Something terrible happened right in front of my eyes last February and I’m looking for some answers about what went wrong, as I can't sleep and the images keep coming back to me. I had a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, a one-year-old female who was due to be spayed four days after it happened... and she’d been in season the month before. I’m currently pregnant (maybe that was a factor?). My dog Latika was very sweet with no behaviour issues; I could even take her food bowl away while she was eating, and she followed me everywhere. Anyway, on Friday 10th February, I picked her up from the kennels. I hadn't been home on the Thursday night and had left Horus, my five-year-old neutered Jack Russell, at home. Once we got home on the Friday, Latika was happy to see Horus and everything seemed fine. Then, suddenly, as I was about to take them out, she grabbed him by the neck and killed him right in front of me! I tried everything to separate them but I couldn't do a thing!!! Afterwards, she dragged him into the garden and came back to the door 15 minutes later as if nothing had happened!!!! We had her put to sleep. Being pregnant and having seen that, I just couldn't trust her anymore. Especially since she wouldn't let go, even after I threw a chair at her. How do you explain this behaviour?
Was she trying to take the alpha position? Latika was 35kg (about 5 and a half stone) and Horus was 5kg (around 11 lbs). We are absolutely devastated because our dogs meant so much to us.
Translated from French
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I see you haven't had a reply from a professional yet, but when you had the dog put down, what did the vet think of the situation?
You have to tell yourself it was an accident. I can honestly imagine what you're going through because I lost my cat in a violent way; I unfortunately ran him over by accident. The circumstances are different, but like you, I felt helpless seeing my cat bleeding and dying, just as you tried to save your dog in vain... And then having to bury him afterwards...
The images are horrific and they just keep replaying in your mind for a while. I lost my cat two years ago but I still find it hard to remember the good times; the sad ending seems to overshadow everything else and despite the years passing, while it does ease, it still comes back in waves. Tell yourself it was meant to be, it was just one of those things... You did what you could to save Horus and you believed you were making the best decision by having Latika put to sleep too, and that’s the main thing. I sincerely hope an expert can come and give you some insight into what on earth got into your dog. Stay strong, the images will slowly fade away bit by bit...
Hello, what a sad situation. Knowing CSVs (I have two of them), I think she didn't handle the separation well; she clearly didn't accept the move or the Jack Russell at your place. A Czechoslovakian Wolfdog is extremely close to its owners, and the 'pack' we create for them is their vital reference point.
Two dogs with strong personalities, but the Jack Russell was never going to be a match for her in that scenario.
It's such a shame she was put down; she didn't kill without reason. She could have been rehomed and would have been no trouble at all if the right owner had been found.
Take care of yourself, and stay strong.
Were you stepping in when the two of them were playing?
If so, you probably stopped them from finishing quite a few interactions, maybe even a row before one of them left by separating them yourself. Then when they got back together—a happy reunion—did something trigger the tragedy?..
I’ve got two Malamutes, Malao, who's 2, and Myla, who's 7 months. Malao is 28kg (about 4st 6lb) and the little one is 14.5kg (around 2st 4lb). When she first arrived home, she only weighed a few kilos. At the start, I used to step in because I was scared for the little one when they played, but my trainer told me to just let them get on with it, and if I was worried, to leave the room. It just goes to show that weight isn't everything; the little ones definitely know how to stand their ground.
In any case, I’m so sorry for your loss and I wish you a healthy pregnancy. Don't beat yourself up too much by overthinking things!
Thanks for your replies. Latika had been to a boarding kennel before and she loved going there because they also breed Beaucerons, so she could play with dogs her own size. The lady there told me when I picked her up that she'd been doing that all day. They used to put her with a male the same age as her. Horus didn't really like playing; she was always trying to get him to join in, but because of the difference in their size and build, I’d stop it straight away. Horus was the alpha despite being small. It was probably a hierarchy issue; I think Latika simply wanted to take the alpha spot... But you’re right, in the panic you just get overwhelmed and it happened so quickly. We're so sad, it’s just horrible.
Your story is so sad and moving. I can only imagine the nightmare, the images you're left with, and the loss of two dogs at once...
Since your dog had just come back from the kennels, could something have happened there? A scrap with other dogs or something similar? Had you taken her there before? You didn't mention what their relationship was like before—had there been fights in the past? Honestly, I don't know why your dog did that either. It seems to me that a dog rarely reacts like that without a reason. There are experts and behaviourists who are often on this forum who will probably be better placed to give you an answer. Stay strong, it’s such a heartbreaking story.
The only thing I know from seeing plenty of very violent fights in rescue centres is that to separate dogs, people use a hose, throw blankets or stones, or use a whistle... But then again, you have to actually think of that in the middle of the panic and have those things to hand to save the dog...
