Aggression and biting

[cassandra]

Hi there.
I adopted a rescue greyhound four months ago and she has lived quite happily with my other 2 dogs since then, however the other night she turned on my smaller lurcher bitch and really went for it, ripping a hole in the lurchers neck. I can only put the sudden outburst down to the fact that I had put my sons tea in the oven and that she was keeping everyone else away from it. My little lurcher has ended up with a nasty wound and will not come down the stairs now at all if the grey is around. I have to leave her safely in the bedroom when i go out as I am frightened to death she will be attacked again or worse killed!!! I love my greyhound and I would be devastated if i were to have to part with her now but I desperately need guidance as to how to deal with this situation. I know not to prepare food in front of her or leave food lying around etc but I want they dogs to be harmonious once again. Any advice will be gratefully appreciated and accepted.

Cassandra xx

[shellie3]

I don't have much advice to offer but if your grey is the newest dog in I think I would definitely get a crate and crate her when you're out, rather than restrict your existing dogs.

I'm sure someone else will have better ideas....maybe a behaviourist could help? (one with specialist sighthound knowledge)

[Lisa]

For now I agree with Shellie how long do you need to leave them when you go out? If its not long periods of time I would use a crate, that way you can safely leave the greyhound but still with the other dogs. It does sound like she has a *flash* point which in this case seems to be food I take it you have seen her react adversly around food before by your saying you have to keep her away from it etc?
If you do use a crate for the half hour or so that humans are eating their meals or their is food on the go you can also place her in there for a little down time. Use it to feed her in aswell safely and then you can make it her safe place.