Expert: Marie Peppers / The Boston Terrier Lady - 8/31/2008

Question
First of all I love my Boston babies all of them!  We originally got Hercules who is 10, he's just the sweetest little guy, then we got his "wife" Megra, then along came the babies Athena (the runt) Aphrodite (the goofball) Jupiter and Junior (the males of the group that live with my mother in law)  My daughter is the momma for Athena and the other three live with us, two females one male.  Well heres the problem, Megra(momma) and Aphrodite get along pretty well, not many problems, until Athena comes to visit.  As I said Athena is the runt, and when she lived with us after about a year and a half (the girls are just over two and Megra is just over 4 )  Megra and Athena would for no reason at all go nuts and start fighting, then Aphrodite would jump in the mix and they would gang up on momma...... my two girls are now fixed but when Athena visits we have to keep them seperated in Athena in a kennel or outside in the dog run or vice versa, I dont know what to do to prevent this, Momma and Athena will be moving back home for a while in November with her husband (my daughters lol) and a brand new baby girl.   Im nervous, what can I do.  The bostons are family, anyone else have these problems.  Our vet says "bitch" fights are the worst, and they really are very scary, I have been hurt pretty badly breaking up the fights, Im afraid they will really hurt or kill each other.  Momma starts to shake before it all begins, and I swear you can feel the energy in the room change!  Help please!!!!!

Answer
Wow Maggie - I understand your pain!  I think you need a behavior expert to come over to your place - ON their turf!!!
I have a friend who wrote a wonderful book on this : The HUMAN PACK - how to take a new dog into your home - how the pack will behave.


Here is a link to her book and web site:
Here web site has some good tips.. I know you can't have her come to you because she is in Alaska.
YOU can at least get her book or visit her site:

I hope it helps!!

http://www.pandoraspetservices.com/


Book can be purchased here -  Easy to understand!
She is a good teacher...
http://www.amazon.com/Human-Pack-Healthy-Relationships-Behaviorist/dp/1419675788...