Mikey's newest problem

[Saje]

Ok, you all have heard about Mikey by now.

My newest concern is that he seems to be getting a lot more agressive. I know I can't expect changes at all because he is an older dog that just got neutered and that even if he does change it will take some time.

But he has been more agressive with my other dog Maverick who puts up with it unless he really wants something. And at night Maverick has taken to guarding the bedroom door and not letting Mikey in easily.

Mikey may be frustrated from being kept tied up. I don't mean all the time. He goes outside on the line a few times a day and is inside most of the time. He goes for one LONG walk (2-3 hours) with Steve pretty much everyday.

According to steve my landlady's other dog, Abby, decided to follow them o their walk and Mikey was picking on Abby a lot. He didn't hurt her but Steve had to stick a stick in his mouth to get him to let go at one point. That, to me, is very bad and it worries me.

I really love my dog and want him to have a long, comfortable life but he frustrates me and my bf and while we do our best to train him and help him I'm afraid that it's not enough.

Does anyone have any ideas or advice on why he's acting this way? I think that both him and Maverick are jealous of each other at times.

I could realize use others perspective on this.

Thanks
Saje

 

[Renee750il]

Perspective: Mikey's just now getting to an "adult" age and he's in the process of working out his adult place in the world. These last couple of weeks have been pretty stressful, too, and he's coping with lots of changes.

He's probably on a bit of a puppy power trip after his little altercation, too, and Maverick's not buying into his tough-dog act. And you're probably right on the money about the jealously. They do get jealous sometimes!

It might help to have some sofa time with both of the boys together, one on each side of you and lots of affection for both. Later, after Mikey's hormones have settled back down into a more manageable level, you can figure out some kind of non-competitive game that both of them can play together with you.

Guess Mikey's got some time-outs in his immediate future . . .

 

[Saje]

Yeah. Thanks Renee. That makes me feel better. I think I get paranoid about his 'pitbull' look. Not because I'm afraid of him but because I'm afraid of what could happen if other people judged him wrong.

I like the idea of couch time with both the dogs and if our 'guest' ever gives us the couch back I'll spend all kinds of time with them.

I wonder how old Mikey really is. I think just over a year. By his actions alone. At the shelter they guessed he was around 10 months but you know they aren't always the best for those sorts of things. The SPCA decided that Maverick was a rottie! LOL

Oh well, thanks for the perspective.

 

[Renee750il]

Oh, we have the occasional fracas here! I've got a bad habit if jumping right in the middle of the argument, even though I know they aren't making any attempt to actually bite each other, just a lot of noise and posturing.

Lord, it gets loud, though! And it looks awful - especially when Bimmer's chastising one of them for something! Gives a whole new meaning to "much wailing and gnashing of teeth!" The girls wail, squeal and whimper as he gnashes his teeth in their face. And they're SOOO much bigger than he is, lol!

 

[Saje]

LOL That's a funny thing to imagine.

Maverick and Mikey just had an odd little spat over food. I don't even understand it because Maverick was eating (they graze all day as they are both light weights) and he growled but Mikey was over by me and as soon as Maverick growled Mikey hop-pivoted around and ran over to the food and started eating. Maverick wasn't even looking and he never growls and the cats or people - just Mikey. Weird.

Now, Maverick has this new little 'thing' that he does. I frequently work in a fake-lazy boy chair (old and not comfy) and Maverick has been sneaking around behing the table next to the chair and throwing his head on my arm. THen if I ignore him he throws his head on my chest and makes his head really heavy and if I still ignore him (just for fun) and starts licking my face and ear. Hee hee hee. I just ignored him while I was typing this and he's laying and sulking on the floor. What a goof.

 

[Renee750il]

I think Maverick and Shiva have been chatting on the internet while we're not around.

 

[Saje]

LOL I don't think Maverick is fond of those new-fangled things. Although he was staring pretty hard at the screen the other day. Reading over my shoulder no doubt! LOL

 

[CreatureTeacher]

I agree fully with Renee. Mikey's just got a lot on his plate right now. The hormones are probably a huge part of it, because it sounds like you neutered him just as he hit puberty. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I'm all for spaying and neutering any and every poochie I can get my hands on. But that's a pretty massive chemical fluctuation, and I know from my own hormone experiences what something like that can do to your mood.

 

[Saje]

LOL Yeah. Hormones = nuts! Hee hee hee

You should see Mikey right now. Steve is bathing maverick because he had brown something all over him and that's never good. His uncle is helping so maverick and two men are locked in the bathroom and Mikey is jealous! He keeps whining and scratching at the door to get in. I think I'll take a pic and post it. Pretty funny!

BTW you both really made me feel better. I appreciate that.

 

[CreatureTeacher]

Maybe you ought to take this opportunity to have a little "us" time!

And I'm sure glad you feel better. Things can only go up!

 

[Saje]

I missed the pic because as soon as he saw me he bounded down the hall to tell me he was locked out. And to jump up on me and whine.

Mikey has lots of 'us' time. He actually is on the bed a lot more than maverick. Under the covers sometimes. Maverick's so big and permanently wet it just doesn't work all the time. I'm leaving for a week and when I get back I'll play with Mikey lots. seems the more attention he gets the more he wants! I've never seen him try to 'get away'

 

[CreatureTeacher]

Aww, I love Mikey!
As a big softy, I thought he might enjoy a little extra attention for all he's going through. But of course you already do that. (After my last boy's neutering experience, we went straight to MacDonalds and split our favorite ice cream! It may not have made a lot of sense in his little brain, but it made me feel better!)

 

[Saje]

LOL Mikey had liver (which he didn't like at all) chicken gizzards (which he didn't like) yogurt (which he loved) soup bones (which he loved) and then just today he snuck an empty can of creamed corn off the table and licked it clean. What a goof!

Now he's playing out in the yard with Maverick. He may be tied up but he has a looonngggg lead. I think it's about 40 feet. Steve has it tied up so he can almost reach the driveway but not quite. And we sit on the side of the house where we can here him whine when he gets tied up.

I just went out to check on them cuz Maverick is still wet (of course) but he HAD to go outside. They feel so good after a bath. Don't you think that song "I feel good na na na na na" is perfect for after a bath? Well, I don't mind him being outside because it's not quite freezing and he's still moving so I'm not too worried. I'll bring them both in in a minute.

THe story I'm slowly getting at is Mikey was at the far end of the rope and didn't recognize me at first. He gave a woof and started running towards me. Of course he recognized me but it made me think how people who are afraid of dogs could be intimidated by him. He's a very muscular dog! And when he reached me he was practically running on his back legs because he was wanting to stretch up onto my chest and give me a real greeting. It must suck for them to always be talking to our ... hips. I guess that's why they jump up on us all the time.

 

[Renee750il]

ROFL! What an observation, Saje! But you know, they may not really mind 'talking to our hips' as you put it, since their favorite greeting is a butt-sniff!

 

[Saje]

I had thought of that but they don't have butt conversations either like ace ventura! it's just a friendly sniff and then wag wag wag-butt jiggle-chew on ear- or hump hump hump LOL

 

[Renee750il]

Kharma and Shiva have been going through a weird spell for the last three weeks or so. Kharma's been in the throes of false pregnancy, so she's had Bimmer's dedicated interest. The part that's been hard on her though, is that Shiva, SHIVA kept humping her! Kharma would just sit down and turn her head and snark at Shiva, or cry for me to yell at Shiva to leave her alone. That seems to be over now - finally - and Kharma's probably more relieved than any of us, except maybe Bimmer, but the other day Shiva started to take something away from Kharma, who promptly got up, walked behind Shiva and started humping her! I think that was a statement more than anything else, lol. The look on Shiva's face! ROFL!

 

[Saje]

LOL That's so funny. My female cat used to hump my male rabbit. He just looked kind of bewildered and put up with it.

(I'm at my parents now so will not be posting as much for the next few days)

 

[Saje]

Ok. Remember how I mentioned that Maverick has been growling to keep Mikey out of the bedroom at sleepy time? Well, apparently he didn't do that the whole time I was away. And then the night I was back he was doing it again.

And Steve let Mikey sleep in the bed while I was away and he's been letting him sleep in 'his' chair (I think he has two or three) and Mikey has been a LOT more mellow now. He doesn't wake up as early if he can crawl in bed with us and he's quite content to watch us out of the way in his(?) chair.

I know that ideally he would have to get permission to sleep in the bed and on the chair. Is this bad? Because it seems to work. Thoughts?

 

[CreatureTeacher]

I know this might sound silly, but I'll say it anyhow. I've done it both ways with lots of different dogs, and I honestly have found that those allowed in bed or on a particular couch or chair or on all the couches are more content in general. I'm now at the point where there are critters decorating most of my furniture! I think they really appreciate what they think of as one of the ultimate privileges of family-hood--sharing the furniture. And I think my attitude toward them is different, as well. It's more a relationship of emotional equality, and an acknowledgment of their conciousness and "humanity". I think they really pick up on our feelings about them, and this sort of privilege takes some social tension away. Of course, if they start thinking that maybe the couch is theirs to defend, then we have to have a little talk. But mostly I find that watching TV is way more fun through the back of a dog's head.

That's how I feel about it, anyway.

 

[Saje]

That is a good explanation. I think that's exactly how Mikey feels. He happily hops up on the furniture now with kind of a funny look on his face. Maybe he's wondering if it's too good to be true and he's going to get the boot. (metaphorical boot).

If he gets aggressive then we will have to deal with that then. Hopefully, that doesn't happen.

Thanks!