To Carrie

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Carrie, as I told you before Daisy is her usual self, nothing seems to bother her, she has gotton over the attack from the dog next door, however
We are having a problem with Perry he has got quite aggressive, towards other dogs, kids and people in general, but especially other dogs. If we go to the Vet he wants to attack every dog in the office, if we take him for a walk, the same thing. If we have people over, he goes crazy. I think it's a protection thing with him, but not sure. Since we are retired it's not hard for us to deal with because we don't have many people over or he is not out in public much, but I worry about him, I do believe he will bite if given the chance. He gets very excited. We did take him to a behaviorist and nothing came of it, she put a big stuffed dog in the room and told Don to walk up to it saying all the time good dog, good dog, but Perry is very smart and knew it was a stuffed dog, lol. He didn't bother with it. What do you think?
Jackie, Perry and Miss Daisy

[carrie]

Oooooo - Jackie.....you already know what I think don't you?

You have a choice, keep treating the dogs as you always have and deal with the behaviour you have at the moment or have a major shake up (yep - that does mean no more sleeping on chairs and beds for them) and you will see a different story. I wish I could give you, of all people, a magic wand to make it better but it 'aint going to happen unless you are prepared to change the habits of a life time honey.

Perry is doing his job - he thinks of himself as pack leader and yet he knows that he can't cut it at the top. Having a go at everything that comes near is his way of trying to prevent a threat to the pack. The only way to stop it is to take the responsibility off his shoulders.

Sorry - I guess you were hoping that I had something different to say. Lots of love to you anyhoo!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Thanks Carrie, it's really hard for me to change my ways, I understand what you are saying in my brain, I know you are right, it's my heart that won't let me act on it. I guess I'm always wanting to keep them happy and safe. I felt somehow I was to blame for not being home on that day they got attacked and now
I'm trying to make up for it by being overly protective and allowing them to do whatever they want. You would think I was talking about a child, lol. I appreciate you taking the time to answer, I knew what you would say, lol, and I know you are still right.
Jackie, Perry and Miss Daisy

[carrie]

What happened wasn't your fault at all. We can not control the actions of those people living near us or predict everything that they will do. Your neighbour was at fault, not you. Without a crystal ball there was no way that you could of forseen those events and the actions you took after the event saved your dogs great suffering and further damage. You did a good job in a terrible situation - it could of turned out very differently.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I know your right Carrie, but I think I will carry that scene in my mind for the rest of my days, I do believe it has affected me more mentally than it did them. I know I am overprotective of them now, and it's even hard for me to leave them home in the house when we go out for a couple of hours. I guess in the long run I probably need the behaviorist more than they do, lol. Please don't scream,,, but I will tell you anyway,,, we just bought a king size bed so we all have more room, lol. I can hear you screaming from England yeeeeeeeowwwww right now, as Logan says I am hopeless, I know, I know.
Love Ya
Jackie

[micki76]

Jackie, I don’t mean to but into the post here but you really need to get a grip on the situation before it gets out of hand. I, of all people understand aggressive little dogs. See below in signature for visual!

We’ve had so many problems with this exact type of behavior with Chester. Trust me, it only took a few days of sleeping on the couch or in a dog bed for him to get the message. We also don’t feed the dogs until we have eaten (everything except the no bed rules apply to this day) and they must sit or go into a down for anything food related. If Chester has a relapse (and he does occasionally) we require a sit or down for anything. It is difficult, but I know that I must do it. It’s my job to do this, just as it is a mother’s job to punish her skin kids and keep them inline for their own benefit.

I don’t mean to sound preachy, but I just wanted to reinforce what Carrie said and let you know that I do understand your problem.

Good luck!

BTW - they do all sleep in the bed with us now and we've had smooth sailing for quite some time now *knocks wood*

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Thanks for your input Micki, Perry is well behaved as far as we are concerned, in other words he sits before snacks, sits before he has his dinner, he sleeps downstairs either in his crate or on the couch, his choice, he refuses to sleep on the bed and I have taught him to sit up for a treat, lie down, shake paws and crawl. However it is in regard to other dogs, strange people and especially kids that he is so aggressive, although we met some friends from our msn Group in Palm Springs and I was so nervous that he would do something and he took right to them and she even picked him up, I was astonished he was o.k. with it and from then on he would go to them, so I'm not sure how he will react with different people or kids, but def does not like other dogs. I appreciate your trying to help.
Jackie

[lizbud]

Hi Jackie,

Just wanted to make a few comments. #1 is I don't think a
dog ever gets "over" or forgets about a attack by another dog,
especially one as vicious as Perry & Daisy endured. My gosh
they amost died. #2 is I think Perry's doing remarkably well
considering what he's been through. I'll bet the person that did
pick him up was a real dog lover & he was able to trust them
by their voice or actions. I'm so happy that Perry & Daisy are
doing so well. Hugs from Liz & Smokey.

[Logan]

I must add a word or two......

If Jackie is "hopeless", which I told her she was, when I heard she and Don got a king sized bed because of the dogs, I am hopeless too!!! My dogs don't sleep in the bed with Scott and me, but understand that no bed is big enough for all those dogs, plus the two big people!!

Mine are spoiled rotten, and yes, Carrie would want to shoot me too for the way I treat them!!!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Sorry I didn't get back, thanks Liz and Logan, I love Carrie and I know she loves me, but no doubt about it I'm hopeless, lol, lol.
I have to laugh, Carrie is such a wonderful animal behaviorist, a purist, and I am so opposite, lol I treat Perry and Daisy like furkids, lol. Good thing we don't live in the same country I think I would give her nightmares, lol she couldn't sleep just dreaming of those dogs in the big King size bed, lol, lol.
Sorry Carrie, lol, not really, lol.
Logan, that's just because you are still on your honeymoon, lol, wait till you get older, you will love that nice warm fur next to you, lol, lol.
Jackie

[carrie]

You guys know I can read this, right?????
LOL

You are so right that I love you, I really do. I also think that if the behaviours that Perry exhibits were a mega problem or if you could see that he was really distressed with anything in his life then you would act to sort it out for him. To my mind there is nothing like that going on or you would of changed things - you are happy, the dogs are happy, Don is happy. Life could be a lot worse?!
(In fact, I think it is only me that isn't so chuffed with your situation!!!!!!)

[jackiesdaisy1935]

OMG Carrie read my post, lol, wow I'm in trouble now. Carrie just kidding about the big King bed, lol, lol, Awwww no I'm not, I have to tell the truth, we did buy a King size bed so the kids would have more room to sleep, yes I feel terrible about it, awww the truth, no I don't. lol I would love to see your face when you read about the big bed, lol. I think, if you could, you would wring my neck, but, thank goodness, you are across the big pond lol. The truth is I do love you and I do respect your work with dogs, I'm just incorrigible and I can't even spell that, lol.
Jackie, Perry and Miss Daisy

[carrie]

Jackie, in your favour is the fact that you can make me laugh until I have tears rolling down my face!!!

[K9karen]

You 2 are a riot!

[jackiesdaisy1935]

O.K. Karen, time for you to tell the truth, you sleep in the big bed with Klo too huh, huh? Carrie if she says no, she is telling a fib, I think she does. lol
Do I dare tell you that Daisy and I have reversed rolls, she sleeps in my rocking chair and I sit on the couch, I play ball with her and she only brings it back half way and I fetch the rest, when I call her she won't come, we had a bark talk and she said I could be alpha with Don, but not with her, but she does understand that Perry is alpha too. Does this all make sense? Not to you I'll bet, lol.
You take care over there in Merry Ole England.
Jackie