Trouble with Bostons

by Liz
(Phoenixville, PA)

I have three Boston Terriers. Two females and one male. The male (Bobert) is a great guy who gets along well with the others and loves to play. Tessie (one of the females) is mild and loving and always gets along well with the others.

Then there is Lucy!!

She is the most stubborn and aggressive!! She obeys and loves me and my husband. She plays and is great friends with Bobert and most of the time with Tessie. However, there are times when Lucy will attack Tessie. She gets her by the throat and will not let go! She gets an ear and will not let go! I have to grab her and tell her no and separate her because if I put her back down she will go for the throat again. She draws blood and has hurt poor Tessie a few times. I must make clear she will not stop if I do not separate her. I believe she would go for Tessie until she dropped and then I think she would gnaw on the poor girl’s bones for another hour!!

There are now incidents that when Lucy does this, then the male gets worked up and he will join in. Lucy will have Tessie by the throat and Bobbert will have her ear or other side of throat!! I must mention that Bobert never fights with Tessie when it’s just the two of them and my husband believe he only joins in because he thinks they are playing at first.

Now the strange thing is after one of these fights, the two females will clean each other and go back to being great friends again...until next fight!!!

I am going crazy trying to understand what is up with these dogs. Nothing in n my home has changed. No one dog is sick or anything unusual. The only difference I can see is now that this has happened a few times Tessie is more timid and will shy away from the other two. If she thinks they are going to attack her she will stiffen up ready for it and growl.

The only thing I can see that would cause Lucy to attack Tessie is that Tessie has the habit of "stealing" the others chewy bones. We have provided many of these bones but Tessie always wants theirs. Otherwise Tessie is a good natured girl!

Just don’t know what to do with Lucy and am afraid I will have to find her a new home.

Please any advice would be helpful.