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Re-post from the bump - behavioral therapy for dogs?
Hello - I'm a newb on the bump boards where this was originally posted and someone suggested I re-post it here. Copy&paste of the original...
So to make a long story short(ish), SO and I will be combining households soon, meaning his dog and my dog will be living under the same roof. My dog is used to being an only child, admittedly she is spoiled, and she has not taken well to SO's dog being around. We're together every night whether it's his house or mine, and her behavior is the same at either house. She does not want attention split, she sits and guards us if the other dog tries to get attention while we're on the sofa, and she snarls and occasionally nips at him.
It breaks my heart because for one thing she really is a sweetheart cuddle bug, and it's entirely my fault for not socializing her enough. Sometimes she does great with other dogs, but it's random and unpredictable. SO's dog is also a sweetie, such a good boy, and very tolerant of mine - he has never retaliated, just takes it or ignores her. He tries sometimes to approach or play with her and she's just not having it. For reference, she's 6, he's 12.
I'm worried about when the baby comes.. how she'll react or behave. I want everyone in the family, bipeds and quadrupeds alike, to be happy and healthy and well-adjusted, and relocating my dog is just not an option. She's not vicious at all and I'm not worried for the baby's safety but I still want to be proactive and try to help her adjust to all the changes coming her way.
I asked my vet's office for recs and am sad to say the referral lady kinda mocked my request. Dog therapist? You mean like Cesar Milan?
Sigh...
I'm in Baltimore but am willing to travel just about anywhere within reason, so if any of you have recommendations or advice of any kind it would be so very appreciated.
Thank you!!
Re: Re-post from the bump - behavioral therapy for dogs?
Just curious - what kind of dogs are they? Is there a big size differential?
And both are altered, yes?
My Goodness...another food blog. Featuring: Macarons from a old post with a photo taken by my mom for a break from my crappy food photos!
The girl's a small mish-mosh, weighs about 13lbs, the boy is a lab 85lbs, spayed and neutered as puppies.
Ok, so given that it's a small dog - I think i can pretty safely assume that you kinda treat her like your baby, yes?
NILF is usually the first thing to try. The pets board has a FAQ with some good links.
http://sites.google.com/site/petsboardfaqs/home/training-and-behavior
She obviously thinks that she has a right to your attention, her spot on the couch, etc. Getting it into her head that those are privlidges to be earned might help her get her act together a little.
Beyond that here is a previous post with training/behaviorist recs from Link and NMD.
http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/58450672.aspx?MsdVisit=1
ETA: there is also a point though where you have to accept your dog's personality for what it is. Not all dogs will like each other. If that means you have to have times when the dogs are seperated - so be it. It's not the end of the world to have a baby gate/crate to keep things calm, and it's pretty much essential once you have a crawling baby.
My Goodness...another food blog. Featuring: Macarons from a old post with a photo taken by my mom for a break from my crappy food photos!
I think sometimes the breed of dog is more important than the size. I have a dalmatian and she is very protective, but that is a characteristic of her breed. I know when I have kids, it will be very hard for her since she does everything with me. She is pretty good with other dogs, but when they are yappy, she gets annoyed. Maybe that is what the bigger dog is dealing with. What are the breeds that you have?
Pretty much - or a mini me. I was diligent in training her when she was still a puppy so she knows commands and she's obedient when we walk, I can take her off the leash when/where it's appropriate, she's house trained and hasn't reverted with any of that since the new dog's been around.. but I'm realizing the socializing bit was/is completely missing, as are some essential boundaries. It's also been just me and her for a while and she's small so having her on the couch, or in the bed, basically going wherever I go - none of it seemed like an issue, or a potential issue down the road. But I can see now that she thinks we're roommates and she has free reign and that's going to be an uphill battle to break.
Thank you for the advice though - and I didn't even realize there was a pet board. These sites are 1,000 layers deep.
good luck! Integrating households is always an adventure, even without pets that don't love each other.
My Goodness...another food blog. Featuring: Macarons from a old post with a photo taken by my mom for a break from my crappy food photos!