Hi everyone

In the beginning all my dogs liked to bolt out, when they had the opportunity.
Meanwhile the Lab-Mix, the MIx-Mix-Mix-... and one of the Pits don't leave the yard any more even if the doors are open.

Yesterday we had workers here and we had to leave the door open, as they had to transport cement to and fro.

We fixed the Pits and left the other two free. The one Pit who doesn't bolt out we tethered too, because the workers are awfally afraid of that breed. The Lab-Mix made some few steps outside, but came after a short moment back.

When the workers had left and the doors were closed again we let all the dogs free. Suddenly the more active Pit attacked the Lab. Then the second Pit came running and supported her. My husband tried to separate them by pulling them on the collars. He knows he shouldn't do this under no circumstances, but it was na immediate reaction of great concern for the Lab.

Fortunately we had a waterhose nearby which was open and so I could throw a lot of water from far into the Pits faces and they let go and we managed to separate them and put them in their kennels.

I don't understand at all why the first Pit attacked. It was out of the blue. She never had done this before. The only thing which was different to the normal situations was the appearance of the workers, but at the moment of the attack they were already gone. There was also the fact that the Lab has had for a moment the opportunity to go outside the Yard, Though since then already some time had passed. Envy?

This can be a complete misinterpretation from my part, but I can't see anything else which was different compared with every other day and this since years.

I wouldn't want to experience something like this again. But how prevent it? Where is/are my or our errors? Will we have to separate them for ever?

 Quote: Christina Stockinger

Hi everyone

In the beginning all my dogs liked to bolt out, when they had the opportunity.
Meanwhile the Lab-Mix, the MIx-Mix-Mix-... and one of the Pits don't leave the yard any more even if the doors are open.

Yesterday we had workers here and we had to leave the door open, as they had to transport cement to and fro.

We fixed the Pits and left the other two free. The one Pit who doesn't bolt out we tethered too, because the workers are awfally afraid of that breed. The Lab-Mix made some few steps outside, but came after a short moment back.

When the workers had left and the doors were closed again we let all the dogs free. Suddenly the more active Pit attacked the Lab. Then the second Pit came running and supported her. My husband tried to separate them by pulling them on the collars. He knows he shouldn't do this under no circumstances, but it was na immediate reaction of great concern for the Lab.

Fortunately we had a waterhose nearby which was open and so I could throw a lot of water from far into the Pits faces and they let go and we managed to separate them and put them in their kennels.

I don't understand at all why the first Pit attacked. It was out of the blue. She never had done this before. The only thing which was different to the normal situations was the appearance of the workers, but at the moment of the attack they were already gone. There was also the fact that the Lab has had for a moment the opportunity to go outside the Yard, Though since then already some time had passed. Envy?

This can be a complete misinterpretation from my part, but I can't see anything else which was different compared with every other day and this since years.

I wouldn't want to experience something like this again. But how prevent it? Where is/are my or our errors? Will we have to separate them for ever?

"Displaced"/"Re-Directed" Aggression, IMHO - Similar to a man who is FRUSTRATED at Work all day, but CANNOT lash-out on the Job ... SO, he Vents his Frustration upon an "underling" at HOME who Cannot Fight back effectively

Rushing right now, will write more later, Christina.

Pretty much agree with Candi.

It was an unusual situation and some of the dogs got locked.

That in itself can build frustration and the two tethered dogs no doubt built up a lot of frustration.

They were probably still wound up when let loose and their frustrations were taken out on the Lab.

Back when one of my Border terriers and my JRT got would up when kids teased them at the fence the JRT would redirect on the Border, who pretty much ignore the JRT because he would be busy redirecting on the telephone pole in the back yard.

Neither ever got hurt but it was strange to watch.

In your instance it may have helped if you waited a bit for the Pit to calm down before releasing it.

The Pits seemed very calm on the chain. we already often had workers here, then they are tethered and they didn't bark but normally slept. But of course I can not know what was going on in their heads. Maybe inwardly they were upset without showing it, because they know it wouldn't help anyway. I think next time I'll put them in their kennels. There they cannot observe everything.

A re-directing - though until now without biting - happens regularly when Slippie, the other Pit, hears something outside, e.g. neighbour's dogs barking near to our backdoor. Then she barks and has a stiff, upright tail and the whole body seems stiff and very tense. Then she attacks the dog which is nearest to her or runs very excited to the spot, where the neighbour dogs are.

Until now it was always her who attacked, not Socks like this time. I'm a bit in a hurry now, but asap I'll write a continuation about Slippies attacks.

 Quote: Christina Stockinger

I can not know what was going on in their heads...I think next time I'll put them in their kennels. There they cannot observe everything.

A re-directing - though until now without biting - happens regularly when Slippie, the other Pit, hears something outside, e.g. neighbour's dogs barking near to our backdoor. Then she barks and has a stiff, upright tail and the whole body seems stiff and very tense. Then she attacks the dog which is nearest to her or runs very excited to the spot, where the neighbour dogs are.

Christina, no need to post another long story about this, IMHO

Dogs do NOT need to actually SEE what they consider an Intrusion -- If one or more of them is going to attack another one via Displaced/Re-Directed aggro, then it can still happen even if they just HEAR or SMELL the Intruder ... This does not mean they now "hate" the "victim", however, that VICTIM may Forever be Wary of its ATTACKERS

Thanks Candy, I understand what you mean. What worries me is that Socks had during all those years (4 1/2) never done this and the intruders had already since a good while disappeared.

I will have to add another story but will open a new topic, so the problem with Socks will not be compared or mixed up with the one of Slippie. With her it is another thing.