Cute, huh?
Abby (left) & Pepper (right) had a blast the day I took this photo. But it isn't always fun and games with these two. They fight like cats and dogs, you know what I mean.
Abby is the dominate female. The other dogs know this, and don't dispute it. Abby is also very, very moody. And jealous, man is she jealous.
Pepper, on the other hand, is the sweetest dog ever. She never picks a fight, and even tries to stay away from Abby. After a fight, Pepper is the first to go to Abby and lick all of her wounds. Eventually, Abby will lick on Pepper too.
The fights first started when we would let the dogs out, and Pepper would bump Abby or just look at her the wrong way. Seriously! We started letting Abby out first, and holding Pepper back so she wouldn't bump her or anything. The last time this happened we let them out at like two in the morning to go to the bathroom, and the fight was on. That certainly woke us up! McD ran outside sporting nothing but undies to break them up. It was quite a sight!
The fighting stopped for a little while, but then started up again when we would drive in the driveway. They run like crazy dogs when we drive in, and Pepper won't even have to bump Abby. Abby flat out starts a fight with her, and Pepper won't back down. I don't blame her. In order to stop the fighting, we started leaving one of them in the house while we were gone. It worked! I thought we had everything settled.
But, then...
This morning, as I was sitting here writing about something completely different, I let the dogs out to use the bathroom. They were fine. I watched them for a few minutes. Abby had gone one way, and Pepper the other. I came back to the computer, sat down and got busy. After about thirty minutes I decided to check on them. I looked out all of the windows and didn't see them. I assumed they would be sunning and I didn't want to disturb them by opening the door. I walked to the kitchen to look out the back door, and there they were. They were bloody and wanting in the house. They both limped in, and went to their favorite places.
This is going to be a much longer post than I had expected. Sorry.
After looking both of them over, I called McD. I told him what had happened, that I didn't know what started it, and that I was going to have to take Pepper to the vet. I asked him what we should do about them. He answered, "I don't know."
I called the vet, and they can't get Pepper in until five o'clock this evening. She is in a lot of pain, and that is saying something because this little one has a pretty high pain tolerance.
I went to check Abby over again, and have found that she has some pretty good cuts on her as well.
The decision I have to make is this - what to do. Do I put Abby down? She is the one that is causing all of the problems. Obviously, nothing else is working.
Any thoughts?
edited to say - I don't want everyone to think Abby is a horrible dog, she isn't. She can be loving.
