Ask Me Help Desk - Lab attacked a boston terrier

Hello, the other day my mom, my lab, and I were outside. Tosha (my lab) and I were playing tug-o-war when all of a sudden she jumped the fence and attacked a boston terrier (Tosha was 70 pounds and this little dog must of weighed maybe 10). The little dog ended up dying. So we had Tosha put to sleep for the safety of the other dogs (what if next time it was a child?), the other dog was sick (it had some disease), and when I was reading up on my other dog who had seizures it said a dog would attack and try to kill a wounded dog to "protect the pack". Could have this caused this tragic accident?

P.S.
After the accident Tosha wouldn't come to her name, it was like she was completely out of it.. like her brain had shut down completely...

I'm very sorry that Tosha and this other innocent dog had to die because of negligence. This was not an "accident." This COULD have been prevented. Dogs need proper training and be under your control at all times Emily! Are you trying to tell me that you didn't know that Tosha was aggressive? Yes you did! One rule is that you never play tug of war with an aggressive dog! All you were teaching her to do was hold on and not let go, and she followed your teachings to a tee with that poor innocent dog didn't she!

You never did get her spayed as suggested either did you? Have you gotten your rabbits fixed yet? You keep asking how you can stop these aggressive behaviours, and you've read time and time again, that getting them altered is the first step! But you didn't do that did you? Well, it's too late now. Also, as I recall from your previous posts, there was a point when you weren't sure if you even wanted to keep Tosha!

Now I see that you've gone right out and gotten yourself a replacement dog. Is he neutered? How do you plan on training him?

I'm very sorry that you felt the best solution was to put Tosha to sleep, through no fault of her own. This wasn't something wrong with Tosha's brain, this was due to a lack of knowledge and training. I sure hope this new dog fairs better, but something tells me he won't unless you really get serious about what it means to care for a precious fur babe!

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Originally Posted by Emily94

hello, the other day my mom, my lab, and I were outside. Tosha (my lab) and i were playing tug-o-war when all of a sudden she jumped the fence and attacked a boston terrier (Tosha was 70 pounds and this little dog must of weighed maybe 10). The little dog ended up dieing. So we had Tosha put to sleep for the safety of the other dogs (what if next time it was a child?), the other dog was sick (it had some disease), and when i was reading up on my other dog who had seizures it said a dog would attack and try to kill a wounded dog to "protect the pack". Could of this caused this tragic accident?

P.S.
After the accident Tosha wouldn't come to her name, it was like she was completly out of it.. like her brain had shut down completly....

That last comment of yours makes me wonder if the Lab was up on all his shots.. to include a rabies vaccine and also to think that Tosha had an underlying health issue. It is so important as a pet owner to schedule atleast 1 routine check-up and with that have the pet receive a full blood panel every year. Having full blood panels done every year is costly but very well worth it. That panel alone can avoid so many situations and allow time for treatment if there is such a problem with the pet. If Tosha had never had aggressive behavior before it leads me to think she had an underlying health problem. Animals that have "pack" instinct usually are very territorial from the very beginning. I have rescued many dogs from tribal Reservations and those animals were born in the wild and raised with that mind set, so, yes in that situation they are very "pack" protective. Just because one of the animals is sick should not create another of the animals to attack that animal if like it sounds in this case that your Tosha had always been a rather good dog, not showing any aggression in the past or has Tosha and we don't know.

With the way this dog has been treated in the past I cannot say this completely shocks me.

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My dad leaves her tied up in the back yard feeding her when he wants to( maybe 1 a week). She is starving, and never gets exercise or anything

Even if the dog was taken from this situation the mental scars and lack of training is still there. This as no fault of the dog whatsoever. If the dog had the proper treatment. Training and socialization then much more likely then not this would not have happened.

Being new to AMHD I have not had the opportunity to read past postings, I respond to the current postings not knowing the past of situations... Ohhhhhhh on this issue.. now knowing this...

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My dad leaves her tied up in the back yard feeding her when he wants to( maybe 1 a week). She is starving, and never gets exercise or anything .

Ok, sorry that infuriates me and I will bow out of this topic... don't want to make any enemies. Been raised... "If you can't say something nice than say nothing at all" and knowing how that poor dog was treated it's nooooo wonder why. No offence, but here is harsh... Let me tie him up for a week without food and see the aggression come out. That's total animal cruelty! Sad, Sad and more freakin Sad!

With past abuse of an animal brings a total psychological break down of reasonings.

Starbuck
I can't give you any points, but I agree and am saddened by the whole thing. It makes me sick.

Okay do you know what I didn't come here asking to get my head chewed off and yes she was spayed, and yes she did have her shots! I didn't want her when she was at my dads because she was getting neglected it would have been better for her to go somewhere else! But now at my moms she was doing great, and no she has NEVER been aggressive to another animal. And she has never jumped the fence for another dog! And no I didn't go get a "replacment dog". I loved Tosha! And it was my dad who did the neglecting so please don't tell me I DID WRONG!
And for starbuck, the new puppy is not neutered he is under six months. And my rabbit has an appointment with a vet! Also THE COPS said Tosha was to be put to sleep, it was no choice of my own!

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Originally Posted by Emily94

okay do you know what i didnt come here asking to get my head chewed off and yes she was spayed, and yes she did have her shots! i didn't want her when she was at my dads because she was getting neglected it would of been better for her to go somewhere else! But now at my moms she was doing great, and no she has NEVER been agressive to another animal. and she has never jumped the fence for another dog! and no i didnt go get a "replacment dog". I loved Tosha! and it was my dad who did the neglecting so please don't tell me I DID WRONG!
and for starbuck, the new puppy is not neutered he is under six months. and my rabbit has an appointment with a vet! also THE COPS said Tosha was to be put to sleep, it was no choice of my own!

I will take your word for the vet appt. with your rabbit, although you've said this before. I am not trying to attack you Emily, but we had given you advice and answered your questions, and it didn't appear that you followed any of it. Any animal that is tied up like she was, and deprived of food, is at a very high risk to be a RED ZONE dog. This means they are unpredictable! You have to know your stuff, and catch that behaviour early on, or something will happen... like it did! The reason I got angry, is because not only did you not follow advice given, your post was just so "matter of fact." It really didn't sound like you were very upset about this atrocious thing that happened to TWO dogs. If this were my dog, and she had killed another and then had to put down, well to be quite honest, I would be too incredibly devastated to even type a question on here at all! I would be literally heartbroken, and barely able to get out of bed, much less type a question without tears all over my keyboard, and you would be able to see that in my words! I also certainly wouldn't be asking about how to handle a new puppy in another question, shortly afterwards.

I would suggest that you get yourself some very good books and dvd's, and learn the best way to go about training your new puppy, so you never have to worry about something like this happening again. I'm sure that you've likely read many times, that I would suggest getting some of Cesar Millan's dvd's, and there are also books and dvd's that are very helpful for pups by the "Puppy Whisperer". Of course those are only my personal choice, and what has always worked best for me. But, there are MANY other good choices out there. The key thing is to become the packleader, and the very most important thing is exercise. Exercise, combined with dicipline, and then affection... in that order. In order to have a well behaved dog, those steps must be followed, and then you will never ever have to worry about your new pup thinking of taking even a nip at another animal, child, or adult. It is all about your dog knowing that you are the leader of the pack, and if you truly accomplish that, everything else is a breeze!

I haven't said I made the appointment only that I would, I know have enough money to get her spayed.

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and my rabbit has an appointment with a vet

This does not count as having said you made an appointment with a vet? Do not lie or double back on your words when you say the opposite only a few posts back.

Very good answers Starbuck, I'll make up for the greenie it won't let me give you later :)

Unfortunately a lot of people come on here for advice but never actually follow through with it.
I have done this once :o but it was only a week ago the advice I was given (thanks nikosmom!) was to ask people about where I could find a dentists school to get dental work done cheaper but silly me keeps forgetting to ask people when I see them!

The thing that angers me is when people ask about things that could save their pets life (including this one) and don't follow through with it because it doesn't seem important at the time...