courtnek

Gooey, dogs that steal things and wont give them back usually have socialization issues - they are insecure and these things make them feel secure. However, if the dog becomes aggressive in not giving them up, then it becomes a dominance issue. Once they have been demoted, you can give them things to make them secure, providing they are willing to give them back. I leave an old t-shirt around for Freebee to lay on while I'm at work - it makes her feel secure - and she gives it up willingly every time. (cant leave socks, she eats them). In a secure pack, the lower ranking members do as the alpha instructs, including giving up their "prize"

This reminds me of a story - my first dog was a Golden - never been introduced to cats, so the first time he met my X's cat he was cool with him, until the cat stuck his head in the dogs bowl while he was eating. Taurus (the dog) snapped at him, and nicked him through the roof of his mouth. It was bleeding so we took him to the vet. It required two stiches and they sent him home. over the next day or so, Isis (the cat) developed an air bubble on the top of his head. Apparently as the cat breathed in, some of the air was getting through the nip in his mouth and forming under his skin on the top of his head!! He had a cushion up there!! The vet said as soon as the nip healed it would go away, and it did, but did he look funny with this pillow on top of his head. And BOY, did he ever get even with Taurus! He would wait until Taurus approached him, then nip him on the nose. After a few consecutive incidents, Taurus gave up and "rolled over". They soon became best friends and remained that way until, and after, Taurus died. I have a picture of both of them, cat laying next to Taurus and Taurus with his "arm" around Isis' back...too cute.

Prairie - just for next time there are people who actually make a living doing "pet-sitting" - you can either have them come in to your house to care for your pets, or some of them take them in to their houses and watch after them. I have a friend who opened her own business doing that. It's a little more expensive then a regular kennel, but right on par wiht the fancey "doggie motels". If you choose an in-home pet sitter, just make sure they are certified and bonded (insured) and get references and see if there have ever been any complaints - cant be too careful - but if you find a good one it's worth doing. Also, dont be surprised if once you get your pets home they seem alittle put off, or quiet. It's a normal response and they get over it quickly.

could just be some air trapped under the scar. Freebee had one too. As long as it doesnt get red, oozes or she starts licking or nibbling at it, it's probably ok. Just keep an eye on it. If it shows any of the above symptoms, then call the vet. :D

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: welcome back!

I think I would find a different vet....I have never thought an x-ray was necessary to determine pregnancy - usually just a blood test. If she is pregnant by the Shepherd, that may be why he/she wants an x-ray, to determine if she can carry the puppies to full term because of size. How big is your terrier? Shepherd puppies are born at an average of about 2 lbs. each I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and can actually be bigger. I dont know if your terrier could handle that, if there is a lot of pups. Shame on the original owners!! That's a terrible thing to do, if that's what happened.... Either way, if she is pregnant, it's going to be expensive....but it does need to be determined for real.

[quote]Courtnek what is it about kitty dung that dogs adore its so off [/quote] I WISH I knew! LOL - then maybe I could figure out how to make it less appealing.... :D

I disagree completely with the above quotes, and never once did I recommend intimidation. Dogs are descended from wolves, the biological experts cant deny that, and they do retain SOME wolf characteristics, although not all. Ordinarily, if they are a single dog in your houose, they may not revert to pack behavior. In a multiple dog household they will, plain and simple, because those are the onlt rules nature supplied them with. Even in some single dog households, unless the owners lay down the rules the dog will attempt to be top of the pile... The suggestions I gave Starfox had nothing to do with intimidation. Stopping a dog from going thru doorways, not letting it sleep on your bed, eating before it does - is not intimidating. She is not threatening the animal in any way - she is simply making it behave according to pack rules. In a real wolf pack, the alpha rarely ever disciplines the members, unless they get out of hand. That's left up to the underlings in most cases. HOWEVER - if a lower ranking pack member tries to take over, then yes, the Alpha will get involved. In Starfox's case, the lower ranking animal was threatening the pack leaders, and needs to be demoted. And as far as the quote about apes - I'm sorry, but be real. Man is the only animal (that we know of) who's brain has evolved far enough away from the animal that we can choose whether to be independent, social, unsocial, and completely stop following any kind of "pack" rules. Packs formed for the protection of the entire group - all stay fed, all are cared for. WE lived in packs back in the days when we had to cooperate for survival. Wolves have to cooperate for survival, it's as simple as that. And dogs, even though they may be sheltered and eat every day, will still respond to pack rules if not trained properly. Those are the only rules they know..... It was also shown in studies of both dogs and wolves, "that of ninety different behavior patterns exhibited by the domestic dog, all but nineteen were present in the wolf. (Thousands of years of domestication have probably created some patterns in the dog that the wolf in the wild does not need for survival)" John Fisher, Behaviorist, from the book "Why Does My Dog...?" I believe this book is a MUST for anyone raisikng a dog and unsure of how the pack rules really work - perhaps you should send one to the people who believe that dogs show no wolflike behavior or tendencies.... Maybe if we, as people, could learn the cooperation displayed by both wolf packs and properly placed and treated dogs, could get along a whole lot better. and by the way, John Fisher NEVER advocates "intimidation" - he is comp-letely against it - because if you run your pack well, it's not needed....

I take it she's not spayed? You need to take her to a vet. If she was in heat, that could explain why she ran off. The male dog wont stick around after it's done, and she may have been building a den where you found her. She could also be going thru a false pregnancy, but she needs to see a vet. If she is pregnant, you have to prepare for that too. It's in your best interests to get her spayed if she's not. That will put an end to this wandering off behaviour.

Bronxie, I'm afraid you're going to have to keep her off the bed permanently, at least until she's learned who is boss. You have to follow the steps consistently, all the time. Everytime you give her that inch, she moves up a notch on the ladder and then the problems start. Some dogs are naturally submissive, so the little things dont matter so much, but yours is not. So the steps have to be followed all the way through to demote her completely. Good luck :D

Has she, by any chance, been nibbling at or scratching at her feet? You want want to watch her about a half hour after eats, and see if her feet are twitching or if she is nibbling at them. That's a distinct sign of food allergies, and can cause them to suddenly become aggressive for no reason.

It sounds like Abby's not feeling well. I would have her checked at the vet. this would be considered abnormal for her, and there may be medical or even food reasons. Dogs, like people, develop allergies out of nowhere.

Both inputs on the "dominant position" are correct, YES, it is VERY dangerous and often results in being bitten. BUT, Rosebud is correct in the assertion that it had to be done. If you relinquish alpha role to a dog, they will NEVER give it up willingly. Zebra had gotten too big for his britches, and I feel it happened over time, not just suddenly. Since he has snapped and growled before (NEVER ALLOW THAT! PLEASE!) although he didnt bite on those occasions, being allowed to get away with it only made him more certain he could take over the top spot. It's a gradual take over in the pack. The lesser ranks challenge the alpha's, if they win a few rounds they get more nasty about it, until the takeover is complete. Sorry, Starfox, but in a pack Zebra see's you and your family as "weak leaders" (although you had no way of knowing that) and so tried the takeover. His food may have been contributing as well, especially if he wasnt willingly eating it. I have heard a lot of bad things about Eukanuba and some dogs. Neither of mine would eat it either, although my cat loves it. Also, an animal with food allergies would be much grumpier than usual. They cant tell you the food is making them itch, or scratch, or bite. A person could, but they have no way of telling you this. The new diet seems to be agreeing with him, and that's a good sign. But you still have to retain the leader role, or he could fall back into his bad behavior. With some dogs, you have to retain and enforce it for life. My Malamute/BC mix was extremely dominant, and until he got old (8 or so, old for a 120 lb. dog) he always tried to takeover, and the battle would ensue. I had a "catching stick" (the kind you see on AP, where there is a noose and a pole to seperate the dog from the catchers) to control him with when he got out of hand. I had a behaviorist explain to me what I was doing wrong, and after that I was able to maintain control without the stick. Once he had been completely demoted, he became the best dog in the world. But I had to keep enforcing my place his whole life. Let us know how you get on, ok? Glad we were able to help. :D

If it doesnt keep up dont worry about it - my dog and cat do it all the time

WOO HOO! GOOD FOR YOU!!! My Golden was a breeder cast-off, he wasnt breed quality and they didnt think he would work for show - he was the BEST dog I ever had!! WOO HOO!!! :D :D :D :D

You need to demote her my friend. Follow the steps and she will become an agreeable loving dog, like kids, they need to be told NO once in a while and shown what the correct behavior is...

I would make sure he sleeps on your level, even a slightly higher ground enforces alpha role. Stealing thimgs and protecting them was a problem I had with Ras, but he was abused very badly as a puppy. You can train them out of this, but it takes time, patience and the lead. Find something old of yours that smells like you, and give it to him, but make sure he lets you take it back. This is after the demotion training, by the way. Sometimes they just need something that smells like their alpha's to be comfortable. If he is willing to give it back, every time, then he's accepted his subservient role and you can let him keep it. Freebee has an old t-shirt of mine that she like to lay on while I'm at work.

p.s. My female did this as well. Even after demotion. I found that one time she did it I actually growled low in my throat at her, and then she stopped. Sometimes you have to talk to them in their language...lol :D

Just a little demotion Jen. Dont let her sleep on the bed, dont feed her before you eat, dont let her go through doorways before you. Once she realizes her place, her mounting behavior should stop. Think of it like pack rules, you are alpha, you get to do everything first. Eat, go through doorways, sleep in the best spot. It's been noticed that dogs who dont think they are alpha but are WANNABE'S will often show this behavior, just to see how the other dog reacts. Usually, the higher ranking animal shows teeth and that puts an end to it. She is testing you. :D

My cat box is in the basement, with a baby gate over the doorway - It's up high enough for the cat to get under, but the dog cant. And it has a latch so I can open it when I need to go do the laundry or whatever.

Mounting is a dominance behavior. Only the Alpha's get to do it, male and female. except during heat, it has nothing to do with sex, it's a display of power. Both male and female alpha's will mount another animal to show they are in control. It is a very powerful warning to the other animal. You need to get her off your arm and on the floor. and she needs some demotion from her prime spot. Neutering may help, but now she has learned this behavior so you will have to train her out of it.

Starfox I am concerned Amoxicillin is an antibiotic - for bacterial infections, like bronchitus, or Urinary tract infections....does he have a bacterial infection from his allergies? If not, I see no reason why the vet would have prescribed amoxicillin.....It does not, to my knowledge, have any practical use for trating allergies unless an infection is involved. Please check with the vet to make sure this is what he/she meant to prescribe, and have them explain why. The trainer is an excellent idea!! But the amoxicillin concerns me - if he doesnt have a bacterial infection, the antibiotic is destroying "positive" bacteria, and that may well have a bad effect on the dog. We all have positive bacteria in our colons, stomachs and lungs....and it needs to be there for a reason. Let us know how he gets on, ok?

Freebee tried to dig through the floor when she was young, and we couldnt figure out why until I was down in the basement and an alarm on a wristwatch went off - it's one of those beepy things - and I heard her trying to dig again. She thought something was down there, and was trying to dig down to it. Once I got rid of the watch, she never did it again. Maybe your pupster heard something, either outside or in the walls, that needed investigating. You dont maybe have mice in te walls, do you? I have heard of dogs eating through windowsills and walls to get at mice in there kinda like K's gerbils....

Dogs are attracted to unwashed laundry because of the smell. It smells like natural, sweat, body fluid, etc. In their world, those are good smells, not bad. It also smells like you. Does she show any aggression when you try to take it away? That's what you need to look out for. If not, just go witht he suggestion to keep everything up high where she cant get it. My dog chews up socks and pantyhose if givent he chance.

Starfox, I have a lot of experience with this problem, having owned two aggressive-to-people dogs. couple of things - Was this completely abnormal for Zebra, or does he show aggression sometimes, just not this much? If this is completely abnormal, he needs to get to a vet immediately. There could be neurological problems in his brain. As was suggested, he should go see the vet anyway for a completel physical after this, but definitely suggest they do bloodwork and x-rays of his head. If he is dominant sometimes, just not this bad, itcould be an alpha issue that's been pushed over the edge. He thinks he's boss now. If that's the case, and nothing has been found physically wrong with him, you need to demote him. This is not an easy thing to do with an aggressive dog, and everyone in the family has to take part. I will list the steps you can start with. You should see an improvement almost immediately IF you and your family keep to this practice at all times. First, put a short three-foot lead on him. Leave it on him all the time, under supervision (take it off at night to sleep, you dont want him to catch it on something and strangle) Dont do anything with it at first, let him get used to having it on. This allows you to restrain him without injury to yourself if necessary. Take away ALL of his toys. Put them up where he casn see them, but cant reach them. Run him through an abeidience session three times a day, and when he obeys, treat him and let him have ONE of his toys. Let him play with it awhile, then make him lay down and take it away.This is where the lead comes in. PULL him away from the toy, and have whoever is going to assume the alpha position take the toy away and put it back up. Everytime he does something good, reward him in this way. Dont let the sad puppy dog eyes fool you, this will take time. Next - NEVER let him enter a doorway before you. If he tries, grab the lead and make him sit, then you go through first. EVERY time. I cant stress enough that this is a process that you have to do continuously, and every member of your family has to as well. You are retraining him in the alpha position role, he needs to understand that he is subservient to you and every family member in your house. NEVER NEVER let him sleep on your, or any other bed. In the pack, the alpha gets the best sleeping locations. That should always be reserved for you and your family only. The couch is off limits for now too. If your house has stairs, never let him go up to the top and sleep there while you are downstairs. The alpha always gets the "overlook" position to watch and discipline the pack. Again, the lead will come in handy here. NEVER let him eat before you. I know that sounds silly, but the alpha in every pack always gets to eat first, and the best, of the kill. No table scraps while you are eating, in fact, make him leave the room. Put him where he can see you eat, but he cannt get to the table. If you have to feed him first for some reason, like you're going out to dinner, then put him in his "mealtime spot" and sit down where he can see you. Eat a few crackers, so he can see you eating first, then feed him. Everytime he responds positively to your new rold as leader, praise him and reward him. You dont want to make this a painful process, it's just a demotion. Am I treating him like a wild dog? yes, because now he has assumed the alpha role, and in a human household, he is wild and dangerous. Also, dont leave anything laying around that he can steal, like the headband. He will try very hard to retain his alpha role, and so we dont want to tempt him into disobedience. If you stick to this routine day in and day out, in a short time you should see a major improvement, and get your loving dog back. Good luck, and let us know how it goes, ok? Katy