My dog has just killed my other dog

I am so sorry for your lose. I have no insight into why this happened, but I have read similar posts here on idog. Were you home at the time or were your guys on their own? I'm sure you must be having some real conflicting emotions right now. Please feel free to talk about them.

Again, so sorry!

no real conflicting emotions - just - why did I have to shut the door?
 
My dogs usually naturally seperate, the mongrel coming in teh house and the alsations outside.
 
I saw her alive 45mins ago. This isn't my fault right? these things happen?? If i'd left the door open she would ahve probably still been alive ... awww fuck

So, they were all outside with no way for the smaller dog to get back inside?   Poor doggie. . .I'm sorry for your loss. 

Yes.  As hard as is it.  These things are our fault.  Sometimes it takes a second...or a nano second.

I am sorry for your loss.

ORIGINAL: doa24uk

no real conflicting emotions - just - why did I have to shut the door?

My dogs usually naturally seperate, the mongrel coming in teh house and the alsations outside.

I saw her alive 45mins ago. This isn't my fault right? these things happen?? If i'd left the door open she would ahve probably still been alive ... awww fuck

It sort of sounds like you thought the smaller dog had come inside and then shut the door, which is their normal routine? Accidents really do happen. I'm so sorry for your loss.

be sure that you separate the other two when unsupervised from now on so this doesn't happen again.

this is really sad... poor little dog.[sm=angel.gif]

ORIGINAL: doa24uk

We have two alsations (german sheperds) mother & daughter, and one small black mongrel.

One of the alsations has just killed the mongrel. It has literally broken its neck and torn it to pieces.

Why? I realise that there probably won't be a reason (dogs think differently) but I really need some support......

[][][][]

Without a history on these dogs it's hard to tell, but here are some possible scenarios:
1. Two females who don't get along can have severe fights, and females are likelier to fight to the death.  Males fighting males are often more ritualistic and less damage is done.
2. Two dogs undersocialized in general, or to one another.
3. Predatory drift.  Chasing, herding behavior that suddenly escalates and the dog completes the kill sequence.  Dogs with high prey drive, and a tendency to be dangerous to smaller pets, include Shepherds and Huskies among others.   
4. "Packiness", where two dogs gang up on a third.

If you knew these dogs did not get along, then, sad to say, the lack of care in keeping them separated was probably human error - yours.  But, if you didn't, or did not realize that this could be the result, than you have learned the hardest lesson about keeping multiple dogs in the same household.  Trish King has an interesting DVD called "Multiple Dogs", and Patricia McConnell has written a book on the subject, called "Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy Your Multi-Dog Household".  Both are a good start for anyone who wants to own more than one dog.

I'm sorry this happened to you, and your poor dog.  But, get educated so that you can prevent it in the future.  And, watch the relationship between the remaining dogs carefully, especially if the daughter has not yet reached maturity.

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

4. "Packiness", where two dogs gang up on a third.

I agree with this one, maybe you were having two different packs in your household, the "outside pack" (you and the German shepards) and the "inside pack" (you and the mongrel), specially if one of the packs was including mother and daughter, "separation creates enemies, not packs"

You could do 2 things, keep them separated (which is harder) or together (to form one single pack) but not sometimes one and sometimes another. Yes this things happen for that same reason, you cant blame them 100% and you cant blame yourself 100% either

Sorry for what happened

I don't think you should blame yourself if you separated a predatory dog and a smaller "prey type" dog.  The problem, if you separate dogs, is that you have to keep them separated.  Sometimes, you will find that two females simply hate each other, or one dog is just too predatory to be kept in company with smaller animals, even other dogs.  Our dogs teach us hard and sad lessons sometimes. but you didn't know what you didn't know.  Now you do, and will understand how to manage in the future. 

Doa24uk, I am so sorry for your loss!  I know that you are hurting and I wish that I could say something to make you feel better.  [sm=sad.gif]
 
Please don't be angry with your alsations.  Dogs are domesticated wolves.  As much as we love them, they are still predators and scavengers.  Their teeth have two main functions - eating and killing.
 
We can't read their minds (most of us anyway [] ) and we just can't be sure exactly what their behavior will be in every possible situation.  That uncertainty has to be accepted along with pet ownership.  There is always the possibility that our dogs will hurt us, someone else, or another animal. 
 
You have learned a very hard lesson!  Don't beat yourself up over it.  Put your energy into learning about dog-dog aggression to make sure this never happens again (to a dog you own or to a neighbor's dog).  Re-evaluate the security of your fencing.  Learn ways to break up a dog fight without you getting hurt.  Work on having a very reliable recall.
 
Have a behavorist evaluate your dogs.  He/she may be able to give you a good guess as to which dog did the killing.  Even more importantly he/she can evaluate the way your two alsations interact with each other.
 
Please get a copy of one or more of these three books by
Donaldson, Jean,
[size=3]The Culture Clash, 1/1997            [linkhttp://tinyurl.com/642uk]http://tinyurl.com/642uk[/link][/size]
[size=3]Dogs Are From Neptune, 11/1998  [link>http://tinyurl.com/5rwxu]http://tinyurl.com/5rwxu[/link][size=2]
[font=verdana][size=3]Fight! A Practical Guide To the Treatment of Dog-Dog Aggression, 2004
[linkhttp://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB798]www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB798[/link]

Also get one of these DVDs
Nelson, Leslie
[size=3]Really Reliable Recall       2004
[/size][link>http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB810P]www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB810P[/link][/size]
 
McConnell, Patricia                2005
[font=verdana][size=3]Lassie Come! How to get your dog to come every time you call [/size][/font]
[link>http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB834]www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB834[/link][/size] [/size][/font][/size]

I'm very sorry for what has happened. You abviously camr to the group looking for help which is a start. I had a friend who had 3 female Dobermans (2-2 year old reds and a 8 year old fawn) and a 2 year old male American Bulldog. All 4 of these dogs were the sweetest and most people pleasant dogs imaginable. They also had never displayed any type of dog aggression even considering their breeds. One evening, the three younger dogs injured the old Dobie so badly she had to euthanized. I also have a vet friend who has a pack of beagle/hound mixes. She has lost several dogs through unsupervised pack happenings. You would never believe to meet any of these "killers" that they could have done these things. Live and learn and educate yourself.