First of all I am so happy to have found this site, I've been reading all morning.  

I have a two year old female non-spayed Rat Terrier named Minerva.  She came to us at about 5 months old because the person who bought her coudn't handle her activity level.

We also have an 8 year old female non-spayed husky/shepherd mutt, Fable.  Fable and Minnie have been the best of friends for the past two years ... eating together, playing together, etc. 

Suddenly there have been 5 pretty nasty dog fights, the latest resulting in a bite to Minnie.  I am honestly not sure who's instigating the issues, but of course Minnie being the small one is getting the most hurt.

Minnie has always play bit Fable's back legs and jumps up in Fable's face during play ... Fable has tolerated this calmly (and motherly) for two years.  Is it possible she's fed up?

Fable has always play bit Minnie's back when they're running to chase the same toy ... it has never bothered Minnie in the past, maybe now she's fighting back?

We're just keeping everyone seperate right now, but it's scaring me and breaking my heart at the same time ... this all just stared within the past month or so, but it seems to be happening more often in the past three weeks.  The two times I've seen the issue start, I can honestly say I don't know WHO'S instigating it, one minute everyone's getting along and then BAM!

I'm wondering why this is all of a sudden an issue in our once loving 'pack'???  These two have always shared food, toys, laps, etc ...

We recently adopted a new puppy (large breed neutered male mutt), but the issues with Minnie and Fable started before the puppy's arrival, we just thought it was an isolated incident before we added a new baby!  Both Fable and Minerva like the puppy and the feeling is mutual, but again, everyone is seperated right now for safety reasons.

Thanks for listening and any help/advice would be most appreciated ... I'm just heartsick right now.

Lacey

Minerva, Fable and our latest addition Ozzy

Thanks for the warm welcome!  I am definitely going to set up some check ups for each girl with the vet and will inquire about spaying.  I'm not sure why, but we have always neutered our male dogs, but never spayed our female dogs. 

I think I've figured out a way to have a picture of Minerva up ... where do I go to post the 'other' family members?

Thanks,

Lacey

I have heard (from breeders, my females are spayed) that unspayed females are actually worse at fighting than males.  Unspayed females are also at higher risk of cancer and pyometria (a potentially fatal infection of the uterus) so please - consider spaying both girls asap.  JMO

Since this has started recently and your rattie is now 2 it sounds as if hormones could be involved.

I am convinced ... we are meeting with our Vet on Tuesday afternoon to set up visits for Minnie and Fable to both be spayed.  We're also having Fable checked out for any hip/leg/rear end issues that may be causing her to be sensitive ...

I really appreciate all the help and the friendliness of this board, I beleive Minnie and I will continue to read and get to know all of you better!

Lacey

(Do you really have that many Rat's?  Does your house resemble a box of Mexican Jumping Beans???)

Hi, and welcome to the site!!

It's good to hear you're getting your dogs fixed. Unspayed females can be pretty bad together, because of hormones, heat cycles, and the urge to dominate each other. Spaying your dogs also removes the risks of your dogs getting uterine, cervical, and ovarian tumors/cancer and nearly eliminates the chance of them getting pyometra. Above all that, it also prevents unwanted litters.

Keep us posted on how it goes!

By the way, Minerva is a beautiful dog and I LOVE her name!!

I just can't beleive how wonderful everyone on this site has been ... I guess it takes special people to love the Rats!!!  I'm home now and Minerva is so sad ... we have her in her crate (just put her in) so Fable can have some time in the house and Minnie is just crying (not from fear) because she wants to play with her friend ...

I will keep the seperation thing going for now, get them both spayed and perhaps even meet with an in house trainer (hope it's not ridiculously expensive).  But these are my 'kids' too ... I have to say my teenage boys are being AWSOME about this ... they're rotating the dogs and playing with everyone seperately so that nobody feels jipped. 

I'm going to go post some photo's now of the 'pack' and thank you for the nice words regarding adoption ... all of our dogs (past and present) came from shelters and rescues except Minnie who was a 'give-a-way' from the family who bought her and couldn't deal with her and our cat Mystery who was a kitten born in our yard from a feral cat that we cannot seem to catch, so we end up with litters constantly and slowly and sadly see them all dissappear ... but Mystery is our special indoor baby who is the loviest kitty!!!

Anyway, again, thanks for ALL your support and suggestions ... photo's will be up soon.

Lacey

The "Pack":  Minerva, Fable, Ozzy and Mystery (cat)

Thanks ...

Minerva was my favorite character in a chick lit book I read called Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie (it makes a great beach read if you're into that thing!)

Fable was the ONLY name on 2000dognames.com that my kids agreed on eight years ago ... I love it!

Ozzy was almost impossible NOT to name Ozzy ... our puppy has the EXACT same goth eyeliner as Ozzy Osbourne ... now if only Petco sold rawhide bats, tee hee

Speaking of dog names ... is it just us or does anyone else have a zillion nicknames for their rat ... Minerva answers to the following:

Minerva, Minnie, Minnie-Pinata, Minnie-Pin, Bitty, Biskitty, Bitty-Bitty Boo, Bumpa Skitty, Skitten, PuppyKat ... the list goes on.  I'm not sure WHY we've come up with so many nicknames for her, we don't do that with all our dogs ... but she's just so ... I don't know ... so much personality, each one deserves a new name ... of course she answers to all of them or none of them, depending on "her" mood!!!

I have had many types of dogs all my life and NOTHING as unique as Minerva!!!

Lacey 

Ah ... no I was never into 'little dogs' ... ugh!  We used to have three shepherd mix mutts ... BIG DOGS, REAL DOGS ... ha!  We were first introduced to rats when my kids started to take music lessons (guitar/drums) and the owner of the music shop had a rat named "Ziggy" ... he was so cool and went to the music shop every day with his owner.  We thought he was so neat and cool, he was everyone's buddy!  Then just a few weeks later, I was at work and one of the girls was trying to find a home for a little girl ... Apparently the family who bought her was having trouble with her and couldn't keep her.  And in an instant of insanity I said, "I'll take her"!?!?!?  I met the woman half way and this little 'thing' jumped into my arms and decided I was hers! 

My husband loves her (and secretly I think he's her favorite human now!), but he put his foot down at 'bling' and 'outfits' ...

Minerva is tiny, still under 10 pounds, but in her heart she is the size of a rotweiller! 

Favorite moment:  When we give her a rawhide chewie for whatever reason we ask her first if she wants a 'Chewbacca" to which she starts to freak out ... once we give her one she starts to run around the house with it in her mouth like a mad women ... we refer to this as the "Wookie Dance" ...

She just keeps up entertained all the time, and even with all her energy, she still is a snuggly little love much of the time!!!

Lacey