[Dailydrool] Dog fights - advice please

[Marilyn Bickell]

Sally,

I've had dogs all my life and I have never had fight issues with any of
them, until Rosey came to live with us.

Rosey was going after Bess, horribly! Bess always submitted to Rosey,
immediately, but that didn't stop Rosey. The more Bess submitted, the harder
Rosey went after her.
One fight would have sent Bess to emergency if the emergency vet had been
the least bit decent to me on the phone. So I nursed Bess at home. That
attack was bad, really *bad,* and it was the 3rd attack on Bess.
At first I thought Rosey was doing it because Bess wasn't well. Then Rosey
started going after other dogs, usually seniors and always the ill ones.
Every senior she ever went after, come to find out, was not healthy. BUT
that theory was shot down when Rosey started going after younger, healthy,
dogs. Also, Rosey cannot be cornered, even in play, or she will go after the
dog that has her cornered; Rosey needs her space.

What I did was simply separate Rosey from Bess. Rosey always wore a harness,
24/7, in case she went after Bess I could easily grab her and get her off. I
definitely didn't want my hands anywhere near her collar because that's just
too close to her mouth in case she made a quick turn. 
Rosey and Bess do not eat together or near each other, ever! And when I'm
preparing meals Rosey isn't allowed in the kitchen with Bess. She either
waits in the living room behind the baby gate, where she can see the
kitchen, or she waits in the laundry room where she eats. When they're in
the house, I separate them using baby gates. Or if they need to be in the
same room at the same time and I'm not around to watch Rosey, she goes in
her crate. Thankfully it's all worked out very well.

The thing is, since Miko left us in December, pack dynamics have changed
dramatically between the 3 dogs. Bess has taken Miko's place in the
hierarchy, although I don't think she's aware of it, because Bess has never
cared in which order she stands in the pack.
Now, Rosey seems almost afraid of Bess and goes out of her way to avoid
Bess. They're no longer strictly separated, but I still watch Rosey with
hawk eyes when they're in the same room. If Rosey so much as looks at Bess I
catch her attention, making her stop. This is huge progress for Rosey, being
as she used to leap off the couch, not even touching the floor, to go after
Bess. I'm able to walk them together now, side-by-side!
Shoulder-to-shoulder! and Rosey acts as if it's no big deal, totally
ignoring Bess. That is HUGE progress!

But unfortunately, because of the attacks, I can never trust Rosey,
completely. Even though she seems to be ok with Bess now, there's always
that possible trigger that might set Rosey off again.

Marilyn, Miko (Chasing lizards in Heaven), Bess, RoseyMae, and Beaver
Cleaver, 
Fort Bragg, CA
"You have gone ahead and nothing is the same, leaving paw prints on my heart
that will always remain."- Tibetan Proverb from Prayers on the Wind.