Life With My Dog

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Postby hugapitbull » September 11th, 2011, 2:09 pm

Well obviously I was a bit premature with my celebration. Bob took a pillow from under him a few hours later and Duke went after Bob snarling and barking. One step forward, two steps back. :nono:
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Postby iluvk9 » September 11th, 2011, 3:07 pm

hugapitbull wrote:Well obviously I was a bit premature with my celebration. Bob took a pillow from under him a few hours later and Duke went after Bob snarling and barking. One step forward, two steps back. :nono:


But I see it as two different behaviors....One with him letting you rub his stomach and the other with Bob taking something from him. They aren't related behaviors, and his reactions are individual ones.

Hang in there! :)
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Postby mnp13 » September 11th, 2011, 6:48 pm

I was just about to post EXACTLY what Joyce did!

It was months before Riggs would remain laying down if we were moving around the room at all. It was weeks before he'd expose his belly at all, if we were sitting on the couch not moving, he would lay on his side, but if we made any sudden noise or movement he'd be upright immediately. It was over six months before I touched him when he was laying down. We still can't actually roll him over, or even move him to his side - or he gets rather... upset.

Funny enough, I can pick him up and flip him over in my arms, and carry him around upside down. lol
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Postby iluvk9 » September 11th, 2011, 8:59 pm

mnp13 wrote:I was just about to post EXACTLY what Joyce did!


See? I have learned a lot here. :dance:
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Postby hugapitbull » September 11th, 2011, 11:19 pm

Thanks ladies. I know each of his actions and/or reactions are individual. It just takes me off guard when he has been doing so well, and really making noticeable improvement and then just pulls the rug out from under me. I guess I expected at some point he would stop acting like he wants to eat one of us, maybe that is an unrealistic expectation for him.
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 » September 11th, 2011, 11:31 pm

hugapitbull wrote:I guess I expected at some point he would stop acting like he wants to eat one of us, maybe that is an unrealistic expectation for him.

Almost five and a half years, and Riggs flips out at one of us at least once a month. :|

It's just management, and understanding that he's not all there all the time. Quite frankly, most people would have been over and done with him looooong ago, and wouldn't blame anyone for that choice. It's hard to deal with a dog that does unpredictable things. Actually, not unpredictable at all (I can write a list of what sets him off) but sometimes he's more tolerant than other times so I let my guard down and we have another episode...
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Postby Malli » September 12th, 2011, 12:15 am

What do you do when Riggs has an episode, out of curiosity? Several of the dogs I work with seem like what you're describing in Riggs.
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Postby mnp13 » September 12th, 2011, 1:14 am

Tell him to shut the hell up and usually continue on with exactly what I was doing when he got all pissy. Occasionally, has good reason to get mad, but not all that often. However, unless you know the dog very well, I don't recommend that tactic.
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Postby Malli » September 12th, 2011, 1:32 am

I tend to stand my ground and give the dog verbal attitude. Usually works so far...
But its kind of, a, case by case basis.

*** I do not recommend attempting above ***
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Postby mnp13 » September 12th, 2011, 9:46 am

Malli wrote:I tend to stand my ground and give the dog verbal attitude. Usually works so far...
But its kind of, a, case by case basis.

*** I do not recommend attempting above ***

Yup, that's about it. "Shut up, I'm not hurting you."

But like you said, *** I do not recommend attempting above *** It's a big risk, as if you are reading the dog wrong you can put yourself in serious danger and it will be your fault considering the dog was actually trying to warn you.
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Postby Malli » September 12th, 2011, 1:58 pm

yep. You must really love Riggs, I could not imagine living with one of the works dogs. I admire your tolerance.
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Postby mnp13 » September 12th, 2011, 4:18 pm

Malli wrote:yep. You must really love Riggs, I could not imagine living with one of the works dogs. I admire your tolerance.

He's a great dog, has his issues, but don't we all? lol

He was difficult when I got him, and has remained difficult. However, the "what" that is difficult has changed. And my level of bitch is higher than his level of asshole, so we just deal with each other. :wink:

Perfect example - if you try to push/force him onto his side or back he gets pissed off. He'll do anything from growl to thrash around and come up at you. But, if he lays down of his own accord and you pet his stomach and then stop, he waves his front leg at you to get you to start again. However, he will also lay on the couch on his side, wave his leg at you and growl.

Liz was at my house for this one: if he's laying down, and you lay down next to him and put your head on him he growls. If I lay on his bed, he lays down next to me, puts his head under mine and then growls.

A lot of times, his growling is just him vocalizing for no apparent logical reason. If I say "would you shut up" he usually stops. However, it can also quickly escalate past that, which is why if it's anyone other than us is near him when he starts, he gets removed.

All that said, he also takes fair corrections with no problem and is generally pretty easy going and fun.
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Postby amalie79 » September 12th, 2011, 4:40 pm

Robin growls so inexplicably sometimes... If she's laying on the bed on a sheet, and you move your feet to touch her, she growls and jumps, and then comes to snuggle and lick your face. I can't tell if she's just vocalizing, or if she's pissed off at you and coming to say sorry, or what. We kept joking that when you touch her it's like those messin' with sasquatch commercials and her new nickname was born:

Pibsquatch.
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Postby TheRedQueen » September 12th, 2011, 7:13 pm

Sawyer growls all of the time...he's an asshole. Well, he only growls at me...not at John or anyone else. He has a very noisy warning system built in...
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Postby Malli » September 13th, 2011, 2:37 am

the spitzs (karelian bear dogs) are just, ...weird. Its hard to explain. There are many of them that will turn around and come up at you for something as simple as tripping and running into the back of one of their feet or accidentally stepping on a foot, I'm not talking a yelp, I'm talking, "now I'm going to tell you to f off!"; very reactive all around, and don't even get me started on the redirection in times of any excitedment or frustration.
There is something else, too; dogs that like people, but its almost, superficial - like the relationship is based on liking you for what you can provide : affection, access to the yard, treats.
I'd say that it was environmental or a case of "nuture" but we have a Pit Bull puppy, and from day 1, he has been substantially different then the others (all from the spitz group). The Pit Bull is still substantially different after being with us for months - he just likes people :| Its a bonus if they play or have food, but he'll glad socialize with them anyway. Its really a contrast to see him next to the other breeds

never ever ever ever ever will I own a spitz. I "might" in a blue moon own a very very special icelandic sheepdog or Norweigian Buhund, but other then that, no freaking way.
I'll take my Bulldogs, thanks. Or just not spitzs, lol.
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Postby hugapitbull » September 13th, 2011, 5:54 am

I'm thinking Riggs may be a little more testy than Duke. Duke keeps his contained to every 2-3 months, sometimes even longer. I would like to think Duke will never bite, but just by the behavior continuing, I'm not sure. Michelle, and others keep us plugging along, just by reinforcing with patience it can be done. I've always had friendly dogs, this is just so much a new and quite baffling experience for me. All my being tells me it isn't RIGHT to have a dog who will jump up, stare you in the eye, and bark and snarl like he will eat you!

That said, we can touch his feet and lift his legs, so he has made progress. We can lean over him. We can wake him. We can examine the little growth on his upper thigh, but still cannot attempt to put anything on it. His list of triggers isn't that long, but we never know when a new one will surface - like taking the pillow from him. :|

Thank you all for commenting here. It is extremely helpful to know there are others out there.
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 » September 13th, 2011, 9:16 am

hugapitbull wrote: All my being tells me it isn't RIGHT to have a dog who will jump up, stare you in the eye, and bark and snarl like he will eat you!

Ah, but there we differ. I honestly don't have a "problem" with it, it is what it is. Some of it is learned, some of it is his personality. But make no mistake, though it's frightening when it happens, if he wanted to eat you, he would have already. He's just saying "HEY, knock that crap off! Oh, ok you stopped, works for me."

With Riggs, it's looking at what I'm doing when he flips out. If the warning was warranted, I stop. If it wasn't I tell him to shut up and continue to do whatever I was doing. Of course, every so often he gives me a total freekin heart attack, so it's not an exact science.
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Postby mnp13 » September 13th, 2011, 9:21 am

So, this morning, I took the dogs out, then put them in their crates so I could go to work. I usually give them treats - sometimes before I close the door, sometimes after.

I shut Riggs' crate door, then gave him his treat through the side window. Then I went to shut Ruby's crate door, oops, forgot the treat. Grabbed her treat and stuck my hand in the door. She didn't take it. So I said, "Ruby, come on... take the stupid thing." and waved it around. Didn't take it.

Looked in the crate. No Ruby. Call her. No Ruby. Oh crap, did she decide to go through the screen and I didn't hear her? Nope. Front door (3x8 foot screen) is intact. WTF... Look closer in Riggs' crate, yup, there she is, in there with him. That would have been a fun day for the two of them!!
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Postby Malli » September 13th, 2011, 12:56 pm

omg. Ruby! Get out of Riggs' crate. I wonder who got the treat!? :shock:
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07
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Postby hugapitbull » September 13th, 2011, 5:55 pm

mnp13 wrote:
hugapitbull wrote: All my being tells me it isn't RIGHT to have a dog who will jump up, stare you in the eye, and bark and snarl like he will eat you!

Ah, but there we differ. I honestly don't have a "problem" with it, it is what it is.


I am trying so hard to get to this. I hear what you say when you tell me if he were going to bite he would have already, and obviously I believe it on some level, or else he would have been history long before.
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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