# Sudden aggresion...symptom of silent heat?



## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

I'll try to keep this short but it's a long story. Ziva will be 17 mo. on the 9th. She has yet to have a visible heat. Currently her nipples seem a tad swollen. Her vulva is normal and she has NO discharge. And to our Knowledge had not had a heat cycle to date.

We have been going to the dog park(please resist the DP argument as it is not the issue I want to discuss in this cases) daily for several months with no issue but for 1 dog (a female). Early last week she started getting "snarky" with several dogs. Not like her at all. Then last Wed. she came in contact with the owners and the one dog she hates for no apparent reason. She reacted to the owners first (has never done that before, EVER) and was corrected verbally for it and we were taking her out of the park when the dog itself approached her. They sniffed each other and the other dog began to pass by when Ziva tried to attack her. We immediately intervened and left. Usually, if we see this dog coming we leave before it gets anywhere near Ziva or we do not enter if we see this dog already present (management). We didn't see the dog come into the park this day. 

We thought it was just about this one dog as she has reacted aggressively to this dog before. Let me say here, that this is the only dog Ziva has ever acted aggressively toward and she has meet dozens of dogs an always plays nice. And, until this day she has never acted aggressive toward a human. 

The next night(Thursday) we ventured to the dog park and upon entrance 4 dogs rushed Ziva. She went nuts, aggressively. We immediately broke up the pack and removed her. No dogs were injured. It was just aggressive growling, baring of teeth and snapping.

We decided that the dog park was going to be off limits for a whole until we could figure out what was going on. And, that it may be a permanent thing. 

Ziva drove us crazy all weekend. Walks with OB training, playing tug and ball in the house and yard just didn't burn enough energy. 

Yesterday, hubby insisted we try the dog park one more time. I suggested that we go when it was likely no one else would be there. Well when we got there, there were 2 dogs there. One of which Ziva has played with before and knows well (intact young male, about a year old). Upon entering, Oscar greeted Ziva and she immediately tried to attack him. Hubby grabbed Ziva's collar and took her air away (she wears a choke for tags and a prong for walking/ training, we take the prong of in the off leash park as required). Needless to say we left immediately. 

Question is this: Is this who Ziva is going to be and can't be trusted to play/be off leash with other dogs.? Or, is this a manifestation of heat aggression? Does anyone else have female that gets aggressive during heat? If it's because of her heat cycle will the aggression pass? We are just trying to understand what is going on here. We are trying to understand the behavioral side of this issue. 

*(Please don't make this about dog parks. We have heard all those arguments and respect both sides of the issue.)


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## Springbrz (Aug 13, 2013)

Also, We are not sure for a fact she is in heat. If we knew that we would not be taking her to the dog park at all. She has a lot of allergy issues as well and frequently has swollen areas on her skin. 
The male dogs don't seem to be particularly interested in her either. None have tried to mount her or shown any sign she is in heat. 

Is this an early warning sigh she is about to enter a heat cycle?

Another reason we are confused by this sudden behavior change?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I suggest you take Ziva to the vet for a checkup to rule out if she is in heat and also any other health problems that could In be causing her behavior change.


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