleep. The fighting was so bad I thought I was going to come home one day to one dead dog. At first they seemed so evenly matched - each with equal war wounds then Jessie seemed to be taking the brunt of Mickey's wrath with most of her injuries on her belly and throat indicating that she was submitting. It was heartbreaking. Having shared their lives with them for 10 of their 12 years the decision to euthanise was taken after discussions with Vets and behaviour trainers and even after traquillisation and hormone treatments. They were too old to rehome, and more than one person said despite the aggression towards one another, they would probably pine for each other - besides how do you decided which one to re-home? I know that they are safe now and will not hurt each other anymore. I was told by so many people that 2 females from the same litter was not a good idea and that once they start fighting they do not stop. I am afraid Micks and Jess proved them all right. I blame myself everyday - what did I do wrong, could I have prevented it? Then every now and then the tears come - so I scrapbook them to remember them when they were well behaved sisters! Thank you for reading this and for the inspiration. I do hope your story had a happy ending. :)

Posted by Leanne on 08.19.2009

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this evening. I am sorry, you are having such difficulties with your "little" ladies. I've had three females at one time, and they learned from the beginning, I was the alpha. They got along terrifically. Then we lost two of them within months of each other...old age, one was 17 and the other 15. Leaving only one left. She was the most passive dog, ever to walk the earth. Then we got a new pup. It'll be a year this Sunday, she was brought home. She is part everything including Lab and life hasn't been the same. The energy this dog has in beyond description. She would jump and bite the older dog, as if to say, come on lets play. Unfortunately, we lost our older dog this past April. Leaving my pup heartbroken. Till someone dumped a 4 week old kitten into our backyard. Now the tables are turned and the cat and dog play and rough house all day and all night. Only bad thing about that is...they rough house in the middle of my bed in the middle of the night. I've learned to take a squirt bottle to bed with me! LOL They are truly kindred spirits. I guess what goes around come around.
Good Luck with their training. They are so cute and adorable.
Sorry...didn't mean to ramble so much.

Posted by Heather on 08.15.2009

Gosh that is a terrible story! (But told in a very delightful way...) We have the sweetest lab mix who loves to play with other dogs -- but she is very dominant, and very aggressive if she feels like any other dog is trying to assert him/herself. It is quite a pain. Poor dog has misbehaved her way out of every dog park we know. She can only be friends with very submissive dogs. Too, too bad for her. I wish you luck with your fickle hounds.

Beginning work on the challenge... ohpleasework.blogspot.com

Posted by Rowena K. on 08.13.2009

I just stumbled upon your blog and love it! I just had to say since Goldens hold such a dear spot in my heart and I am very well aware on just how much mischief they can get into I have to say I hope things calm down for you soon and... Awwwww just look at those faces both so innocent looking :) (they're looking up at you with puppy dog eyes) ... dogs are just like children I tell you, they know just what buttons to push. :)

Posted by debbie standard on 08.09.2009

LMAO - right now I'm dealing with my daughter's two indoor cats and my two outdoor/indoor cats - only one of her's is a male in this gang of estrogen even his calm- I want to be your friend attitude is not accepted! Oh so ready for Brandy to take her indoor cats home again so peace can once again come to our little kitties!

Posted by Kathy on 08.07.2009

Too funny, and so distressing at the same time. If you give Lib away, I'll take her. My family had a golden who drove us nuts with his antics. I told my mom she should write a book. Then Marley came out!!! The antics of goldens...

Posted by Becky Fleck on 08.05.2009

Update on the kids: both of their hormone tests and all other blood work came back normal. Although they have had three fights in seven months, our vets (all three of them chimed in) were positive that this type of fighting, while very scarey to us, is far less dangerous than what they see as vets on typical days. One point made is that if they truly wanted to hurt one another, they would be going for the throat, not ears and lips, which are so readily available in a tussle. However, we did decide to take Libbers to a behavior/agressive dog trainer while we are in Canada next week. She's going to chill out with him, and Harper is going to our vet's house, who has three Goldens, for some socialization training. Wish us luck!

Posted by Julie on 08.04.2009

I just found this and wanted to put my 2 cents in. I have been told by many people over the years that if you get 2 females from the same littler this will happen and I have seen it happen with people who have gotten 2 females from the same litter.
I have 2 females now that are almost a year apart, different breeds and they love each other SO much. *L* They play and lick and watch over each other...and all of our cats, and they have never had any fights. They are 6 and 7 yrs old, one is a Golden/German Shep mix, the other is a Spaniel mix

Posted by Ames on 08.04.2009

Hey, are you saying my "nieces" aren't angels??? How dare you malign them!!!!

Give the little angels a kiss for me!

Posted by janet on 08.03.2009

cannot say that I have had to deal with that. van goh and hannibal lecter....LOL!!!!

Posted by Lori on 08.02.2009

ROFL - too funny. Serious situation, but funny story telling.

We've had three dogs, usually two at a time and all female. They are worse than males. When we had two, they were always females. Only one pair ever fought. There were nose piercings and ear piercings (as basset hounds it's hard not to grab an ear.) They did and didn't grow out of it (both were spayed). They older they got I think they just sort of looked at each other like "you're so not worth the effort, but I'd love to bite you right now."

Have you tried a behavioralist? Good luck.

Posted by Donna King on 08.02.2009

We have a family of Jack Russells. Mom is 10 yrs old, Dad is 9 yrs old and the "Pups" are 8 yrs old. For the most part everything is status quo. We've learned to separate the Mom from the others at feedings for she is an aggressiver eater. During the day when we are away at work we have provided each with a comfortable bed and fresh water. We do not provide any food/snacks or toys the time we are away and give them plently of fresh air and exercise when we get home so they can burn off their stored energy. We have a set routine and the dogs just follow us. Like the previous poster, we have established the humans as the alphas. I hope you find a solution that works for all.

Posted by Ginni Gass on 08.02.2009

Seems to be a common occurrence in the doggie realm. Just watched a Dog Whisperer show the other night about the same thing. His teachings helped us keep an abused totally wild shelter dog so maybe his teachings could help you? His name is Cesar Milan and he's on the National Geographic Channel... Hope you can get it figured out!

Posted by Patty on 08.01.2009

Beautiful dogs! I have heard that you cannot have 2 females in the same household, no matter they be mother/daughter, sisters, different breeds. Since it's not constant, it sounds fixable but you need a professional to advise you. I wish you luck, they're both such beauties.

Posted by Carla on 08.01.2009

We have 2 sibling Labs. They did start the behavior of "playing rough" after nuturing. The trainer suggested the only Alphas in our house was the Humans. We started feeding the agressive one last, walking last, etc. So he understood he was not ever going to be the alpha dog, it worked for us. They are 5 yrs old and no battles for King of the dogs since. Good luck!

Posted by Karen Z on 07.27.2009

I was told you could never get 2 siblings from the same litter cause they fight for the alpha status.

Posted by Jodi on 07.24.2009

We've got a similar problem going on at our house, although not between siblings. Our older border has started picking fights with our other two, one very old mut and one new 1 year old pup. It only happens when we leave...they never fight when we are home. They just like us to come home to a bloody mess and the question of "what the heck happened".

We have started separating them when we leave. It's kind of a pain in the backside, but whenever we leave the house, the border gets left either in the backyard, or fenced off in the kitchen. He hates it, but at least we know we won't come home and have to find an emergency vet close by.

Let me know what you find on the tests...I would be very interested.

Hugs to all in your household.

Posted by Julie Koerber on 07.23.2009

Do I need to come back and give Harper some love?? Oh I feel for you! Not fun seeing your little fur balls fight like that! Good luck with the testing!

Posted by Julia/Scrappiola on 07.23.2009

Find the phone # for Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer...seriously, he seems to have a way with dogs!!

Posted by Stayce DeWid on 07.23.2009

your dogs are as bad as my kids ;)

Posted by Cathy in Chicago on 07.23.2009

I'm not sitting her surprised. Not at all!!!

My female Abbey, who is 6 is very dog aggressive. She fights for blood. I hate it. She has given my poor Louie many scars. She attacked a small dog on a leash a month ago and caused me to have to pay for a vet bill for a dog that was not my own. UGH!

I think one of the biggest things that I did wrong was allow this behavior between my two Goldens. It has played a big part in her violent aggression to other dogs. I can no longer take her to dog parks or anything. The vet said she is too old to change and he would not consider doggie downers. (I did ask)