An Arf-Arf Here and a Meow-Meow There... E I E I O! - Page 30

curses · #**726** 03-10-2012, 04:35 PM

OMG liv they are soooo little. I'd forgotten how small newborn kittens are. Next time I'll remember to bring my camera and get better pics. Mr Curses isn't happy at all about this decision, however. I have 8 weeks to break him down with cuteness.

Ymir's blood · #**727** 03-10-2012, 05:38 PM

He'll come around!

Now I really am going to have a hard time waiting these two weeks. :yup:

lisarea · #**728** 03-10-2012, 05:56 PM

Based on my extensive experience as a child who was cruelly prohibited from having pets, I can tell you that I had pretty overwhelming success with the tactic of striding up decisively, then putting a cat on my dad's lap and having them work it out between themselves.

Don't even engage in the discussion at that point. Do not let him delegate the task of relaying his decisions onto you. You are not a paid spokesperson. If he wants the adorable, purring little kitty cat on his lap to go LIVE IN A DITCH OR SOMETHING, he can explain that to the kitty himself.

curses · #**729** 03-10-2012, 07:35 PM

Dearest Mzzzzz Pea, that's my usual tactic.

Ymir, I do not have possession of said kitteh yet.

Ymir's blood · #**730** 03-10-2012, 07:39 PM

curses · #**731** 03-10-2012, 07:46 PM

Because bebees wuz just bornded. Thas why.

Ensign Steve · #**732** 03-10-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisarea

Based on my extensive experience as a child who was cruelly prohibited from having pets, I can tell you that I had pretty overwhelming success with the tactic of striding up decisively, then putting a cat on my dad's lap and having them work it out between themselves.

Don't even engage in the discussion at that point. Do not let him delegate the task of relaying his decisions onto you. You are not a paid spokesperson. If he wants the adorable, purring little kitty cat on his lap to go LIVE IN A DITCH OR SOMETHING, he can explain that to the kitty himself.

Works with chihuahuas, too. :aww:

Crumb · #**733** 03-11-2012, 07:17 AM

I am honored that you have named your new little beasty after me. :thanked:

S.Vashti · #**734** 03-17-2012, 10:31 PM

I have a problem I don't know if I can handle.

Tallula is extremely dog aggressive. This was not the impression I got from the Humane Society, rather, that she was a one dog home type of dog. Fucking screw my penchant for literalness, this time.

So after a few trips out to the dog park when no one else was around, we arrived one day when there were two other dogs. My dog language skills being very bad, I interpreted her barking and tail wagging as excitement. However, she then went out into the park and promptly attacked the two dogs, one a Goldendoodle, the other a Belgium Tervulan. Bad things happened, the other two dogs were not killed, but traumatized, and I got bit.

I'm OK, the other two dogs are OK, and Tallula is OK, as far as can be, for a dog that wants to kill other dogs.

I have been on the net looking for resolutions to this issue. The vet gave me the card of one of the best trainers in the area. I called her, and she said she wouldn't be able to help, Tallula needs behavioral therapy. She gave me the name of a group out of Madison, WI that would help. It's quite expensive.

Is Tallula salvageable? I know now she's demonstrating what videos call fear aggression, which means, I think, that she was at one time under a dog fighter. But I'm a novice dog keeper, and I have been reluctant to take her outside for fear she will slip from me and attack other dogs. So her recent walks are short, and totally unfair for her. I need confidence, but don't know where to find it, because I feel untrained about this as well.

livius drusus · #**735** 03-18-2012, 12:31 AM

I've never trained a dog with aggression issues, but you were right that barking and tail wagging indicate excitement. That's part of the problem. She was already wound up before the first butt sniff, so it didn't take much for that to escalate into aggression.

Don't think for a minute that she's not salvageable. Keep looking until you find a trainer who can help you. Check with Pit Bull Rescue and BAD RAP for resources in your area.

Demimonde · #**736** 03-18-2012, 12:34 AM

That is a tough problem, Chris. :hug:

My experience is limited. Dante went through a fear aggressive spell after he was nearly killed in an attack. We had to keep him on leash and away from unfamiliar dogs. We had great success introducing him to friends' dogs on puppy play dates, but the dog park was always too much for him. He was so worried he didn't have any fun.

Can you control T on leash? I went through a period of feeling embarrassed when people would walk up with their dog and Dante would freak out. We we walk, if another dog is coming we cross the street or go another way. If the owner is so stupid as to not take the hint, it is their problem not mine.

It can get better without professional training in my experience. Dante used to be afraid and aggressive towards 85% of dogs after the attack. Now it is only like 10% of dogs, really big ones or ones who are unaltered that freak him out. So it can get better.

Vivisectus · #**737** 03-18-2012, 12:36 AM

First off - don't be afraid to take her for walks. Just keep her on a leash for now, and take it slow. Get yourself a gentle leader, or a similar leash system that puts you more firmly in control of her when you are walking. A regular leash allows her to put her full weight behind any lunge - gentle leaders and other walking tools do not allow her to do that, and will allow you to control her more easily.

This may take a bit of time, and depending on the amount of time and effort you are willing to spend, she may just end up not being the kind of do you let go at a dog-park because of the bad habit she acquired. There is nothing so very wrong with that.

Tackling dog-aggression can be tricky. If it happens out of fear, then a good idea is to make sure you are in control of her and that other dogs cannot attack, and slowly get her used to being around them. Keep her distracted while other dogs are around her with toys, rewards and praise. Once she shows any aggression the fun is over immediately.

Generally it is a good idea to teach her a trick that requires her to pay attention to you. This works in two ways: it makes her pay attention to you in stead of whatever she gets aggressive at, and it also gives her something to do and boosts her confidence. Most pitties have a pretty decent desire to please. So start - every day - making her sit and go down for a treat. Do this at odd times, basically whenever you think about it. Another good one is "guess which hand has a treat by pointing at it with your paw" - anything that you can easily do. Train her a lot - this will be her job. It is easy to do - just find something she covets. I use leftover chicken myself, as both my dogs would kill for it.

Next, when you are out and you see a situation that could be trouble, immediately make her perform the trick. It may help her get used to being around other dogs without having to aggressively focus on them. It also very obviously puts you in control of the situation and shows you are not worried about that other dog, which will help your dogs confidence.

Dont get discouraged - this is a tough one to handle and will take some patience and consistency. Training and gentle desensitisation to having dogs running around should do the trick in the end.

S.Vashti · #**738** 03-19-2012, 01:31 PM

Here's what we've done-signed Tallula up for 4 one-on-one training sessions to deal with the aggression. Starts Saturday.

Next, I've started calling her to my office when I hear her growl and bark, and when she comes, I give her a treat and a rub-down to ease her anxiousness.

Then, I just bought her an antler. Best toy yet, she actually enjoys gnawing on it, and it occupies her and gives her something to do.

Lastly, I bought a treat pouch to take on walks so we can practice paying attention to me when in a new situation. This is beginning to work, she sat for me three times on the first walk. So I'm still committed to keeping her.

SharonDee · #**739** 03-19-2012, 07:04 PM

You need a Rottweiler to keep that pibble company. I have one!

But I kid. The honeymoon is over, though. All I want is a nice, clean house before the folks come up for a visit later this week. I swept and mopped and shampooed carpets yesterday in preparation. Today he went nuts over the dogs next door and splashed mud all over himself before coming in. Grrr! And it was time for me to get ready for work so I couldn't fix anything!

I really wanted to make a good impression with this guy since both parents believe dogs belong in the yard, not in the house. Yeah, I know ... he lives here, they don't. But STILL!

So depressed right now.

Demimonde · #**740** 03-19-2012, 07:25 PM

We have crazy intense winds here and two sweet fluffy dogs showed up on my porch, one red Aussie girl and a malamute boy. I am betting that their fence or gate blew down.

Trying all my usual tricks to find the owners, but I really hope I can get them home before the storms start.

Ymir's blood · #**741** 03-19-2012, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demimonde

We have crazy intense winds here and two sweet fluffy dogs showed up on my porch,

Such an evocative image... :aww:

Demimonde · #**742** 03-20-2012, 01:32 AM

It does have a Windsday quality to it, doesn't it? :giggle:

Okay, you guys aren't even going to believe this.

The storms broke and we sheltered the two pups in our newly secured and cleaned out garage so they would be safe and dry. Contra took the Aussie girl to the vet to scan for microchip, but the big fluffy guy was too skittish to get into the car. She didn't have a chip, :sadcheer:

and the vet comments that she was really skinny with a sort of doubting Thomas look. She is an old thing so I am not chalking it up to abuse or neglect necessarily at that point.

We get home and get them tucked away and sit down to dinner when I get a call. Weirdly enough, it is a girl whose name I recognize from the facebooks but I can't place immediately. Y'ALL SERIOUSLY, IT WAS THE GIRL THAT ADOPTED ANOTHER FOUNDLING WE FOUND TWO YEARS AGO. That is right, hipster tattoo pool table dog! The thing is my facebook friend found the owners of the Aussie girl for us.

Apparently, her owners came home to a blown down gate and were frantically mobilizing to put out flyers. Our adopter was having dinner at our Neighborhood greasy spoon, when the owners came in with a flyer. She was all, "I know that dog, I saw her today on facebook..." and she calls me because she still had my number and sure enough it was a match! How is that for a small world social media miracle? For srs.

So Aussie girl was reunited with her daddy who was ECSTATIC to see her. Since she is old they were really really scared for her getting lost or hit by a car. Turns out they are new to the neighborhood but are serious dog lovers like us who have done the whole fostering foundlings thing before. They paid it forward and it came back to them. That always makes me happy when that happens. :heart:

We are still looking for fluffy boy's family, but he is safe for tonight. I am just so tickled at how this went down. :giggle:

BrotherMan · #**743** 03-20-2012, 02:02 AM

You can't tell me that dogs don't have some kind of extra sense or maybe a dogvine about these things. They know who the nice people are.

Demimonde · #**744** 03-20-2012, 02:26 AM

That is super sweet, Bort. :squeezle:

I am having a dog lovers of the world unite moment.

There was also another factor I became aware of moments ago.

Contra was just telling me in tragic tones how he dropped his pad Thai lunch getting into the truck this morning and it spilled all over the ground. So he had to suffer through cafeteria food at school today. :gah:

I pointed out that his noodle sacrifice prolly was what led the two unrelated dogs to our yard and from there, onto our porch. :giggle:

C is much more philosophical now about the lost pad Thai.

BrotherMan · #**745** 03-20-2012, 02:28 AM

Freud might suggest that Contra P Posto wants more dogs.

Demimonde · #**746** 03-20-2012, 03:46 AM

Oh and I want to crowd source you guys for a second.

Fluffy boy is a beautiful dog, but I do not recognize him as a particular breed. So in all my messages out there I am trying to tag as many breeds that I can possibly consider him to be, or that his owners might consider him to be. The attached pic doesn't do him justice, he is BIG, about sixty lbs, with big feet and really thick luscious fur. He also has a long bushy saber tail.

This is close to my heart because that is a major fear I have if we were ever to lose Sylvie. Searches can only go so far for a "white dog." So if you guys can think of any breeds this guy reminds you of, holler and I will add it to the this.

So far I am tagging as: Aussie Australian shepherd collie husky malamute chow mix black tan tri fluffy.

livius drusus · #**747** 03-20-2012, 04:07 AM

Those look like Keeshond eyes to me.

BrotherMan · #**748** 03-20-2012, 04:15 AM

I'd be tempted to tag Fluffy Boy with rottie-mix and gsd-mix as well, but what do I know of dogs? :shrug:

Also, WHAT A HANDSOME FELLOWE. I sure hope his owners find him soon.

lisarea · #**749** 03-20-2012, 04:18 AM

Maybe a little bit o' Bernese Mountain Dog, even?

lisarea · #**750** 03-20-2012, 05:11 AM

So anyways, I've been ruminating about post-honeymoon adjustments to dogs, in re Messrs. Porter and Dee. And now that I think about it, I have to say I think I've had that experience to some degree with every dog I've had.

We've made a mad ton of adjustments and accommodations to our schedules, our house, and our behaviors that came about when we've gotten a new dog. We always have extensive rules about where and when we take our walks, who we avoid and who is OK, what situations we go into, things like that. They're second nature at this point, so I don't think about them much, but they're all there. And I could probably go room by room and point out the dogcommodations in every space in our house.

But for anything this might be worth, now that you've got me thinking about it, yeah. I've also had a period after the honeymoon but before full integration, where I've been nervous and stressed out and making weird accommodations for new dogs. (Or cats. Or homonculuses. Or lawyers.)

I haven't regretted it. I like my new king sized bed and my kitchen rearrangement (both dogcommodations); and the other things, like not being able to have nice throw pillows, avoiding really big dogs and statues of deers, and not going to dog parks are things I don't mind to the point that I'd actually kind of forgotten about them until you guys reminded me.

I don't know if it matters or anything, but just in case it does, I've always had a kind of stressful stage where I wonder what I've gotten myself into now, but I've always come out of it after a couple of weeks or months and been glad I did. For what that's worth.