Hi, When Doppo chased after the setter was he being aggressive or sexual? Was there any vocalisation on his part? Studly behaviour on the part of young males is usually a rush in and a jamming of his nose under her flanks or crotch to which a female will object in a few differing ways. A mature experienced male will posture and strut and plant his ears on the back of his head, chatter his teeth and then try his luck, Doppo is being a teenager with no class! Is there a possibility that she might be coming in heat or recently had a heat? If she is a young bitch with no prior experience of sexual overtures she might well present the cringeing cur image but if she is showing teeth and making noise her next step will be to snap at him and "get in his face". If she is spayed then he is being dominant for the pack and might well bully her as she has no rank but normally intact bitches do have status and it is a maladjusted intact male that attacks them. I would suggest you and another person walk these two dogs on leash and without making a big issue just insist he remember when on leash he belongs to you, the bitch needs elevation in status so she should be encouraged to relax and enjoy time with you one on one. When introducing them off leash again actually leave a long leash attached to both in the event there is a serious fight, which I doubt, he sounds like he is just being obnoxious and if you can let her settle into the household and the new humans in her life she will soon have the confidence to sort him out:-) Love quarrels between dogs sound nasty and the bitch can fly into the dog but keep your distance, he'll get the message but you do need to let her settle down and recognise her new home as her own.
Rose T.
