Dear All

I have got quite a problem with my puppy at the moment. I know I said the other day on another thread that my two girls had the odd spat with one another, which they do. But over the last few days it is getting worse..they fight for no reason at all, and tonight I had just bathed them, fed them and sat inbetween them so they didn't go for each other's food (and start a fight)., but as I was picking the bowls up they started. I picked up my older girl and my other half tried to pick up the puppy and she bit him on the arm and drew blood, he has quite a bite mark...I'm at my witts end, I don't know what to do. If the pup starts a fight she gets repremanded..a friend suggested throwing a glass of water over them, which has worked in the past, but of late by the time I get to them with the water (which is at hand all the time) they have stopped.

The girls usually get on brilliantly but I think the older one might be giving signs of coming into season...the puppy is 11 months old..obviosuly I would like to try and kirb this situation before it gets out of hand..

Thank you in advance for your comments

They are now playing as if nothing has happened..

Natasha

Hi guys

Just called my breeder for some advice, but if anyone has had a similar problem with their girls, I would be interested to hear how the problem was solved..

Natasha

Can't really offer advise what to do but I can relay my experiences with my too which you may be able to pick over and draw something from. My cocker bitch was always the bossy dog in the house and my terrier is very laid and just lets her have her way she is 5 years older and grew up with a much more laid back cocker before her who never squabled with her.. The cocker seems to be more possesive of me even above food but I do feed them as far apart as possible in my quite large kitchen. In fact the usual time for a little spat, started by the cocker of course would be when putting them out in the garden last thing at night before bed, the cocker would rush in take up position next to me and fly at the poor terrier as she came in. The squables were always far more noise and flashing teeth than anything else in fact no blood was ever drawn. We solved this one by always having my husband put them to bed wherever possible as she does not seem to rate him as highly It was definately worse as she was coming into season and since she was speyed last year I do not think we have had anything that wasn't very halfhearted. I have always gone to seperate them when ever it has happened but to be honest a lot of times it is already breaking up by the time I get there they would then retreat to opposite ends of the room. I always then placed the terrier in bed first and left the cocker to decide for herself whether to join her, by the time I came down in the morning they were always in together. I think it should be pretty obvious whether a scrap is just a squable or whether there is any real animosity developing and I have always felt by responding to a squable in a low key way it helps prevent any real resentment building up but that is only my theory.

That's really helpful Isabel, and exactly what is happening to me with my girls at the minute, the older one is the laid back one and the puppy is the pushy one. I am going to feed them separately from now on and try a few other things to stay on top of it, as you say it is mostly chat without much agression, I have never seen any blood being drawn, so I think it is mostly noise...and the fact that they are playing literally minutes after they have had their fight...

Thank you ever so for your input :D

Natasha