# Kira attacked a puppy today.. Two of them.



## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

I was afraid i would see this day, and up to this point, did everything I can to socialize her.
Today we did the usual Petco socialize thing. I normally go there, spend an hour, and let Kira get socialized.

I was outside having a conversation, and Kira was in a down position at my side. A 4 month Border pup was passing about 6 feet away, and Kira just stayed there as if she wasn't there.
Then like a bolt of lightening, Kira shot up and attacked the dog. She was not nice, and quite scary. I immediately corrected, and avoided a problem. However, if she had morelead, and if I didn't react, I would have had a problem.

THEN about a half hour later, I was outside, and my trainer -friend was showing us some heeling tips. She had Kira on lead, and was doing some figure eights, and polishing up some close lead walking.
A medium size dog passed, and the trainer put her in a sit stay, and distracted her attention away from the dog. Kira knew where the dog was, and as soon as the dog was within distance, Kira again, lunged, and went to attack the dog. She was growling, and very intimidating. 
The trainer did a quick correction, and asked the passerby to recreate that scene a few times, to correct her.

This behavior is not normal for Kira. I don't get this behavior when she's with me on lead, but only when my wife is holding her, and this case, the trainer.

I know how to correct, and will work with her. But why is this happening?

Could this be a by product of Kira's attack as a puppy?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I imagine it is a combination of that, her nerve base being a bit thin, and her pending heat all coming together in alignment. I would not peg the attack on its own.

It is good you were right on top of it since you have been the unwilling recipient of those attacks on her..


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I would keep a close eye on her for the next couple of weeks. It's takes a while to get the hormones out of their system once they get into a fights. I know once we have a fight between Jax and Sierra that we will have more issues for at least a couple of weeks.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

I have no advice, but my heart breaks for you & for Kira


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Anthony , this is her temperament -- which I have been saying you will have to be on top of and why I said what I did when you asked about breeding her. Just a few days again you said you were satisfied , Kira was finished , where you wanted her to be . 
Never . 
I can say this because I did have a dog very similar to her .
American show lines -- her brother a futurity winner , mine with a screw loose . With training I even got a CDX on him, with high scores, but never fooled myself that it was anything but training and work. 
He was super with people . Could not ask for a better house-dog for my young child. 
Eventually the unpredictability and the lightning fast switches in his mind to be dog aggressive were just too much . Last raw nerve. Jumping 6 foot fences . 
I re-homed him to a hard scaping (sand , gravel , rock ) business that had the cash box stolen . He went to work every single day with that person -- and NEVER saw another dog in his life. That was a condition I imposed . 
I saw him a few times . Happy as a clam . Lived and passed peacefully after many years.

The dog is not going to change. You have to be on guard , never knowing when she might have an issue.

Carmen
CARMSPACK.com


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Kira's about at that teenager stage. She's not a puppy, but not yet a mature adult dog either. Her true personality is just starting to come out and that's what you're probably seeing here.

To me, it sounds like a nerve/fear issue. I'd say socialization may be part of the issue if her history was unknown, but I know you've done a ton of it since you've had her. Socialization is probably not the issue. 

I don't think this has anything to do with bad experience at the dog park or anything like that. I think she just may not have the strongest nerves and it's causing her to react the way she did today. It happens and it's probably going to be a life thing you're going to have to pay attention to. It can be controlled with training, but it's probably not going to just go away.

You're going to have to just learn to work with her on it. Redirect her with high value treats instead of waiting for her to react and then correct. This way she doesn't have the opportunity to react. You want her attention to be on you and not on prey or a puppy or another dog. Just keep working on her confidence and her focus, but always be on guard for a reaction.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Carmen,
You have been so right about her from the beginning. Ive been doing my best to follow your advice, and I clearly understood why you had concerns if I were to breed her.

She's perfect in every way. 
I didn't expect her actions today, but kinda expected that it would happen sooner or later. She's been timid from day one, and everyone kept warning me about her becoming dog reactive ( if that's what it's called).
I'll work closely with her, and keep a close eye on her. 

She was with her golden friend yesterday, without issue. It was the two strange dogs that caught her attention.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Wow. Ruger jumped up last night and tackled a puppy, too...then licked it to death. 
I'm so sorry for your girl, Anthony. I know you've worked hard with her.

BTW this is why we all were nudging you_ away_ from adding another dog and especially another bitch.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> She was with her golden friend yesterday, without issue. It was the two strange dogs that caught her attention.


This is the same thing we have with Sasha. I would definitely describe her as dog reactive if not dog aggressive BUT she has a few buddies that she has never had a single issue with. It baffles us but she has built a relationship with them and they trust each other. But around strange dogs she is under our direct supervision (and always on leash) and we almost have to be one step ahead of her as far as keeping an eye out for dogs around us. Sometimes she doesn't react, sometimes she acts like she wants to kill them. Regardless, we're working on it but if you can nip it in the bud now before it escalates, I would strongly suggest putting in the effort!! (Not implying that you wouldn't, just that it's a lot harder to undo after the habit is formed.) Twyla pointed us in the direction of BAT and it's been wonderful!!


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Lucy Dog said:


> Kira's about at that teenager stage. She's not a puppy, but not yet a mature adult dog either. Her true personality is just starting to come out and that's what you're probably seeing here.
> 
> *To me, it sounds like a nerve/fear issue.* I'd say socialization may be part of the issue if her history was unknown, but I know you've done a ton of it since you've had her. Socialization is probably not the issue.
> 
> ...


We all knew she had a fear issue, so I have to agree.
However, why would fear be an issue, if the other dog was a 4 month tail wagging pup, and a medium size dog in passing. Neither dog posed a threat.



msvette2u said:


> Wow. Ruger jumped up last night and tackled a puppy, too...then licked it to death.
> I'm so sorry for your girl, Anthony. I know you've worked hard with her.
> 
> *BTW this is why we all were nudging you away from adding another dog and especially another bitch*.


Oh how right you were.
These dogs are so unpredictable, and subject to change from one day to another.
If another dog is in our future, it would HAVE to be when Kira is fully matured, and I know exactly what I'm dealing with.
For now, I'll continue to work only with Kira.
I don't want another dog.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Kira is a beautiful girl, and you and she has accomplished a lot. This is another skillset for the 2 of you to train for.

This probably doesn't need to be said, you already know it, but will anyway  While out with Kira, focus on yourself as well. You _may_ find yourself starting to tense up or holding the leash tighter. Natural response and reaction but be conscience of it and avoid doing it. It will affect Kira.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

Anthony8858 said:


> However, why would fear be an issue, if the other dog was a 4 month tail wagging pup, and a medium size dog in passing. Neither dog posed a threat.


This is a very common occurrence with a fear driven dog. Get it before it can get me, plus make sure it's small enough or unprepared enough that I can get the upper hand. Especially a tail wagging puppy, it is approaching without fear and oblivious to the "danger" it is confronting. Very scary for a fearful dog.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

bocron said:


> This is a very common occurrence with a fear driven dog. Get it before it can get me, plus make sure it's small enough or unprepared enough that I can get the upper hand. Especially a tail wagging puppy, it is approaching without fear and oblivious to the "danger" it is confronting. Very scary for a fearful dog.


Wow.
I did NOT realize this. I need to be one step ahead of her.

I have 100% confidence in my ability to work with her, and make sure she doesn't hurt another dog.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

bocron said:


> This is a very common occurrence with a fear driven dog. Get it before it can get me, plus make sure it's small enough or unprepared enough that I can get the upper hand.


Exactly. The beginnings of a dog becoming a bully--taking advantage of a situation where she thinks it will be an easy "win". I would bet you anything that she is getting ready to come into heat, and the hormones are making her even more reactive and "bitchy". Glad you were right there to correct the issue without hesitation.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Anthony , I think it is time that you contact the breeder and have a little chat about how Kira was and how Kira is . I give you full credit for being so involved , asking for answers and support , to help Kira be a well adjusted dog . When you look at the reality of her life , there is not much stress ! It's not as if she were out there being challenged or pushed to perform . You just want her to be a normal dog , and she has difficulty coping with that.
The breeder ought to know the temperament that they are producing.
My opinion , you are an excellent owner . 

Carmen


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

Another thing to watch for is the going away nip. The dog will wait until the scary dog gets past her and then will take a nip at the butt or tail as the dog is leaving. This is most common when the scary dog is a similar size or even a bigger dog.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

carmspack said:


> Anthony , I think it is time that you contact the breeder and have a little chat about how Kira was and how Kira is . I give you full credit for being so involved , asking for answers and support , to help Kira be a well adjusted dog . When you look at the reality of her life , there is not much stress ! It's not as if she were out there being challenged or pushed to perform . You just want her to be a normal dog , and she has difficulty coping with that.
> The breeder ought to know the temperament that they are producing.
> *My opinion , you are an excellent owner .*
> 
> Carmen


I called him a few months ago, when you and some others started to talk about her lack of nerve. His response was that I should bring her to him. He's a three hour drive, and I was reluctant to make it. ( I hate to drive). I'll take blame for not going.
However, I couldn't get a conversation out of him on the phone. he didn't seem too interested in discussing this.
Kira was co-owned with another breeder. Her dam was co-owned by these same two breeders too. so I contacted her. She was more receptive, and basically told me to be certain that I only put her in positive situations, and that she would eventually develop her confidence. Not much other than that.

I did manage to make contact with 4 other owners of Kira's siblings. None of them have a nerve issues. One just earned her first junior seiger title, two are house dogs, and one male just started shutzhund training. Based on conversations with them, they all disputed any fear issues with their dogs. If anything, they all said just the opposite. Their dogs were on the dominant side, and high drive. Kira is also low drive. She likes to train and play, but loses her drive rather quickly. Even her trainer jokes about her rather to be laying on the couch with a bone, than going for a walk.

Her siblings are also at least 10 pounds larger. Every one of them.

There were times I wondered about her pedigree.

Carmen, and thank you were the wonderful compliment. It does mean a lot to hear this. This little girl is our world.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

bocron said:


> Another thing to watch for is the going away nip. The dog will wait until the scary dog gets past her and then will take a nip at the butt or tail as the dog is leaving. This is most common when the scary dog is a similar size or even a bigger dog.


I haven't seen this one. If she's in the presence of a "scary dog", I see an immediate change in her behavior. It's usually, head low, ears further back, and she basically is looking for a way to put distance. She avoids the scary dogs. 

As we were leaving yesterday, there were two very large labs passing. Her reaction was very different than with the smaller dogs.
She was pausing as she walked, and made sure she kept a glance at their location. I can see that she was uncomfortable.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

My Toby was very much like your Kira. I spent years** trying to "fix" him. When I accepted who we was and managed him, life got better. He was a fine pet and family member and we could even add other dogs to the home down the road. I think in your very responsible and caring hands, she can have a wonderful life and you will become an even better dog handler, capable of reading all sorts of dogs and even controlling (to some extent) strange dogs at a distance with your own body language.

What worked for us was structured obedience and learning to focus on ME when we saw another dog and, yes, correction for breaking a command. I always had to be two steps ahead of him (mentally, not physically). We minimized the stresses on his life as there was no joy in him meeting and greeting other strange dogs but could walk him in the neighborhood, but did not take him to Petsmart or places were nimrods with flexi leads and uncontrolled dogs could get in his face, or festivals with huge crowds (and lots of dogs).

Concerning a future dog............

My advice there, when that time comes (in a few years!) is to find a very confident and stable adult male who knows dog language and calming signals, and to not let her be the role model for a puppy (even though she would probably welcome it and NOT hurt it if introduced properly)

**Seminars, planned interactions, classes, etc.

----------------------------------------------

Concerning the littermates. There is a lot of "in-denial" out there. I have had people make excuses for dogs with less than strong nerve plenty of times. Dogs that have to be "conditioned" to gunfire, Dogs for whom excuses are made (well the other dog surprised her) etc. People see what they want to see, particularly when they have performance related goals for their dogs. Those siblings may or may not have issues. Next time it would be good to get out and see the difference. It is unbelievable.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Anthony I agree with Carmen, YOU are a good owner

Keep doing what your doing, and stay in contact with the lady co breeder, you will most likely get 'nothing' out of the gentleman breeder as we've discussed before, and I would NOT take her to him, you'll be better off on your own. I would be leary of her being messed up more if you take her to him.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

jocoyn said:


> My Toby was very much like your Kira. I spent years** trying to "fix" him. When I accepted who we was and managed him, life got better. He was a fine pet and family member and we could even add other dogs to the home down the road. I think in your very responsible and caring hands, she can have a wonderful life and you will become an even better dog handler, capable of reading all sorts of dogs and even controlling (to some extent) strange dogs at a distance with your own body language.
> 
> What worked for us was structured obedience and learning to focus on ME when we saw another dog and, yes, correction for breaking a command. I always had to be two steps ahead of him (mentally, not physically). We minimized the stresses on his life as there was no joy in him meeting and greeting other strange dogs but could walk him in the neighborhood, but did not take him to Petsmart or places were nimrods with flexi leads and uncontrolled dogs could get in his face, or festivals with huge crowds (and lots of dogs).
> 
> ...


It's a lot easier for us, since Kira is such a great dog with our family and people in general. Of course I realize that this could flip in a flash, but she has a great foundation, and an appetite for family.
There won't be any dogs in our future. At least for the next couple years. I'd like to see what the end result is with her.

As far as owners being in denial..... Well, I should have known better. After spending so much time watching owners and their dogs in the dog park, I should know that these people would NEVER admit that their dogs have "issues". 
I would much rather know of Kira's issues, and deal with them, than subject others.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Anthony8858 said:


> I would much rather know of Kira's issues, and deal with them, than subject others.


THAT is what makes you stand out. Here's to many happy years with Kira in your family.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

I don't normally pipe up for threads like these because I don't have the years of experience others have. But upon reading this, I just had to say something.

Anthony, you've mentioned before that you are still waiting on Kira's first heat right?

I would think there is a strong possibility that Kira's reaction to those dogs was more to do with her upcoming first heat. The reason I say this is because my girl is in the middle of her first heat right now (she's just turned 7 months) and the week before she showed her first drops of blood she was incredibly irritable, and acted like a completely different dog. She barked all the time. She was restless (she's normally really docile). The last straw was when I took her to the park for a play. Her "friends" that she normally gets on well with where there, along with a few others. She was grumpy with all of them. She didn't want to play, didn't want to interact (very unlike her.) At one point, I had to apologize to one dog owner because Juno got really snappy with her dog. 

I brought her home and was was really worried because that was so unlike Juno. I get compliment on her from others all the time because she plays nice with virtually everyone's dog. I've never had a issue with her up until that week. She was even a jerk to her good lurcher friend. 

That evening, I was giving her a bath and realized that her lady parts were swollen. The next morning, blood. The temperament change was amazing. It was literally like watching something emotionally wind right up, up and up...then suddenly break and release in her. And she calmed right down and has been incredibly mellow ever since. 

I'm definitely not a pro with all this, and I can't say that this is definitely what Kira is going through. But take heart that her sudden outburst could possibly have a something more to do with hormonal flux than just her nerves. Watch her close. She could be nearer to her heat that you think.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Rua said:


> I don't normally pipe up for threads like these because I don't have the years of experience others have. But upon reading this, I just had to say something.
> 
> Anthony, you've mentioned before that you are still waiting on Kira's first heat right?
> 
> ...


I also agrre w/ this post. Daisy prior to her first heat was at a puppy play/class. Her buddies ,all males were playing and she just was irritable. beyond what Id seen prior. Daisy has never been aggressive w/ males and her Golden buddy was being his usual goofy self and she snapped,snarled and was difficult to calm down. She had her first heat in the next two days. Our trainer also thought she had all the signs of a heat. BTW I am no expert I just saw daisy's personality change during her two heats.She for lack of a better phrase had PMS on steroids.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Anthony8858 said:


> As far as owners being in denial..... Well, I should have known better. After spending so much time watching owners and their dogs in the dog park, I should know that these people would NEVER admit that their dogs have "issues".


Yep. Stay in touch with those owners, and if you can, watch the littermates in training and/or competition. The true colors will show. Even if they are all perfect dogs, well-adjusted, strong-nerved, etc., it doesn't mean Kira is any less of a dog. In every litter there is a range of temperament, and there is nearly always a pup that is softer, less driven, and not as strong in temperament--I believe this is nature's way. Dogs are social animals. In the wild, if all the pups in a litter were dominant, driven, and full of themselves, they would fight constantly as they grew up and there would be so much infighting that it would destroy the structure of the pack. Stress levels would be off the charts and the pack would not be able to cooperate in hunting, raising young, etc. So I think that there is a purpose to the "omega" individuals. 

Of course, once man gets involved in breeding animals, and we want ALL pups to have the same strong temperament, we breed for that--and since the litter does not grow up to form a pack, the point of having an omega pup is moot. But nature is stubborn, and no matter how much we try to tweak things, nature will always try to revert back to what has worked in the evolution of the species.

So don't feel as though Kira is "defective" in some way--certainly, she is not a candidate for breeding, but should be a perfect pet, and the issues with reactivity can be mitigated. I suspect that it's all coming to a head right now due to her impending heat. Once she is over that, and once she is spayed, those hormonal mood swings won't be an issue. As she matures and gains confidence you may find that she settles down considerably.

My Luka went through a reactive phase when she was young--until she was about 18 months old or so, she tended to be fearful of strange dogs, and would snark if they approached her the wrong way. It wasn't all dogs, just certain ones, I could never quite figure out the pattern. We worked through it, socialized her lots, let her run with other confident, well-adjusted dogs, and as she matured she became very reliable. Of course, it helped that I could take her to the grooming shop with me and expose her to other dogs all day long in a controlled setting. Nowadays, at age 11 she is well-nigh bombproof around other dogs. So don't give up hope.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Rua said:


> I don't normally pipe up for threads like these because I don't have the years of experience others have. But upon reading this, I just had to say something.
> 
> Anthony, you've mentioned before that you are still waiting on Kira's first heat right?
> 
> ...





Daisy&Lucky's Mom said:


> I also agrre w/ this post. Daisy prior to her first heat was at a puppy play/class. Her buddies ,all males were playing and she just was irritable. beyond what Id seen prior. Daisy has never been aggressive w/ males and her Golden buddy was being his usual goofy self and she snapped,snarled and was difficult to calm down. She had her first heat in the next two days. Our trainer also thought she had all the signs of a heat. BTW I am no expert I just saw daisy's personality change during her two heats.*She for lack of a better phrase had PMS on steroids*.


*God help me* 
*A wife, four daughters, and a GSD with PMS on steroids... OH, lucky me.*




Freestep said:


> Yep. Stay in touch with those owners, and if you can, watch the littermates in training and/or competition. The true colors will show. Even if they are all perfect dogs, well-adjusted, strong-nerved, etc., it doesn't mean Kira is any less of a dog. In every litter there is a range of temperament, and there is nearly always a pup that is softer, less driven, and not as strong in temperament--I believe this is nature's way. Dogs are social animals. In the wild, if all the pups in a litter were dominant, driven, and full of themselves, they would fight constantly as they grew up and there would be so much infighting that it would destroy the structure of the pack. Stress levels would be off the charts and the pack would not be able to cooperate in hunting, raising young, etc. So I think that there is a purpose to the "omega" individuals.
> 
> Of course, once man gets involved in breeding animals, and we want ALL pups to have the same strong temperament, we breed for that--and since the litter does not grow up to form a pack, the point of having an omega pup is moot. But nature is stubborn, and no matter how much we try to tweak things, nature will always try to revert back to what has worked in the evolution of the species.
> 
> ...


I don't (in any way) feel that Kira is defective. We couldn't ask for a better "family member". That what we wanted, and that's what we got. 

I've addressed any issues (here at GS.com), and feel as if I've received some excellent advice, coming from experienced and educated individuals. 

Breeding is not in our best interest, so I'm not too concerned about her drive or desire to chase a frisbee. She'll be spayed after her cycle.
She's great with us, and that's really all that truly matters.

I'll continue to ask questions, and monitor her actions.

Just to mention:

I contacted Kira's female littermate, and sure enough, she's in heat right now.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Anthony8858 said:


> *God help me*
> *A wife, four daughters, and a GSD with PMS on steroids... OH, lucky me.*
> I contacted Kira's female littermate, and sure enough, she's in heat right now.


LOL - It's the opposite for me. I live in a house full of boys, so I was delighted when Juno came into heat because for once I was not outnumbered and had someone living with me that could relate to how I felt.  
My exact words to my husband when I realised Juno was in heat were: "Awww! Look! Our little girl has become a woman.".....while Husband and sons gagged in the corner and declared their disgust. They were not impressed.

A bitch in heat really can be a bitch! But there is hope! I might hold out for one more heat after this before getting her fixed just to get her closer to 18 months, and because I hear they mellow and mature a bit more with each season.

Keep us posted on Kira!


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

My girl, Uma, is 17 months old and currently going through her second heat. Her first time she was a bit squirrelly as expected, this second one she is a bit flirty but no real behavior differences otherwise. I have had females in the past though, who have become a different dog every time they were in season. 
Usually before that first heat they do become a bit different. I think they know they feel different and just don't know what to do with themselves.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I thought of heat right away but the other thing I notice is that you have repeatedly expressed your fear of Kira attacking other dogs or having dog-dog issues because of her attack as a puppy. I know others have mentioned it in this thread but I want to reiterate that if you let those fears rule your mind, they will also affect her mind. She needs to have confidence in you as a leader (who is capable of handling any situation) and you need to have confidence in her as a stable dog. 

Rafi was attacked a number of times shortly after I adopted him. I did some training to teach him what to do if we came upon an aggressive, off-leash dog (get behind me) and I taught him that I could handle the situation. He did gain confidence and now, even if another male displays aggressive behavior (a trigger for him) he will back off with a word from me. I don't worry about his behavior with other dogs and therefore he is ok. 

I have fostered and adopted truly fearful and fear aggressive dogs before and the number one thing you need to do is to have confidence in yourself to protect your dog and also build confidence in your dog (which you gain through training) to handle her/himself appropriately. 

I think you need to start with yourself first, though, and really look at what you're saying about her and expecting of her. I think it is possible that you were more traumatized by those attacks than Kira was.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Ah this thread reminds me of why I like my boy dogs!!
There's not really room for more bitches in my home 

I'll deal with a stuck prepuce now and again and the red lipstick thing, etc. for lack of "female" hormones!!


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

Since Stella was spayed a while ago I can't comment on bitches becoming irritable before their heat.....but I know for myself.....KEEP AWAY when I am pmsing!!!!!:wild:


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

They become highly irritable before their first heat and continue to be irritable during the heat. It's nothing that is out of this world and fairly common.


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## Beau (Feb 12, 2012)

I've been debating the gender request for our new puppy.....I think this thread has convinced me to get another boy.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Hopefully Kira is just going through some hormonal stages as others have said. Our dog went into heat at six months, we did not know - no signs - we took her in for a spay and of course the Vet discovered this.

If not the heat, then the up coming adolescent stage. We definitely noticed a change in Molly at about 10 months old. She was not nice with meet and greets with puppies and did not like a clumsy puppy running up to her. And as others have said, you sound like a good owner and have done nothing wrong. We socialized our dog so much, still there was aggression issues with certain people and dogs. We met two of her litter mates, one (a female) is very well adjusted and lives in a large city, the other (a male) lives with an active couple in their (I'm guessing) mid 70's and their dog seems so loving and gentle - so it's hard to know what went wrong with ours. The two trainers we've had said our dog has a very strong will, but is great with our family and our cats.

If it's not the immediate hormones, there is still hope! Now that our dog is 2 she seems to have calmed down. Plus we've been doing lots of positive treat training, constant praising, giving her treats when she walks by past dogs or people well. When we are at busy places with dogs, like at the beach, she is on leash - some meet and greets go fine, but if she looks like she might get growly, we tell her to go "down" - this is because we discovered she responded better to "down" than to "come". When meeting a new dog, we have her go down for a few moments, get her calm. maybe give her a treat and this has worked out well. She made three new friends in the neighborhood this month, they are 10 months, 18 months and 8 years. We've also started to take her to Petsmart during dog adoption days. The dogs, puppies and adults are usually within a small, portable fence. We have Molly lay down next to the fence for a while, giving her treats, getting her relaxed around the dogs. So far no aggression issues.

_*Jake's Mom *_made this reference for someone else a while back, we looked into this and found it very helpful: a book called Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas and her website Turid Rugaas - Calming Signals Community 

You might enjoy this quick read for any future issues that may arise.


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## mebully21 (Nov 18, 2011)

honestly if she has attacked a puppy and another dog i would stop letting her get close enough to strange dogs and have strange dogs stay away from her... just work on her behaving around other dogs but dont let any come close enough.. why push the issue? she is telling you she is NOT comfortable around other dogs and you keep ignoring it


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