mmcginty
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Last week I took care of a teacup chihuahua (named Daphne) for my mom, while she and my step-dad traveled. My Shelties had met Daphne before several times, but always on her home turf.
Daphne is accustomed to sleeping on the bed with her people, so at bedtime the first night she was here, she hopped on up; Jake tried to intimidate her by raising up and then planting his forepaws right beside her. She growled so I put her out on the couch for the night.
The next night Daphne waited until my Shelties were asleep before joining us in bed. When my dogs woke up there was some tension but not too bad, and Daphne bailed out of it immediately. This went on until the last night she was here.
On the last night, Jake was dozing but not sound asleep yet when she hopped up, about 18" from me. He opened his eyes and looked at her, without moving. Then Daphne moved to within 6" of me, Jake lifted his head and stared straight at her. She moved once more, placing her paws on my shoulder. Jake jumped up, ears angled back, hackles raised, tail straight, teeth bared, growling and barking. Daphne cowered and trembled. (She had stood her ground every other time she was confronted; Jake outweighs her by a factor of 8!)
I commanded Jake to lay down, but he ignored me, so I grabbed his collar and tossed Daphne off the bed. She ran and Jake tried to chase her (as I knew he would.) "Jake," I said sharply as I pulled him back. That got his attention, he went back to submissive body language, and laid down when I told him to again. I closed the bedroom door for the night.
The last day they mostly avoided each other and it was peacful, though I took Jake with me to the store because I didn't want to leave them alone together. I reunited Daphne with her family when I picked my parents up at the airport, and after I dropped them off at home, I breathed a sigh of relief that Daphne was still in one piece.
Apparently my sweet little Jake was saying, "I've had enough of your crap, bitch, back away from my daddy or else!" I've never seen him act so aggressively before. (He mauls his little sister routinely but it's all in play -- he definitely wasn't playing with the chihuahua!)
I'm not quite sure what to take away from the experience. Jake has interacted happily with many other dogs, at our house and elsewhere, though this was the first to seek my attention. I have no idea whether or not he would've actually attacked the other dog; he surely gave every indication he was about to.
Most confusingly, I'm not really sure I can blame him, trying to join us in our bed is about as invasive as it gets, right? Daphne should've known she was on thin ice when Jake locked eyes with her, she had to know she was pushing her luck. Was his behavior inherently wrong?
-Mark
Daphne is accustomed to sleeping on the bed with her people, so at bedtime the first night she was here, she hopped on up; Jake tried to intimidate her by raising up and then planting his forepaws right beside her. She growled so I put her out on the couch for the night.
The next night Daphne waited until my Shelties were asleep before joining us in bed. When my dogs woke up there was some tension but not too bad, and Daphne bailed out of it immediately. This went on until the last night she was here.
On the last night, Jake was dozing but not sound asleep yet when she hopped up, about 18" from me. He opened his eyes and looked at her, without moving. Then Daphne moved to within 6" of me, Jake lifted his head and stared straight at her. She moved once more, placing her paws on my shoulder. Jake jumped up, ears angled back, hackles raised, tail straight, teeth bared, growling and barking. Daphne cowered and trembled. (She had stood her ground every other time she was confronted; Jake outweighs her by a factor of 8!)
I commanded Jake to lay down, but he ignored me, so I grabbed his collar and tossed Daphne off the bed. She ran and Jake tried to chase her (as I knew he would.) "Jake," I said sharply as I pulled him back. That got his attention, he went back to submissive body language, and laid down when I told him to again. I closed the bedroom door for the night.
The last day they mostly avoided each other and it was peacful, though I took Jake with me to the store because I didn't want to leave them alone together. I reunited Daphne with her family when I picked my parents up at the airport, and after I dropped them off at home, I breathed a sigh of relief that Daphne was still in one piece.
Apparently my sweet little Jake was saying, "I've had enough of your crap, bitch, back away from my daddy or else!" I've never seen him act so aggressively before. (He mauls his little sister routinely but it's all in play -- he definitely wasn't playing with the chihuahua!)
I'm not quite sure what to take away from the experience. Jake has interacted happily with many other dogs, at our house and elsewhere, though this was the first to seek my attention. I have no idea whether or not he would've actually attacked the other dog; he surely gave every indication he was about to.
Most confusingly, I'm not really sure I can blame him, trying to join us in our bed is about as invasive as it gets, right? Daphne should've known she was on thin ice when Jake locked eyes with her, she had to know she was pushing her luck. Was his behavior inherently wrong?
-Mark
i have the same issue with my american eskimo dog and schipperke the eskie is always trying to get iam my face when i am petting thunder.