Trying to figure out triggers

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CrazyCatLady
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 12:57 am

Trying to figure out triggers

Post by CrazyCatLady »

I had a long post typed up and then I lost it so going to try to sum up but am fully aware that I am probably leaving out important details.

I have 2 dogs who are rescues and then got a quarantine puppy. Things seem good 99.999% of the time but that .0001% . . .

Maggie is a 7 1/2 year old dachshund/ black mouth cur mix who thinks she is an old lady. Marshmallow is probably 3 years old, Jack Russell/cowdog and she worships her older sister. Both are fixed and we have had them about 2 years (Maggie a couple months longer).

Last year we had a house fire and lost everything but we have been in this house for over a year. We learned that the dogs couldn't have a long lasting bone to chew on because whichever one Maggie had, Marshmallow wanted. Maggie would put up with swapping a couple of times each time but then would have enough and Marshmallow would back down. Except when she didn't and the fights got ugly and so they don't get those any more.

The past few months though there have been 2 bad fights and the only thing that we can see that might have been the trigger was my husband getting home at an odd time late in the evening (he works maintenence and was on call). And Maggie got too close to her at that time. Last night, Maggie was trembling next to me when he got home and about 20 minutes later Marshmallow started to play too aggressively with the puppy (who is bigger than her) so the puppy yelped. Marshmallow went outside by herself to calm down (we have a big fenced in back yard.)

Afterwards she always acts apologetic and remorseful towards Maggie or Violet. I think she just gets triggered and forgets that she doesn't need to fight to the death.

Violet is still intact (waiting on the rescue to schedule the surgery). Should we put Marshmallow outside when my husband comes home late to keep her from getting as agitated? Might this calm down when Violet is calmer and not as puppy-ish (she is about 6 months old)?
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