Hi Everyone,
I have a 9 month old female Brown Doberman named Mali and an 8 month old kitten Kito. I got them both around the same age/time and they've grown up together very well, apart from the odd chase around the house.
The trouble has started since I added my final fur child, a 10 (now 14) week old male Irish Setter names Jespah. I'm quite concerned about a particular behaviour Mali is showing towards him. When they run around together in the back yard, naturally the new puppy wants to play bite and the like, but Mali will turn around and bite him harshly on the neck. She often wont let go until he wriggles from her grip or yelps loudly. Sometimes she is extremely rough. I keep them separated so that the two of them are never outside together now, and have a separate playpen for him which he loathes.
The funny thing is, as soon as I let them both inside the house they are fine together. Mali will leave him alone, or just tolerate him but wont do her neck biting. They sleep peacefully together next to my bed at night and are fine. Its only when they both go outside together.
Just wondering if anyones experienced anything like this? I thought perhaps it was a dominance behaviour of hers that she'll grow out of when Jespah grows up a little and can fight back a bit more. Or is she trying to kill him??
Mali attends dog training once a week and I let her run in leash-free parks with other dogs. She has never exhibited this behaviour towards any other dog. The exception being when I had my first Irish Setter puppy back in December who sadly passed away at 12 weeks old due to a congenital heart defect. I thought she was just being a puppy then, but as soon as I got me new Setter the behaviour re-appeared.
Concerned and baffled...
Thanks for any advice.
Sheree
