Mollie is Evil

[Cockertime Blues]

Bad day on the beach today.  Mollie and Alfie haven't had a fight since the day Nic was due to arrive (3 weeks ago?).  Today on the beach Alfie noticed a newly-dead juvenile scorrie which attracted him but which he left on my command, being a good lad.  Mollie spent a happy half hour playing with some huge lab/collie lad while Alfie stayed with me and his ball.  On the return, Mollie finds the scorrie and picks it up.  It's a huge prize and she proudly parades up and down the beach with it in her mouth.  I go after her (as I think she'll go find a quiet spot to eat it), so she puts out to sea with it and steams off towards the Orkneys, knowing chances are slim that I'll follow.  Alfie and I turn and go the other way.  Mollie returns to shore.  I go after her again.  She trots off with it to a nasty minging area of kelp where she also knows I don't want to go.  We follow.  Mollie buries said scorrie in kelp.  I go to put lead on.  Alfie wants just a tiny sniff at the scorrie.  Mollie goes for him big time and a huge fight ensues, ensuring the attention of all dogwalkers on beach.  I yell (knowing better) but Alfie can and does fight back but fortunately he knows when to stop.  It ends how it always does - Alfie finally sits down and hangs his head while Mollie lays a paw across his back until she is assured he has submitted 100%.

I hate for this to happen.  It's only once every few weeks and this time there was a clear trigger.  I want Alfie to get his own back and put that silly mare in her place.  But common sense tells me this is how it has to end every time - otherwise they would hurt each other.  Am I correct in thinking this?

Obviously I can remove triggers if I can see them coming but sometimes (as today) I'm not swift enough.  Their fights are infrequent and (I'm positive) do not happen when they're Home Alone.  Mollie clearly had a bug up her bum on our return home as she went out in the garden and refused to come in, which is fine with me if she wants to be out there.  Alfie is not looking different than normal.  Anything I can do, anyone? 

[joanne_v]

First of all, what on earth is a scorrie?! Must be a northern thing cos I have no idea and I used to be in the RSPB! 

I dont think there is much else you can do. Mollie is Mollie and Alfie is Alfie. I just hope it doesnt ever escalate any further but from experience it can sometimes come to a head and either dog B (alfie) starts to defend himself further and they injure each other or dog B becomes withdrawn and stressed causing dog A to be more of a bully. All you can do is keep trying to pre-empt any possible scuffles so thats its just a very occasional thing and also work on Mollie's leave command. Easier said than done though isnt it 

[cdpops]

What a horrible experience for you, its so embarrasing when things like that happen in public.  But Mollie is not evil she is just being a dog! She is guarding her prize (whatever it was) that she must have really valued, from the sounds of things she told you both by moving several times just how valuable it was.
I am not sure how you can overcome this, only to exchange the scorrie  for something she values more? and to keep Alfie away if she has something she values. I am sure someone with more experience will be able to help.

[Cockertime Blues]

First of all, what on earth is a scorrie?! Must be a northern thing cos I have no idea and I used to be in the RSPB! 

I dont think there is much else you can do. Mollie is Mollie and Alfie is Alfie. I just hope it doesnt ever escalate any further but from experience it can sometimes come to a head and either dog B (alfie) starts to defend himself further and they injure each other or dog B becomes withdrawn and stressed causing dog A to be more of a bully. All you can do is keep trying to pre-empt any possible scuffles so thats its just a very occasional thing and also work on Mollie's leave command. Easier said than done though isnt it 

Thanks Jo.  Sorry - I've lived here too long - a scorrie is a gull, in this case a this-year's herring gull.  Mollie's leave command is (obviously) non-existent.  I tend to put up with the status quo too much, but short of walking her past treats on a leash and jerking her head off about 11,497 times am not sure how to tackle that.  Squabbling is on an ever-decreasing scale, which is why I'd not been worrying much.

[Helen]

First of all, what on earth is a scorrie?! Must be a northern thing cos I have no idea and I used to be in the RSPB! 

I dont think there is much else you can do. Mollie is Mollie and Alfie is Alfie. I just hope it doesnt ever escalate any further but from experience it can sometimes come to a head and either dog B (alfie) starts to defend himself further and they injure each other or dog B becomes withdrawn and stressed causing dog A to be more of a bully. All you can do is keep trying to pre-empt any possible scuffles so thats its just a very occasional thing and also work on Mollie's leave command. Easier said than done though isnt it 

wot Jo said - and if it is any comfort, Jarv's sister was like that with him....and after 2 1/2 years of being hen pecked he finally had had enough and really told her off (all mouth and trousers but you could see the shock on her face) - she actually learnt from it 

pre-empting and the leave command, as Jo says 

[Cockertime Blues]

wot Jo said - and if it is any comfort, Jarv's sister was like that with him....and after 2 1/2 years of being hen pecked he finally had had enough and really told her off (all mouth and trousers but you could see the shock on her face) - she actually learnt from it 

pre-empting and the leave command, as Jo says 

Thank you Livercake.  I'd not been worrying about them but I just thought 7 months down the road they should have called a truce.  Naturally Mollie's been all kissy-kissy with Alf all evening and they're in bed now on their dog sofa.

Mollie came to us when she was 11 months old and at the time we had our old lab, the world's most submissive dog.  Bess put up with a lot regarding Mollie's juvenile shenanigans (mostly humping) but once in a while she must have felt like enough was enough because a couple of times I saw her just turn her head and do a long rumbling growl, not even baring her teeth, and this invariably made Mollie stop her antics and back off.  Mollie is all mouth and is a scaredy cat deep down - maybe Alfie will figure that out one day.