I hope someone can help me...

[Sudilar]

Congratulations to you for saving Maggie's life. I would give her a little time. I think that things will probably work out. She was stressed from being at the shelter,I'm sure, so she's very anxious to get to be friends with PJ. I think crating for a short time might also help. I used that method for about a month and it worked. Good luck! Don't give up on her.

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[sammi]

Your new girl is a sweetheart! You have got lots of good advice and hope it works out in time.

[Daisy's Mom]

Well you have a lot of great information! Good luck with Maggie. She's adorable!

[PJ's Mom]

Hi and thanks to everyone for the kind words and inspiration. Unfortunately, Maggie didn't work out for us. She attacked PJ, right after they had just finished playing ball outside. I did find her a good home with a family who has a little girl, and no other pets. I think they'll treat her with lots of love and attention.

I adopted another dog from the shelter yesterday. I'd like to tell you what kind she is, but to be honest, I'm really not sure. We're going to the vet tomorrow for an identification, and shots, so we'll know then. This one (her name is Bailey) is very calm, and is starved for attention. (Believe me, with 6 people living here, she gets plenty of that!)

I only have one concern as far as her behavior, and that is she shows her teeth to PJ when she's eating, or chewing her rawhide bone. PJ is not the type to ever go after anything she has, and in both instances, he was only sniffing her. The funny thing is, she never growls or barks at him. She only shows her teeth, or snaps.

I have one other fear that will be cleared up tomorrow. She's got a cough. I'm praying it's not due to heartworms.

I'll let you know how she is, and post a picture tomorrow if I can.

[aly]

She probably has kennel cough(bordatella or tracheobronchitis). Most cases of kennel cough can be cleared up without antibiotics. A lot of vets prefer that it not be treated because it could lead to resistance problems and difficulty treating things like pneumonia.

She sounds like she is food/toy aggressive. You might want to be very careful with this and make sure she is not that way toward your children. It sounds like she wouldn't bite but I would still watch her carefully.

[PJ's Mom]

You were right, Aly. It's only kennel cough, thank goodness. She has to take cough syrup twice a day until it's gone.

The vet said she appears to be about 2 years old, and about the only distinguishable breed in her is Springer Spaniel.

She's turning out better than we had hoped, and I think she's learning how to play with toys. She's so much fun!

[Sudilar]

Hooray!!!!

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[Daisy's Mom]

I am so glad her cough was nothing serious. Keep on havin' fun with her!

[PJ's Mom]

Update on Bailey...

This dog is an absolute joy! She already has a favorite toy, (a tiny vibrating bunny) and she's learning how to share it with PJ. She still has a problem sharing attention with him, though. I hope I can break her of the habit of showing her teeth when she's getting attention and he wants some, too. They're both attention hounds, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with both of them. Thank goodness I have the kids here to help!

She has one very cute habit that I find irresistable. Bailey is a morning dog, and PJ likes to sleep late. When PJ finally gets around to getting up, Bailey is so happy and excited to see him that she almost shakes her rear end off! Unfortunately, the most PJ will do is look at her in disgust. LOL

I think she'll work out just fine.

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If you own a dog, you'd better have a sense of humor.

[Corinna]

Could baily's showing her teeth be a smile? My merlin smiles so much hubby calls him smily dog.

[PJ's Mom]

That sounds so cute! I wish it was a smile, but today she showed her teeth and then snapped at him, and all he was doing was sniffing her foot.

[This message has been edited by PJ's Mom (edited June 15, 2001).]

[RachelJ]

In our house we call this "the lip". Both our dogs occasionally do it to each other. It is a warning that means "stop it"...stop sniffing my foot, stop playing with that toy, I want it. Part of this is a way for the dogs to work out their relationship with each other. Like kids, it is hard to figure out when to intervene, and to give advice without being there is a little risky. But what I do when I feel one of my dogs is being unreasonably testy is admonish that dog in a tone of voice that shows I am not going to tolerate that. "Hannah, I don't want to see any lip out of you!" "No LIP!"
Your dogs are still in an period of working out who is what in terms of status. Obviously Bailey wants to be top dog and there is nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't mean that she should be allowed to take advantage of him. If it is of any comfort to you, Hannah and Tucker had what seemed like was going to be a tendency to get into fights in the beginning. I actually had to pull them apart several times. But over the weeks the tendency decreased and then eventually completely disappeared. Now they are inseparable. Remember Bailey has been through a lot. She sounds like a wonderful dog. Give her a chance to learn the ropes of getting along with PJ and living in a new household. You have to help her learn.

[Sudilar]

Shiloh still gets the growl and lip from Killian when she is too close to his food or bone. Rightly so because in the blink of an eye, she snatches up whatever and runs with it. Yesterday Killian picked up his whole food bowl and moved it into the front room away from her. I can't help but laugh. They work it out. She's a pest, but he's a gentle alpha! Dogs, gotta love em'!

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[PJ's Mom]

I love the fact that I can come in here and someone always knows what to say to make me feel better.

I want so much for this to work out, but since I've only had Bailey less than a week, maybe I'm expecting too much too soon. I'm glad to see it's normal, and that it even happens between dogs who have lived together for a long time.

Thanks, everybody.