Our pets

[Addie]

My Rusty needs some training. He is ok if people are in our driveway or in the next yard. He just barks at them with his tail wagging, like he's saying Hi. But if they come onto our porch or into our house he barks incessantly and growls, and sometimes actually scares me. I know he's being protective, but I think he should realize when we openly welcome someone into our home, they are OK. I really need to find a way to change this behavior. We know a guy who trains police dogs for a living. Next time I see him I might ask for advice.

Carol, when I come across a dog that acts like that I stand still and let the dog smell my hand all the time talking softly to the dog. Perhaps you could ask your company to do that a couple of times until he gets to know the person.

I realize that it can be an imposition to your company, but like you said, he is protecting his territory. Teddy is very territorial. Even when someone just walks past the door outside, he runs to the door and barks a couple of times. One time a local boy that Teddy knows tried to break into Spike's home. Spike was upstairs sleeping. Teddy was downstairs. His bark was different this time and it woke Spike up. Had the boy just knocked on the door, he would have given his regular bark. But Teddy was smart enough to sense that this kid was up to no good. Spike let the kid break in and caught him red handed.

Being territorial can be a good thing. You just have to teach him when he should use it.

 

[jabbur]

jabbur, Abbie is a real cutie! She's very lucky to get you for her family. Salem will just have to adjust. If she likes a certain treat (even if it's something like lunch meat), maybe it's time to bribe her by offering her that special treat downstairs only. I hope it's no time at all before they're curled up together napping.

I'm hoping it won't take too much longer. I've heard it can take a month or more. I'm just thankful that she's comfortable upstairs and not hiding under the bed.

 

[GotGarlic]

My Rusty needs some training. He is ok if people are in our driveway or in the next yard. He just barks at them with his tail wagging, like he's saying Hi. But if they come onto our porch or into our house he barks incessantly and growls, and sometimes actually scares me. I know he's being protective, but I think he should realize when we openly welcome someone into our home, they are OK. I really need to find a way to change this behavior. We know a guy who trains police dogs for a living. Next time I see him I might ask for advice.

This needs to be stopped right away, before he bites someone. Dogs are pack animals and expect the pack to have a leader. If neither you nor your husband is fulfilling that role, the dog will act out. And he's not learning that this behavior is unacceptable.

The training I described earlier for walking without pulling applies to other commands as well: sit, stay, down, enough (barking, licking, humping, etc.), leave it (when he picks up things he shouldn't), take it (so he won't grab treats or toys until you say it's okay).

We took our first dog to a training class and it works great. The younger they are, the easier it is, though.

 

[jabbur]

This morning the cat and the dog were in our bedroom. Salem for the first time did not run and hide but stood her ground. She has claimed the bedroom and was not happy the dog was in her domain. Lots of hissing, arched back and some swipes without contact. The dog was excited at first but after the first swipe, she lay down all quiet. The cat stalked around her hissing. I was ready to step in if need be but they never got physical. At least the cat is not hiding from the dog anymore. Not sure how this will play out.

 

[GotGarlic]

I think that's a good thing, jabbur. It's pretty normal behavior for a dog and cat that will be living together when they're first getting to know each other. I bet Salem will be head-bumping your dog in a few weeks

 

[CraigC]

Arwin (4 months) and our new little, black boy Strider (10-1/2 weeks). Nap time.

 

[Dawgluver]

Arwin (4 months) and our new little, black boy Strider (10-1/2 weeks). Nap time.

They are so cute! Looks like they enjoy each other's company.

 

[jabbur]

Awww! They look so sweet! Glad they are getting on so well!

There has been progress in the Salem/Abby relationship. Salem has made it to the downstairs landing on her own. She still hasn't made all the way down but just that she was curious enough to come down and stick her head through the railing and sit on the bottom landing for a while was great progress. She still hisses at Abby but they are not as frequent or as strong as last week. I'm becoming more hopeful that they will be able to co-exist in the same household.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Dx's dog often comes over. My oldest cat looks forward to the visits like they were play dates, and yes, after they settle down, they nap together. My youngest, which I got as a kitten, one would think should be fully acclimatized won't have anything to do with the dog and in fact is no where to be found until after the dog goes home again.

 

[GotGarlic]

Medtran, they're so cute! I don't think I'll see our Arwen and Stryder cuddling up like that, but they are buds

 

[taxlady]

Arwin (4 months) and our new little, black boy Strider (10-1/2 weeks). Nap time.

So cute. Is Strider a dog or a cat? I can't tell from the photo.

 

[medtran49]

Strider is a little love/snuggle bug, also a bit of a whiny baby yet but I'm sure he'll grow out of that eventually as he gets more acclimated. He accidentally got locked up in the bathroom for a few minutes earlier tonight. You should have heard the crying and howling, You would have thought he was being killed. Hopefully I'll get some frontal pics soon. He's hard to photograph being so black and needs special lighting to get decent pics of his cute little face. He's just too cute and all you want to do is pick him up and squeeze. The cats like him better because he's not as hyper as Arwen and is not as bad about biting as she is. We have had to pick him up for a time-out from her quite often as she doesn't realize he's can't go and go like she can now. I think we are probably going to have to call in some professional help with her as we just aren't making any progress on breaking her of leading with her mouth and teeth, not mean biting, just that's the way she checks everything out.

 

[medtran49]

So cute. Is Strider a dog or a cat? I can't tell from the photo.

They are both pugs, she's fawn, he's black.

 

[taxlady]

Medtran, they're so cute! I don't think I'll see our Arwen and Stryder cuddling up like that, but they are buds

You gotta be kidding. You have fur family with the same names, albeit spelled differently, as Craig and Medtran's fur family? Wow!

 

[medtran49]

You gotta be kidding. You have fur family with the same names, albeit spelled differently, as Craig and Medtran's fur family? Wow!

Well, Arwen is spelled the same, but Craig has a block and keeps spelling with an "i" instead of an "e", but Strider is spelled differently. They are Lord of the Rings character names.

 

[taxlady]

Well, Arwen is spelled the same, but Craig has a block and keeps spelling with an "i" instead of an "e", but Strider is spelled differently. They are Lord of the Rings character names.

D'oh! I forgot that. Isn't it spelled "Strider" in the Hobbit, etc.? I did just mean the spelling of Strider/Stryder. I was too lazy to figure out the right wording for just the one name.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I love these pics!

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The Tux!

 

[medtran49]

D'oh! I forgot that. Isn't it spelled "Strider" in the Hobbit, etc.? I did just mean the spelling of Strider/Stryder. I was too lazy to figure out the right wording for just the one name.

Yep, with an "i". I had to go look it up after GG wrote about hers being a Stryder.

We had originally picked another puppy from an earlier litter, tiny, very tiny, runt of the litter and his name was going to be Gimli but his fontanel still hadn't closed when it was almost time to bring him home, so she offered to let us pick another puppy from Strider's litter born about 3 weeks later. She had 2 females. Since that can cause severe issues, we took her offer. Fortunately though it finally closed up even though it took a few extra weeks. He was still there, although going to his new home within a week or so, when we picked up Strider. Cute as a little button but SOOO tiny, half the size of Strider even though 3 weeks older. As exuberant as Arwen is, it ended up being a good thing because we would have to have constantly been on top of the 2 of them if we had taken the tiny one.

 

[Domestic Goddess]

The Tux!

Tux is a very pretty cat! Love his name too!

 

[Domestic Goddess]

Arwin (4 months) and our new little, black boy Strider (10-1/2 weeks). Nap time.

Awww, how cute are those furbabies! Love their names too!