Our 7 year old beagle is attacking our 14 year old cocker. It’s gotten so bad we are afraid the beagle will kill our other dog, what can we do?

Ed,

We have a 7 year old Beagle and a 14 year old Cocker Spaniel at home. We've had both since they were puppies, but we got the cocker first. They have gotten along up until about this past year.

Lately, the Beagle has been attacking the Cocker Spaniel. She's a hunting dog, so she's fast and gets a good grip on the other dog. Out of the blue, she'll lunge at the other one and attack her, without ever letting go. When we try to drag her off, she takes the other one with her.

It doesn't make sense because most of the time they are friends, but sometimes the Beagle gets jealous for no reason and seems like she's trying to kill her.

It's gotten so bad, we are afraid she might kill the Cocker, especially with her old age.

We don't know what to do about it. I've been reading your website, and it has great tips ... It's just that the Beagle has been aggressive and attacking the other one for so long, we're worried it is too late. We are unsure if any training classes would help her at home (she doesn't seem to learn her lesson easily...). We also wouldn't want our life to revolve around keeping her on a leash the whole time. We are already constantly on the edge of our seat for the next attack. This isn't how we want to live our life, but we really just want the fighting to stop.

We have to get in and pull her off, unless she'll never let go. We need your advice before either one of us gets bitten, or our Cocker Spaniel gets badly hurt or killed. We definitely don't want it to come to where we have to get rid of the beagle, or be forced to put her down.

Please help us!

It would be so greatly appreciated if you would email me back. Also, if you would post a response on the website, please let me know.

Thank you,
A.