Of course, she's not perfect and I've been told, neither am I. But, I confess that I do have an obsession with trying to be. I figure if we can at least get close then we are doing okay. I am being cheeky here. It is just that it is coming up to a year since PG has bounded onto the scene and she has come a long, long way. But she still has a few itsy, bitsy, teeny, tiny issues. Here is one of them that I could use some input on. With most dogs her size or bigger she is very docile and playful but with smaller dogs she is a bit rough. She tries to step on them and growls. After a few minutes, everything is okay and they start playing, but she is still too rough for the little ones. In almost one year, I haven't seen any serious aggression but I admit, I am a little tense and watchful when she is around smaller dogs. I am hoping that with more exposure this will work itself out and I always stay at the ready to intervene if necessary.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Be-HAVE !
Of course, she's not perfect and I've been told, neither am I. But, I confess that I do have an obsession with trying to be. I figure if we can at least get close then we are doing okay. I am being cheeky here. It is just that it is coming up to a year since PG has bounded onto the scene and she has come a long, long way. But she still has a few itsy, bitsy, teeny, tiny issues. Here is one of them that I could use some input on. With most dogs her size or bigger she is very docile and playful but with smaller dogs she is a bit rough. She tries to step on them and growls. After a few minutes, everything is okay and they start playing, but she is still too rough for the little ones. In almost one year, I haven't seen any serious aggression but I admit, I am a little tense and watchful when she is around smaller dogs. I am hoping that with more exposure this will work itself out and I always stay at the ready to intervene if necessary.
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3 comments:
First of all - i think it quite fitting that you were first to find and post on my new blog. And I thank you. I'm going to make it more visible this week, but wanted to get a feel for it first.
Secondly, that's funny that PonyGirl is the exact opposite of Scarlett Grey. Scarlett seems to assume that any dog her size or larger would want her to jump on the heads and forcefully wrestle with them. With smaller dogs, she's never too sure how to play with them so it's always a slow start and she follows their lead. I have to watch her though because if they seem jumpy, she doesn't tone things down so it's usually too rough for the smaller dogs. Unless they're runners- she had a great time in the dog park with a little Dachshound.
My only suggestion would be to take a good look at the types of smaller dogs she's interacted with. Are they aware of their smaller size & timid, aware of their smaller size and feisty, or bold and brave with no clue to their smaller size?
It may make a difference. Depending on how PG "reads" other dogs, she may not immediately read the smaller breeds as dogs. I've seen some large dogs view small dogs as prey. Some learn, some don't.
My Indiana had a little Sheba Inu for a best friend so she learned to always respect the smaller breeds. That Sheba was tough and her sheba scream put Indie in her place!
Little fluffy white dogs, however, always confused Indie. She would follow them around, paw them as if they were toys, a little pounce sometimes, and never changed her whole life. Just little white fluffy dogs. She loved them, but I was always cautious in case she decided they were toys rather than dogs.
Indie was also nervous around puppies for a long time because she just didn't "get them". But she learned. I had a special voice and reaction to puppies to help her learn to be gentle.
I imagine you are correct in thinking it's an exposure thing. And you and PG will learn from each other. First you'll learn what her specific trigger is and how to respond, then you'll teach her how you want her to react.
I have no doubt that you will both get passed this one way or another.
keep us all posted!!
what a cute picture!?!? Now the girl is really coming along. I bet right now she is trying to take your spot in bed! You need to do a blog on all her hair!
Teehee. . .
Heya! Sorry to not have any input on the doggy issue, but I wanted to pop in, check out your blog, stare at your beautiful pics of your beautiful pup and let you know that I am around, reading your entries :)
Missed you!
Big hugs!
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