just me and the dogs, and we don't get visits from kids.
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Scooby again, I don't know what to do.......
- Thread starter Stoner4Life
- Start date
just me and the dogs, and we don't get visits from kids.
stoner:
Well that puts my mind at ease.
Hopefully you are crate training. Do not leave the 2 dogs together if you aren't at home....I'm sure you know all this tho.
Well that puts my mind at ease.
Hopefully you are crate training. Do not leave the 2 dogs together if you aren't at home....I'm sure you know all this tho.
I'd like to make a few things clear w/o some of you having to read thru this & my other thread to have the best understanding of our situation.
Scooby does have a very loving heart, she doesn't try to muscle Alice around, I've never seen her curl her lips or raise her hackles @ Alice in our normal day to day routine. She behaves exactly like all my other dogs I've ever had when asked about going 'outside' or for a 'ride in the car'!!! Same goofy look, same pleading eyes.
She doesn't compete for food with Alice, as explained somewhere above I feed them exactly the same portions in separate corners of the room, each dog respects the others bowl; when I'm doling out treats by hand again each gets the same amount @ the same time, neither dog ever crosses any lines to piss off the other.
Scooby covets the pillow in the picture below, when she snuggles up to sleep next to me I lay that pillow on top of her and then drape my right arm across it, no matter how many hours later I wake up Scooby's fast asleep in the same spot, it's her security blanket.
If Scooby was really trying to squeeze Alice out of the pack there would be daily signs and or aggressions. It was that pillow, AND I have to remain vigilant to be sure she doesn't try to claim either side of the bed as hers if she's territorial.
So the walking staff below strikes fear into her heart these days, I'm using it to establish who the hell's in charge in the house, if I even pick it up she scrambles for her kennel. And I can promise all of you I have never laid an angry hand on my dog, nor an angry stick.
Something had to change since this last altercation, I decided to pull that staff out of the corner of the room & to use it as a tool. A couple of days after the fight I took that stick and raised my voice scolding Scooby, she ducked in her kennel, then I took the stick and struck it down on the bed, no doubt she felt the heavy vibration in her kennel, exactly what I'd intended. Now she knows the power of the stick, she don't like the stick.
Scooby does have a very loving heart, she doesn't try to muscle Alice around, I've never seen her curl her lips or raise her hackles @ Alice in our normal day to day routine. She behaves exactly like all my other dogs I've ever had when asked about going 'outside' or for a 'ride in the car'!!! Same goofy look, same pleading eyes.
She doesn't compete for food with Alice, as explained somewhere above I feed them exactly the same portions in separate corners of the room, each dog respects the others bowl; when I'm doling out treats by hand again each gets the same amount @ the same time, neither dog ever crosses any lines to piss off the other.
Scooby covets the pillow in the picture below, when she snuggles up to sleep next to me I lay that pillow on top of her and then drape my right arm across it, no matter how many hours later I wake up Scooby's fast asleep in the same spot, it's her security blanket.
If Scooby was really trying to squeeze Alice out of the pack there would be daily signs and or aggressions. It was that pillow, AND I have to remain vigilant to be sure she doesn't try to claim either side of the bed as hers if she's territorial.
So the walking staff below strikes fear into her heart these days, I'm using it to establish who the hell's in charge in the house, if I even pick it up she scrambles for her kennel. And I can promise all of you I have never laid an angry hand on my dog, nor an angry stick.
Something had to change since this last altercation, I decided to pull that staff out of the corner of the room & to use it as a tool. A couple of days after the fight I took that stick and raised my voice scolding Scooby, she ducked in her kennel, then I took the stick and struck it down on the bed, no doubt she felt the heavy vibration in her kennel, exactly what I'd intended. Now she knows the power of the stick, she don't like the stick.
Sounds like your doing everything right,
the "dog trainer" we took our rescue dog also sugggested banging the top of the kennel when Roxy was pushing the limits....
the "dog trainer" we took our rescue dog also sugggested banging the top of the kennel when Roxy was pushing the limits....
E
Easy e
just read this from the start and i feel for you , you made a tough decision keeping scooby and good on you !
looks like you've found the heart of the problem with the pillow
respect where its due
looks like you've found the heart of the problem with the pillow
respect where its due
I have a walking stick just like that one.
Might be a different kinda wood.
I bought Mine in Oregon bout 13-14yrs ago.
Peace; 1TT
Might be a different kinda wood.
I bought Mine in Oregon bout 13-14yrs ago.
Peace; 1TT
B
BrnCow
Bitches just like males have aggression to their competition...going to keep happening unless you split them up somehow...
thnx blast, thnx Easy.
I've been around a lot of dogs over the years, some of them being of the edgy or marginal variety, dogs whose day to day behavior would make me wonder when they'll snap. Scooby has none of that in her although she had snapped a bunch of times. I blame myself for not acting sooner in taking the pillows away the 1st time I thought it was an issue, but with the first few attacks happening 5-6 months apart from the last I'd thought/hoped that the problem had resolved itself.
complacency on my part got us to this point. There was no way I could punish Scooby for my mistakes. so instead of being real laid back @ home I'll have to commit to being watchful at all times. a new day @ casa del loco.......
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so 6 weeks later and things have been uneventful here, I can't let my guard down ever again, I just have to guide my little pack.
Scooby needs her love and she lets me know when it's time for a snuggle, she'll come over to my desk and start nudging my hand or thigh, when I reach out to pet her she'll dash over to the bed and stare at me, ears all perked up and an anxious look on her face; the look & vibe I get from her then is completely different than her begging for treats or going outside routine, a sweet little girl she just wants to be snuggled up.
so I always put/lock Alice in the big kennel just in case I die in my frigging sleep
while snuggling up with Scooby, not a mean bone in her body she just didn't know how to deal with her desires for the pillow(s), as always she curls up tight and rests her legs against my chest, to get even closer she'll tuck her head down and rest it under my chin along my neck. Scooby continues to yield to Alice when Alice hops up on the bed, she usually kennels w/o being asked to do so, otherwise sometimes she'll decide to stay put, but again they now rest apart from each other unless Scooby's tempted to sneak in for a butt snuggle on Alice, so far I've seen that twice since 2/9, it's too bad, major love n' snuggles were the usual around here, now they're given separately to all.......
You're a good dude with a good heart S4L. Glad things are working out so well after all.
Thnx Blue
Alice & Scooby were sharing the bed a short while ago, Alice @ the head & Scooby @ the foot, it took about an hour or so but Scooby moved in for a butt snuggle on Ali. Things were fine until I noticed that both of them were dreaming, I didn't want any surprises upon their awakening so I called out their names and watched them both wake, when they settled back down Scooby had repositioned herself in a dominant manner on Alice, I was thinking she's showing signs of possessing the head area of the bed.
Trying to find out for sure I got both of them up again, this time Ali came down & hit the water bowl while Scooby took advantage of Ali's absence and curled up right where Alice had been; that could have been a sign of dominance or just a dog wanting to have the warm spot on the bed. At this point I'd be the fool to discipline a behavior that might be innocent enough, and then the saying "let sleeping dogs lie." begins to make more sense to me irl.
Alice was happy enough to flop down into her pile of blankets on the floor, she is never an instigator, always the innocent victim. She turned 11 this past December, I want the last of her years to be as drama and injury free as possible. By now Scooby damn well knows that I'm Alice's protector.
sorry to hear of this latest episode. I know your heart is in the right place, you want to do the right thing by Scooby. I am just afraid ,for Alice, because I really feel she shouldn't have to put up with this.
The thing about this latest incident that bothers me, is that you were also attacked. Some dogs will redirect when they are in "attack" mode, is it possible since this happened at night that it was dark and she was unaware it was you?
As far as her dog aggression goes, I don't feel that there is anything wrong with Scooby, her behavior is not out of the ordinary for a pit bull mix dog. If you might remember, I responded to your other thread about your issues with Scooby. "rescue dogs too much trouble" thread, Post #182, please go back and reread.
I myself, have 5 pit bull mixes. 3 are females, that I must keep separated from each other. They do not get along. 2 are males that get along with only 1 of the females. I manage to keep them separate. I feel that it is not fair to Alice that she has to put up with this. My experience is that the attacks will escalate in intensity, thus putting alice's life at stake. Please consider what I am saying. It may be hard at first, to keep them separate, but the dogs do adjust to it, they really do.
Best wishes.
The thing about this latest incident that bothers me, is that you were also attacked. Some dogs will redirect when they are in "attack" mode, is it possible since this happened at night that it was dark and she was unaware it was you?
As far as her dog aggression goes, I don't feel that there is anything wrong with Scooby, her behavior is not out of the ordinary for a pit bull mix dog. If you might remember, I responded to your other thread about your issues with Scooby. "rescue dogs too much trouble" thread, Post #182, please go back and reread.
I myself, have 5 pit bull mixes. 3 are females, that I must keep separated from each other. They do not get along. 2 are males that get along with only 1 of the females. I manage to keep them separate. I feel that it is not fair to Alice that she has to put up with this. My experience is that the attacks will escalate in intensity, thus putting alice's life at stake. Please consider what I am saying. It may be hard at first, to keep them separate, but the dogs do adjust to it, they really do.
Best wishes.
thnx Tesla, I went back & reread post #182, I found you'd interpreted what I'd said about sharing bones and treats quite wrong.
1st of all in her first week in my home I'd given Scooby and Alice meaty bone treats, Scooby got her while locked in a wire kennel while Alice had hers outside of the kennel; after a 1/2 hour or so Alice wandered over to the kennel to see what Scooby was up to, Alice was a good 3 to 4 feet away from the kennel when Scooby exploded in a growling, snarling snapping fit. That was the very last meaty bone either has seen, I figured that was one way to avoid future bullshit and no skin off my fucking nose
*** So I'm not sure where you got sharing of bones from.Same with treats, they don't share, I only must have mentioned that they each get a single biscuit equally @ the same time, each and every time; Scooby snarfs hers down quickly while Alice takes her damn sweet time, but Scooby NEVER even looks @ Alice while she finishes hers off. it is because of my consistency and even disposition in doling out the biscuits that this works flawlessly every time.
My point above being that I do everything very equitably with both dogs so that they understand they're getting treated the same every time, I strive to provide harmony in the home.
OK, that being said I've whittled it down to just 2 behavioral issues, Scooby covets & must possess the pillows on the bed which of course are no more, and she needed to respect my position as pack leader by fear of injury (I've never hit her once) to her if she fucks up, I have cured that too, I'm the BIG DOG & I wield the BIG STICK. I remind her of that shit every day, and of course I give her the love & attention she needs every day too.
Her first 3 attacks came @ 5-6 month intervals, the very 1st one resulted in 2 drops of blood from a bite on Alice's snout, the others were snarl snap posturing attacks w/o any contact at all, the last one being what it was demanded a more aggressive stance by me.
Alice is never left alone with Scooby, if I turn my back on them to answer the door their attention is not on coveted items (which have been eliminated) but on who/what is going on up front, there is a very very near zero chance that a fight would break out over anything, if it did I'm no more than a few steps away from getting to them & breaking it up.
If they're up on the bed together now that's fine with me, but if I have to go take a dump I lock Scooby in her bedside kennel while I do, I won't leave to chance that Scooby wouldn't suddenly covet the spot where Alice is resting. btw, Scooby loves the shit outta her bedside kennel, it's open 18-20 hours a day and much of that time she prefers to rest right there, Alice doesn't go in there ever.
We've had way over a million minutes of peace love & harmony in this house with Scooby, her total time of all 8 transgressions was less than 60 seconds altogether. I've seen her behave like the good family pet she was meant to be day after day after day. Had it been any different, had it been a progression of bad behaviors punctuated with those same attacks I'd feel differently.
It is/was the pillows that Scooby was getting all territorial about Tesla. Scooby & I get our private snuggle time while I put Alice up in the wire kennel, Scooby gets covered by my arm pillow and settles right into the contented sigh & sleep mode; those pillows represented her closeness to me in the one area that the three of us often shared.
Top pic & bottom both have Scooby snuggling into Alice's soft fur, but in the top pic Scooby might have wanted to get nearer to the pillows that Alice is closest to, and yet in the bottom pic it's obvious that Scooby enjoys a snuggle as opposed to any kind of full time pillow possession.
Scooby had/has some confusion as to what those pillows mean, Alice is 11.5 yrs old, when she's gone Scooby will have the house to herself, she'll have me, the pillows, the bed, whatever; she'll miss the fuck outta Alice though, she really really does love Alice and unlike BlueBlazer I'm not gonna be able to add another dog to the pack given the potential for issues with Scooby.
I rescued Scooby from the needle, these issues probably would have manifested themselves in other homes where other dogs were present and would have likely resulted in her being put down long ago.
it's such a pleasure to be part of Scooby's life, I've learned from her what others might have tolerated from me in the past, I see her goodness through the trying times; just as drugs were the catalyst of some really fucked up shit on my part, the pillows are her crack cocaine. It's up to me to understand love and forgive this girl.
Scooby still gets snuggled this way, just w/out Alice,
that's my armrest pillow on top of her, she loves that.
some of you might know I don't sleep well because of my bad back, but when I sleep with Scooby snuggled as above I often sleep for unexpected extra hours, she gets under that pillow and doesn't move a muscle, my little huckleberry.......
It took me awhile to find Scoobys head, in that picture;
LOL, my little one gets under the covers and then plasters her little self against my back..like a warming pad!
jpt
it's snuggle/nap time for me n' Scooby Doo.......
so here's the bonus plan in action, once Scooby settled down next to me she let out her longest ever sigh of contentment; it started with about 7 short snorts as she inhaled and then she let out that long happy sigh, and I caught 3 solid hours much needed sleep.
a couple of pics from the past, she's really such a love pup.......
I saw and experienced so much love from this little girl there was no way I could put her down and still feel like I did the right thing, she still has a lifetime to live & love.......
So we had a scary incident.....
Our new pup got his lower jar caught on my GSD's collar....wrapped around...
He started squealing and the GSD went a bit squirrely when my wife put them both on the ground to get the stupid colar off.
Our fault. We were supposed to take the GSD's collar off and neglected too.... We noticed our new pup had a thing for grabbing it and just tighted it up...
So watch out for those collars.
When it happened the dogs were supervised, my wife was a couple feet away and the dogs were just lounging on each other as per usual.....
Within a second or two...it was on...and within 10 seconds it was over.
The only one who got hurt was my wife who pulled her shoulder putting the GSD down to get at the collar snap...she also got a nip as both dogs were trying to bite the collar off....no skin broken..no blood..just a pressure bruise.
Our new pup got his lower jar caught on my GSD's collar....wrapped around...
He started squealing and the GSD went a bit squirrely when my wife put them both on the ground to get the stupid colar off.
Our fault. We were supposed to take the GSD's collar off and neglected too.... We noticed our new pup had a thing for grabbing it and just tighted it up...
So watch out for those collars.
When it happened the dogs were supervised, my wife was a couple feet away and the dogs were just lounging on each other as per usual.....
Within a second or two...it was on...and within 10 seconds it was over.
The only one who got hurt was my wife who pulled her shoulder putting the GSD down to get at the collar snap...she also got a nip as both dogs were trying to bite the collar off....no skin broken..no blood..just a pressure bruise.
Hey S4L....does Alice get this worked up when she see's a squirrel?
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