We Screwed Up. Dog Fight

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Postby ArtGypsy » April 7th, 2009, 1:59 pm

First, I want to take full responsibility for this HUGE mistake. When I first posted about Dar and Macy having problems, I was told pretty clearly to NOT let them around each other........and that things could go 'way bad, way fast'.

And they did.

We've been pretty diligent about trying to learn/incorporate this new idea of 'crate/rotate' into our home. Trying to remind the teens to put one dog up when the other is out.......or to crate one when the other comes back from the yard.

but I dunno what was going on Sunday. Probably nothing more than rose colored carelessness. The dogs had been 'okay'..........a 'look' from one to the other never got any further, because we were right there to move one to a crate or outside.

It started with Dar giving what sounded (to me) like a "let's play Bark", and Macy IMMEDIATELY snarled and DAr lunged. Macy did that "weird terrified scream' and the fight was on! :o

Gerry and I tried to get them apart,,,,,and what stupidity that demonstrated------we were unprepared, mentally,physically and logistically, for just what happens when BOTH dogs want to fight.
Even if we got Dar off of Macy, she would immediately re-attack, even though it was obvious that she was the loser in the fight. ( I know, I know. (shameful sigh. )))..

Macy's collar slipped right off, DAr wouldn't let go............CHAOS, fear, adrenalin.........screaming, yelping, barking..........two old women, trying to get the dogs to 'quit'. yeah right. :oops:

After we got both of them shoved into crates, it was obvious that Macy had some bad injuries.......a 'flap' of skin was hanging on her neck...........and a gash on the other side of her neck as well.
Dar............just some minor tooth scrapes on the side of his face.

I called the emergency vet number and nobody answered!

I cut a LONG strip of clean sheet, slathered her with triple antibiotic, and wrapped the injuries in such a way to 'hold down' the flap, and hold the gash shut. there really wasn't much blood oozing , thank goodness.

whether it was the rright thing to do or not, I dunno, but we gave her a dose of antibiotic..cephalexin....put her in a crate and covered it with a comforter. called the vet the first thing Monday............got her in, dropped her off and am on my way this afternoon, to pick her up.

I'm so ashamed.............

careless and humbled at how little Prepared I am for a pit bull poochie and a quirky, neurotic mix of shar pei and whatever.

I know now that nothing can be the same. no more chances...........no more lazy mornings with both dogs 'out' and no more days in Kansas...........

Thank you for listening to my confession......................

:( :cry: :( :cry:
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby cheekymunkee » April 7th, 2009, 2:23 pm

It happens. Especially with 2 strong willed dogs. The shar pei was also a fighting dog at one time. Just chalk it up to a lesson learned. No one got too badly hurt, no one got bitten. (((hugs))) I have 2 dogs that hate the site of each other so crate & rotate has become routine here. They have been kept seperate from day 1. I wish they could be together, it would make life easier but mistakes were made & it will never be. It can happen with ANY breed. Don't beat yourselves up too badly over it, just learn from it. :wink:
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Postby ArtGypsy » April 7th, 2009, 2:31 pm

cheekymunkee wrote:It happens. Especially with 2 strong willed dogs. The shar pei was also a fighting dog at one time. Just chalk it up to a lesson learned. No one got too badly hurt, no one got bitten. (((hugs))) I have 2 dogs that hate the site of each other so crate & rotate has become routine here. They have been kept seperate from day 1. I wish they could be together, it would make life easier but mistakes were made & it will never be. It can happen with ANY breed. Don't beat yourselves up too badly over it, just learn from it. :wink:

:cry2: :sad3:

thanks Debby...........your kind words.............mean so much........
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby maberi » April 7th, 2009, 2:32 pm

cheekymunkee wrote:It happens. Especially with 2 strong willed dogs.


Exactly, we are all human and mistakes happen and we learn from them. Don't beat yourself up too badly, and be thankful no one was seriously hurt.

No matter how prepared you think you are for a full fledged dog fight, it never goes like you imagined it.

Hope everyone heals up quickly
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Postby katiek0417 » April 7th, 2009, 2:41 pm

Cheeky, that was a great post!

And, Jody, I share the same sentiments as Matt and Debby...it happens. Like Debby, I have 2 dogs here that from day 1 couldn't be anywhere near each other...it's a sucky situation, and takes a bit to fully get used to crate and rotate...

It can happen to anyone! You are doing the best you can...and don't ever forget that.
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Postby BigDogBuford » April 7th, 2009, 2:42 pm

maberi wrote:No matter how prepared you think you are for a full fledged dog fight, it never goes like you imagined it.


Ain't that the truth? The first real dog fight we had I latched onto the top of Buford in a misguided assumption that would make them stop fighting. Ultimately I ended up riding him around the room for a full minute or so (in my shorty bathrobe no less), the whole time screaming for Chris who was in the shower and couldn't hear me. :rolleyes2: Was it dumb? Hell yeah but I learned a lot! And amazingly enough, I didn't get bitten.
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Postby KJS » April 7th, 2009, 3:16 pm

I know now that nothing can be the same. no more chances


This sentance tells me that you have accepted this new situation and thats part of the process...think hard about all the ways around this and make a rigid ,martial law plan for the dogs and make everyone who comes into your house stick to it...no exceptions...none!....if I can do it so can you ( small hug from K who does NOT hug usually )
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Postby ArtGypsy » April 7th, 2009, 3:19 pm

KJS wrote:
I know now that nothing can be the same. no more chances


This sentance tells me that you have accepted this new situation and thats part of the process...think hard about all the ways around this and make a rigid ,martial law plan for the dogs and make everyone who comes into your house stick to it...no exceptions...none!....if I can do it so can you ( small hug from K who does NOT hug usually )


awwwwwwwwwwwww :dance: :dance: :oops: :oops: **little blush**

thank you.................
sometimes it takes a few bricks before the whole wall falls on top of me.
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby cheekymunkee » April 7th, 2009, 3:46 pm

K lies! She is always touching me inappropriately. :crazy2:
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Postby ArtGypsy » April 7th, 2009, 3:49 pm

cheekymunkee wrote:K lies! She is always touching me inappropriately. :crazy2:

:purpleBanana: :ROFL2: :ROFL2: :ROFL2: :purpleBanana:
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby iluvk9 » April 7th, 2009, 4:49 pm

Wow...sorry, Jody. When my Golden and Lab/Pit had a fight, I was screaming like a nut and throwing things at them to stop.
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Postby airwalk » April 7th, 2009, 6:16 pm

Jody, everyone here is right. A fight never ever goes like you've imagined it. The dogs are far stronger and more determined than we ever thought they would be. Commands....hell they left town with the fist snarl.

I'm glad you, Gerry nor the chillens were bitten and sounds as if both dogs will be okay. Yep lots of folks forget that Sharpei's are perfectly willing to stand ground.

It'll be an adjustment but you'll be okay.
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Postby call2arms » April 7th, 2009, 7:11 pm

Hey, it's happened, it's over and done. No point in beating yourself up about it, you feel the guilt but the dogs are over it (well, not over their issues but over that moment)... Don't relive it over again (I know I would)...

Just the attitude you have with it - knowing what to do now, what has gone wrong then - shows you're already on the right track unlike some (and I can't think of anyone here but I've read stories elsewhere) who are just clueless and won't listen to advice at all... It's time to crack the whip and get everyone to military pace, tell the kiddos that if they mess up, they pay the vet bill or something of that flavor to scare them a bit if they take the crate/rotate thing lightly...
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Postby madremissy » April 7th, 2009, 7:22 pm

I thought I was prepared before Gotty and Kinzyl got into their first scuffle. Wasn't that bad but still scary. All I could remember was to try to choke one off. I grabbed Kinzyl's collar and pulled. That along with a lot of yelling NO, NO, NO. My heart dropped. I was lucky and it was over before it started and nobody was hurt. Except my feelings. I thought they would be best friends forever.
Now I know what the causes are and do everything to avoid it. They still play outside together but the kitchen area is off limits.
Don't beat yourself up about it. :hug3:
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Postby KJS » April 8th, 2009, 3:49 am

cheekymunkee wrote:K lies! She is always touching me inappropriately. :crazy2:


Aww man!...you know I cant help it :sad2: ...your so damn HOT! :love:
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » April 15th, 2009, 7:12 am

Just wanted to check and see how things were going for you, Jody!
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby LMM » April 15th, 2009, 8:02 am

iluvk9 wrote:Wow...sorry, Jody. When my Golden and Lab/Pit had a fight, I was screaming like a nut and throwing things at them to stop.


Joyce, oh how you tickle me lol


Jody don't beat yourself up too bad, shyt happens. You do seem like you have accepted the situation for what it's worth. This can happen to the best of us. I mean, how do you think at least half of us ended up in a crate and rotate situation? There was a fight of some kind! Get a plan, implement it, and make sure everyone in the house sticks by it.

I'm lucky in that my two girls who snark out every once in a while are sufficiently split by me mowing them down like an angry bear. They both run for cover the instant yell "AY!" and I get up lol
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Postby rockermom » April 15th, 2009, 1:07 pm

Enlightening to someone who is thinking of adding a second dog. However my current dog is not strong willed at all. And the one coming in too young to tell but seems soft at this point.
Thank you for sharing your story. It helps me to understand the crate/rotate a bit more.
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Postby amazincc » April 16th, 2009, 7:36 am

Well... you're not the only one, Jody. :wink:

My previously sweet and shy puppy has found his imaginary balls and has gotten seriously snarky w/Daisy a few times. :rolleyes2:

Live and learn. :hug3:
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Postby TinaMartin » April 16th, 2009, 9:16 am

Jody asked me to give everyone a heads up that she is not ignoring everyone. She is having the same problem I was with logging in.

Tina the temporary Jody! :D
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