Once you’ve heard a chow in full dog fight, you never forget it.

Puddin’ and Tinker, our two alpha females, really went at it the other night. We’re not really sure what happened, but between the growling, snarling and biting, it was difficult to break up.

And a miracle that no one was hurt.

M. was very cautious in his approach, since another dog fight years ago sent him to the Emergency Room. And that was before he was on blood thinners.

Riley was beside himself at the upset, too, adding to the general confusion.

Both dogs were very upset after and in this small house, it was almost impossible to keep them separate. We finally ended up letting Tinker sleep in the hall bathroom.

I took Puddin’ to the kitchen to calm down, talked sweetly to her while I prepared dinner, and finally, she stopped hyperventilating.

The dog that got penalized was Lil He, because it was his special day. As the most mellow, he doesn’t get as much attention. So we took him for a special walk all by himself and lavished him with attention. Until the dog fight.

The next day, Puddin’ was depressed. We took her for a walk with Riley, which cheered her momentarily. Back at home, though, she wanted no part of her breakfast.

Originally, Puddin’ was rescued after she was thrown out of a car. As a result, her teeth were broken (and her smile’s still a bit jagged). She had been forcibly bred, and suffered extensive internal injuries that took surgery to repair. After all that, it’s a wonder she is a gentle dog.

But she takes no shit.

We are in the countdown to our California house, much larger and with a yard so they can let off steam.