Why would my dog kill my other dog? :(

Last night we went out and received a call from our neighbours that our 9 year old lab was yelping and bailed up by our 4 year old staffy. Both dogs are desexed females. Our lab is a total submissive and gentle dog who has never barked let alone growl. Our staffy is very dominant, cheeky but has never shown aggression towards us nor our Lab. 2 weeks ago we were out and my daughter separated the dogs as our Lab was yelping and the staffy continuously pulling & biting her ears but no actual fighting, barking or growling involved. The lab never retaliated but rather hides away. When we returned home after receiving the phone call last night we found our lab twitching on the ground and gasping for air, she died within seconds, her coat all over the back patio, a small amount of blood puddled around her head and our staffy was covered in blood but no visible injuries to the staffy at all. Why would this happen after 4 years? It was horrifying and heart breaking to see.

You will probably never know however it may be worth taking your SBT to your vet for a check up.

I agree.

So sorry - this must have been completely devastating for you.....

x0x

we did first thing this morning and there was nothing wrong with her in way of injury...now we have the agonising decision to either rehome her with a SBT rescue or have her put down for fear she may do this to someone else's pet. We are all still in shock

I am sorry why are you having your dog put down or rehoming her?

Why would she do this to someone else's pet, can you not restrict her access to other dogs?

If you truly believe this dog is dangerous then it should not be passed on to someone else.

If there is nothing wrong with her and she has only exhibited this behaviour to your resident lab why would you want her put to sleep?

I realise that it was a shock to you, however this occasionally happens. It does not mean she cannot continue to be a loving pet.

ps I was not thinking of physical injury when i recommended the vet..........

I'm really sorry to read this. You must be devastated. why rehome the dog? Can u not restrict her access to other dogs? Have you lost you confidence with this dog? Ie dont feel like you can risk taking her out again?

I don't believe she is dangerous but if she can do this to our Lab then perhaps she could kill another dog. We are unsure we could look at her as the same little dog we had prior to witnessing our Lab twitching on the ground before our eyes. My 3 children witnessed our lab of 9 years dying and are sick to their stomachs. We haven't decided anything...we just are totally unsure of what to do. My husband and I are just completely shocked that this could happen. Our neighbour is a vet nurse and we have discussed the health of our SBT with her and the vet this morning. She seemed her usual self today other than she was whining for the company of our lab ****ty situation really...

We have lost all confidence in her...I was actually ill after witnessing it last night. I guess we just don't understand why she would kill her when she was totally submissive, there was no fighting it was more like tormenting her, bullying her until she died...

We sometimes have to remember that nature is red in tooth and claw.................

This is devastating.
It happens even after years of living together.
It rarely happens overnight there will have been signs that aggressive tension was building.
You may not have read the signs.
Eyeballing and dominant behaviour from the staffie and submissive appeasing behaviour from the lab are some signs.
You must not pass responsibility to others.
A rescue wouldn't re-home a dog that is known to be aggressive.
It would be a choice of keeping the staffie knowing what it is capable of or putting it to sleep.
I am so sorry this is a heart breaker.