She attacked another dog....

[WarrantsWifey]

I am just floored. I went on vacation to go visit my husband for a weekend in AL, and my girlfriend dog sat for me. She took Killian and Jazzi from Thursday to Sunday. However on Saturday I got a text from Jessica saying she was taking her dog to the vet, Jazzi (my 5 year old Black Lab) attacked her dog. The vet classified the attack as a "vicious mauling". They didn't SEE the attack, only my female clamped onto their female and they had to pull Jazzy off of their Blue Heeler, Saleen.

First off, they put the dogs unattended outside in the back yard for a few hours and left them alone. With two dominate females free range with the the other two boys, I just don't think that was a good idea. We got Killian as a puppy and Jazzi is now SUPER protective of him. They think that Saleen and Killian got rough and Jazzi got pissed and somehow it escalated from there. Nobody saw it, so this is their best guess.

We of course offered to pay the vet bills, and DID pay the vet bills. I'm just concerned about the fact that I'm not positive what really happened. Jazzi has never even bit another animal, never the less shown any aggression except her resource guarding but thats only growling. I'm floored that Jazz could do something like this.

Anybody have any hints or had an experience like this. My husband and I are just not sure how to prevent a situation like this happening again, when were not even sure what happened. Were certainly not letting Jazzi go over there to "play" with Saleen anymore. I just wish I knew how to handle this. I trust Jazz with my life. I'm just at a loss....

This is their Blue Heeler, Saleen.

[onyx'girl]

Wow, I feel sorry for the heeler! Poor Saleen.
Anytime dogs are left to their own devices it doesn't bode well.
Surprised your friend left them unattended. Especially if the dogs don't have a strong bond/ relationship and there are more than two in the mix.
Hope she heals well and with no complications.

[RazinKain]

Ouch! She got whooped big time! No marks on your lab? I have owned many, many blue heelers and (1) lab also, and from my experiences, I would bet money on it that the heeler initiated the fight and your lab did what she had to do to protect herself. Heelers are extremely territorial and unpredictable. I hope everything works out, but I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. Like I said, your lab was probably just protecting itself.

[WarrantsWifey]

They have been to play together maybe three times together. They are BOTH dominate females of the houses. Saleen is a BARKER, she gets a foot from another dogs face and barks INSANELY. She is quite abrasive. See this is an image I snapped about a month back...



I warned them to not leave them alone outside. I don't leave them unattended. EVER. I still feel really bad. I wish I had witnessed it. I keep checking in on the dog. She is healing fine so far. She gets her drains out tomorrow. She popped one stitch because she didn't want her drains flushed. She is quite a handful but I still feel horrible.... Wish it hadn't had happened.

[WarrantsWifey]

Oh yea, no marks on Jazzi at all, Killian had lots of slobber on him at the time, but no bite marks.....

[onyx'girl]

Had you been there, it wouldn't have happened because you'd know better than to leave them alone! Really, you shouldn't feel bad, dogs do such things unfortunately...

[WarrantsWifey]

Thanks, I swear, when I got there, I laid down the rules, scheduled feedings, walks, sleeping in kennels. EVERYTHING. My other friend keeps saying to me. We may see them as family but they are still "animals" they have instincts we can't domesticate out of them. BUt your right, if I were there, it wouldn't have happened. :''(

[Mrs.K]

Could have still happened. Zenzy bit Audie WHILE I was there. They were not unattended but it was going so fast that I couldn't do anything about it. All I could do is to separate them so things wouldn't get any worse.

However, to leave them unattended was just asking for it.

[Jax's Mom]

Wow... I have a lab and my brother has a lab... I don't entirely believe that was done by a lab. Most other dogs, yes, but not a lab. They have the most gentle bite (they were bred to retrieve game without mauling it) so I can't really see one tearing through a heeler. If it tried, I bet it would lose. Are they certain something else like a raccoon didn't get into the yard? That's a really unfortunate situation for everyone.

[onyx'girl]

I think Sigurd could tell you a lab will bite...