Weird Behavior

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Postby hugapitbull » May 15th, 2011, 8:12 pm

OK, this is another spin on Duke's baby, (the toy that belonged to Trouble). He still obsesses over this toy, wants to make sure it is in a safe place. Really doesn't like for us to touch it, he tolerates it, but doesn't like it. He cries if we make the toy croak. He will carry it and whine until it stops making noise. :crazy2:

Well, now when he needs to go poop, he will run to get the toy and carries it out the the entranceway with us. He's never tried to take it out, drops it when I get his leash, and leaves it there until we come back in. Then I have to tell him to get baby to bring it back in with him.

If there are any doggie psychologists out there, could you share what is going on with this toy? :| Should we take it away permanently?

My thoughts for what it is worth is to leave him alone as long as he isn't aggressive with his obsession.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble
We beat osteosarcoma - 27 months 20 days cancer free
'Spirit' Trouble departed for the Bridge 3/16/2011 a victim of aging
Visit - http://k9cancer.org

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Postby pitbullmamaliz » May 15th, 2011, 10:00 pm

I'd agree with you. Sounds like it's a security blanket of sorts. I'm sorry he's grieving so hard. :(
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Postby TheRedQueen » May 16th, 2011, 12:34 am

I'm personally not crazy about this sort of behavior...because I don't think it's healthy, regardless of the root cause. And though he isn't showing major guarding behavior, I'd guess that it's just going to get worse (you said he tolerates you guys touching the toy)...and I'd be worried about his behavior with people other than yourselves.

Anytime a dog fixates on something so severely, I'm going to intervene in some manner. I have weirdo herding dogs...and they get fixated VERY easily...so I'm always having to stop behaviors from becoming compulsive.

eta a good write-up that I found:
http://www.thatmutt.com/2008/12/12/my-d ... -her-baby/
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Postby iluvk9 » May 16th, 2011, 5:33 am

That is how Truman gets when he gets a "Bo-Bo". No, not my cat, Bo, but an extra large stuffed animal. :) He carries it, cries and lies near the closet door when I stick Bo Bo in there, drops it when he goes outside, but is obsessed to get right back in and carry it around.

There were moments when I knew I should not take it from him. I had to distract him with a cookie so I could put it away. But being a Labrador-something-er-other, I never feared him becoming aggressive towards me.

Have you washed the toy so it won't smell like Trouble? :|
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Postby mnp13 » May 16th, 2011, 9:40 pm

TheRedQueen wrote:I'm personally not crazy about this sort of behavior...because I don't think it's healthy, regardless of the root cause. And though he isn't showing major guarding behavior, I'd guess that it's just going to get worse (you said he tolerates you guys touching the toy)...and I'd be worried about his behavior with people other than yourselves.

Anytime a dog fixates on something so severely, I'm going to intervene in some manner. I have weirdo herding dogs...and they get fixated VERY easily...so I'm always having to stop behaviors from becoming compulsive.


I agree with Erin. He "tolerates" you touching the toy, and that's the word that is troubling to me. I can identify with many of the behaviors that you have posted about with him, I recognize a lot of them with Riggs. He could go on "tolerating" or he could decide to not tolerate any more... and that's when something could go badly.

I think the next time he puts it down, it should probably disappear.
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Postby furever_pit » May 16th, 2011, 10:12 pm

I'd take the toy away permanently too.
Like others have said, the fact that he feels he has any right to merely tolerate you having something that he clearly thinks is his is a problem.
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Postby BigDogBuford » May 17th, 2011, 2:25 pm

Yep, I'd send the toy off to a farm where it can run and run.
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Postby hugapitbull » May 17th, 2011, 5:36 pm

I put baby away this morning before I left for work. I truly respect the advice of the long timers on this board, particularly the trainers.

And Michelle, I think Duke and Riggs were littermates in a previous life :)
Shanna & Spirit Trouble
We beat osteosarcoma - 27 months 20 days cancer free
'Spirit' Trouble departed for the Bridge 3/16/2011 a victim of aging
Visit - http://k9cancer.org

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain--and most fools do. ~Dale Carnegie
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Postby furever_pit » May 17th, 2011, 5:44 pm

How has Duke been since you took the baby away?
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Postby hugapitbull » May 17th, 2011, 8:39 pm

furever_pit wrote:How has Duke been since you took the baby away?


He's fine. A couple of times we noticed him looking about like he was looking for it, but not frantically. He's a good boy, still trying to develop his own personality being the only dog.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble
We beat osteosarcoma - 27 months 20 days cancer free
'Spirit' Trouble departed for the Bridge 3/16/2011 a victim of aging
Visit - http://k9cancer.org

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain--and most fools do. ~Dale Carnegie
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Postby mnp13 » May 17th, 2011, 9:40 pm

hugapitbull wrote:And Michelle, I think Duke and Riggs were littermates in a previous life


lol
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