Skip is getting nipped!

[Dixie_Girl]

I am hoping this will help with his attitude! He will be neutered within the month! He's is literally driving me nuts with his on again/off again attitude problems. While Toby was alive, he spent most of his time posturing with him. Which usually resulted in a fight as Toby would not give ground to Skip. Outside, they played like best buddies. Skip would even let Toby get him on his back, and they would just mouth each other, chase, play tag, etc. Now that Toby is gone, he has turned his attention to Jackson. As y'all may remember, Skip basically ran Jackson off our bed. But Jackson still gets time on the bed when Skip is outside. Sometimes, Skip sleeps on the floor and Jackson will get on the bed. Now, if I am just sitting on the bed and throwing a toy, Jackson has no prob being on the bed and Skip has no prob letting him. As soon as I lay down and put the covers on, that is some signal for Jackson to get down and Skip to stay. If I throw a toy, and Skip gets it first, as soon as he sees Jackson coming for it, he will drop it, let Jackson get it then chase him back to where ever Jackson goes at that time to give me the toy. So, with toys, he cedes to Jackson. With the bed, Jackson cedes. Then, Skip started giving Jackson the evil eye when he was under his bench. This would cause Jackson to do some growling. But this whole thing is now escalating to the point of actual growling showing teeth and SOME contact. Just today, when I went to the bathroom, Jackson and Missy followed me in, Skip was apparently just behind and when Jackson saw that I was sitting, he went to leave to get a toy. They ended up meeting in the door way. Facing each other. I couldn't see Skip, but I saw Jackson show his teeth, (never saw him do that before!) lots of growling from both. I yelled, "KNOCK IT OFF!". Skip came in, and Jackson went on to the room and layed down by the bed. I pretty much ignored Skip and said some unpleasant things about what I thought about their behavior. When I was finished, I went in the room and made Jackson get on the bed then on my shoulders (with just his front paws). He was shaking like a leaf! So, I decided something has to be done. I have done all the sepparation, ignoring the offending dog, etc. etc. So I decided, that Skip needs to be neutered. He is 16mos. old, so I think in the next month, should be ok re his growth plates completing growth.

 

Has anyone had an a$$hole dog that got better after neutering? Is it dicey? Does it depend on the dog? Skip is NOT doing this in an effort to be top dog, he is just a little sh*t! So, after the surgery, will he still be one? Or will I have to strangle him!?

[Journey]

Has anyone had an a$$hole dog that got better after neutering? Is it dicey? Does it depend on the dog? Skip is NOT doing this in an effort to be top dog, he is just a little sh*t! So, after the surgery, will he still be one? Or will I have to strangle him!?

 

 

Have plenty of rope on hand Although mine never did get "better" I did wait till he was 3 to nip him. And, every fight that broke out he got his A$$ whooped by the other dog. I came to realize he would never learn....It wasn't that he wanted to be "top dog" either, he was/is that insecure. He's still a nerd today at 11.

 

Karen

[painted_ponies]

I don't know either, but I have a 12 yr old little a$$hole Lhasa that I wish I'd got snipped while I had the chance. Especially now, since Faith "became a young lady" last week and I'm busy preventing a Love Connection. I don't know if any of you have ever heard a Lhasa howling at 4:30 in the morning, but if not, count yourselves fortunate.

 

Anyway, you're doing the right thing. I don't know if it'll improve him, but it ought to keep him from getting ornerier, which is what's happened with my Lhasa, aka the Dalai Lama's revenge.

 

I'd sort of forgotten what it was like to live with boy posturing till I read your post. Lots of sound and fury. Except for Arlo, the Lhasa, I have an all-girl hair-pulling contest at my house.

[billiegirl]

My mom's dog, Bandit, bit me before he got fixed. He was always testy or territorial. Whatever he was it was unpredictable and rude. He always picked fights, growled at the drop of a hat and scared everyone because of his behavior. In fact, after I moved out of my mom's house, I came back within a couple of weeks without seeing him, for a visit - and even I wouldn't come inside. After I had lived with him for almost 2 years, mind you.

 

But mom got him fixed, and he's calmed down tremendously. When I came for a visit, I was shocked, he was calm and all waggy. However, he was FAT FAT FAT....he even lost a visible neck--not that he got overfed or anything, but there must have been something that caused it - since he was athletic before, I suspect it was the neuter. I suspect you'd really have to watch the diet afterward for some reason.

[WyoBC]

They really shouldn't get fat because of the neuter. Unless they're fed to much they should stay the same weight after as before.

[billiegirl]

They really shouldn't get fat because of the neuter. Unless they're fed to much they should stay the same weight after as before.

 

you're probably right, now that i ponder......he doesn't get the exercise he should. That may be why....and his sis is fat, too........but dad is skinny. I think he's just an older dog, though. However, if you think it may be something other that...I welcome suggestions to pass on to my mom. When I lived with them, she only fed them twice a day, about 2 cups plus a spoon full of wet food. Maybe it's not fat, maybe it's the Chow mix. But, it didn't happen til after he was neutered.

[WyoBC]

If he doesn't get the exercise he needs that could be part of it. Has he gotten less since he was neutered? His food could have something to do with it too. What food does he get? It could be the Chow in him. There's a chow at the shelter I work at and he's not fat by any means but he looks really FAT!!! What does he weigh, and how tall is he? If he's over weight there's some health problems that can pop up sometimes. I heard that five pounds to a dog is something like 10 or 15 to us.

[Dixie_Girl]

I really can't see Skip getting fat. However, if his shenanagins continue after the snip-snip, he may have trouble eating at all with my hands around his throat!

 

The thing is, with Skip, when he is good, he is very, very good. When he is bad, he is very, very bad!

 

He is NEVER aggresive towards people of any size, shape, or smell. He is NEVER aggressive to Lucy or Cheyenne. Because, mainly, Lucy set him straight when he was just a pup, and so did Cheyenne. Missy doesn't stand up to anyone or anything. And Jackson really helped create this little monster that he now finds irritating. He didn't stop it when he was a pup!

 

Lord, please let this help!

[Guest LJS1993]

Hopefully all goes well during and after the surgery.

[Journey]

I really can't see Skip getting fat. However, if his shenanagins continue after the snip-snip, he may have trouble eating at all with my hands around his throat!

 

Around here it's called "Oxygen Deprivation"

 

The thing is, with Skip, when he is good, he is very, very good. When he is bad, he is very, very bad!

 

He is NEVER aggresive towards people of any size, shape, or smell. He is NEVER aggressive to Lucy or Cheyenne. Because, mainly, Lucy set him straight when he was just a pup, and so did Cheyenne. Missy doesn't stand up to anyone or anything. And Jackson really helped create this little monster that he now finds irritating. He didn't stop it when he was a pup!

 

Lord, please let this help!

 

I am sorry to hear this. It won't hurt but after 11 years of dealing with the exact situation you are describing I won't hold my breath! What I found here was that they were perfectly fine when I was not around. Chaos would try to reign if I didn't keep things under tight control. I refused to live in a separated dog house, they were required to get along, or fake it for their benefit. I was able to see the early warnings that round 1 was about to begin and I learned to read the little mugger pretty well and head them off.

 

The good one, while laying at my feet, I could hear and feel him silently rumble. If I looked quick enough across the room, the mugger was "simply looking at him" as he walked into the room - yeah right, with his lips quivering and he was staring him down and silently challenging him. I knew all along, from the beginning "which" one was the guilty party, he was just too darn sneaky and cheap for me to see it right away.

 

Karen

[Dixie_Girl]

Yeah, that is EXACTLY what Skip does when Jackson is laying under the bench in his "den". Skip lays by the side of my chair. I started hearing Jackson do this low growl, and when I hollared, "knock it off", then looked down at Skip he was either laying with his back side to Jackson or looking up at me. Then I caught the little stinker by looking before I said anything to Jackson. He was giving him the stare alright. Dogs really do pick up on subtle body communication!!!

 

I am beginning to wonder if a lot of it is insecurity on Skip's part. He seems to constintly want to assure me that I am his world. With me and Jackson it is a silent, mutual understanding. I don't think it's jealousy, but I could be wrong. Like I said before, Skip cedes to Jackson with the toys, and is a butt-head in other cituations.

[Journey]

Yeah, that is EXACTLY what Skip does when Jackson is laying under the bench in his "den". Skip lays by the side of my chair. I started hearing Jackson do this low growl, and when I hollared, "knock it off", then looked down at Skip he was either laying with his back side to Jackson or looking up at me. Then I caught the little stinker by looking before I said anything to Jackson. He was giving him the stare alright. Dogs really do pick up on subtle body communication!!!

 

I am beginning to wonder if a lot of it is insecurity on Skip's part. He seems to constintly want to assure me that I am his world. With me and Jackson it is a silent, mutual understanding. I don't think it's jealousy, but I could be wrong. Like I said before, Skip cedes to Jackson with the toys, and is a butt-head in other cituations.

 

Well, it does sound like the 2 situations are the same.

 

Truthfully though, if I knew then ...I would NOT have had my mugger nipped. I know this isn't what you expected to hear or wanted to. However, I noticed subtle changes over time that created a dog that had virtually no confidence in life, sure he could work, still did other activities as well but the changes I saw I didn't like. Yes, his hormones were giving him confidence, I think that was better than no confidence in life. And yes, his issues were insecure based imo. I also know that the tension did not go away once he was nipped, like I said I had to manage it but I also knew the triggers over time and learned to preempt them.

 

If it was me in this situation again I will not neuter. After nipping it was as if the fairy godmother came along, sprinkled him with "weenie dust" and said you're now a nerd

 

Karen

[kelpiegirl]

I think it must be the season? Lucy and Kylie have gotten into it- this is resource guarding (I'm the resource, and Lucy starts it). I have gone to shutting the bathroom door, so Lucy can't come in and guard me. I also put her off the bed anytime she starts anything wrt Kylie. Basically, if she misbehaves, she is OFF the bed. My friend is having trouble with her border jack older bitch, and her BC 1 year old bitch. They never did get along.

Lucy thinks she is all that, but I need to remind her that no, she isn't, and if I am what she wants, she best behave to be near me.

Come to think of it, same goes for sheep!

[Dixie_Girl]

Putting Skip off the bed won't work simply because if Skip is not outside barking his fool head off, Jackson won't get on the bed. If I make him, he is always looking to see if Skip is going to jump on the bed. I finally have given up. Now, I noticed when I wake up sometimes, Jackson is on the bed and Skip is laying on the floor by me. (what the sam hill happens when I am ASLEEP!?)

 

I think I need to re-think the neuter now. Maybe I need to wait to see what he does on sheep. If he can gain loads of confidence there, it may stop his other behaviours? Maybe. I have 5 dogs here. 2 fosters obtained at an older age, 1 muttly obtained at 10dys old, and 2 that I obtained at 7wks. When I yell at any of them, every one of them will slink away to where they can get to. If I yell at one of the kids, they do the same. EXCEPT for Skip. He is in a sit by my feet trying to get as close to me as he can! If I move a little, he will scoot his butt with me! And I mean he does this if he's the one in trouble. I think I need to try doing some confidence building with this guy and see if it doesn't help. By the way, if the kids get into it with each other, he will run to me, wanting me to pet and hold him. If something upsets him, he does the same.

 

Maybe he just has so little confidence in his self, he acts up when he can, with what he can, get away with?

[Journey]

Putting Skip off the bed won't work simply because if Skip is not outside barking his fool head off, Jackson won't get on the bed. If I make him, he is always looking to see if Skip is going to jump on the bed. I finally have given up. Now, I noticed when I wake up sometimes, Jackson is on the bed and Skip is laying on the floor by me. (what the sam hill happens when I am ASLEEP!?)

 

Do you really want to know what happens when you are asleep Have you tried crating Skip at night?

 

I think I need to re-think the neuter now. Maybe I need to wait to see what he does on sheep. If he can gain loads of confidence there, it may stop his other behaviours? Maybe. I have 5 dogs here. 2 fosters obtained at an older age, 1 muttly obtained at 10dys old, and 2 that I obtained at 7wks. When I yell at any of them, every one of them will slink away to where they can get to. If I yell at one of the kids, they do the same. EXCEPT for Skip. He is in a sit by my feet trying to get as close to me as he can! If I move a little, he will scoot his butt with me! And I mean he does this if he's the one in trouble. I think I need to try doing some confidence building with this guy and see if it doesn't help. By the way, if the kids get into it with each other, he will run to me, wanting me to pet and hold him. If something upsets him, he does the same.

 

Maybe he just has so little confidence in his self, he acts up when he can, with what he can, get away with?

 

I am so glad you are rethinking it!! Of course you are more than welcome to come throttle me in a few years

 

What I did find in my experience was that playing "favorites" was not working. However, after a battle was broken up, reprimanding either/both was pointless. The mugger didn't care and it appeared as if my emotional escalation just egged him up a notch. I simply walked away and got over it. Now, one time when there was blood, I went over them both, the good one needed some in house doctoring, the other I assumed was fine, didn't see anything. Then 2 weeks later I found the scabs....oh well. Yeah, I felt bad but not bad enough to make a fuss over him!

 

As far as Skip clinging to you when you fuss at everyone, I would not allow him to "touch" - this in itself is still reinforcing - I just walk away.

 

I too am a multi dog household - the mugger had no issues (and never has) with ANY other dog (or person for that matter). To this day the mugger is NOT allowed on the bed, no question about it. And if I do by chance invite him up for a moment he declines. So yes, I have the upper hand on him.

 

With all he is scared of in life the only one I will give into is Thunder Storms. He goes in the van in his crate, and that's where he wants to be.

 

I taught him to "speak" and fuss back at what scares him - loud noises - he barks his head off! This helps distract him from the fear, redirect his energy to a positive or at least confident manner (yes, I hate the barking but it works for him!) Also, I taught him to "trust" me and when something scares him I make him face up to it and touch it (if possible) with his nose, then I proceed to laugh at him and move on. When playing I taught him that the rules are one at a time for fetch games, if someone is on your butt don't drop the toy and give in. I also stopped the others from taking his toy, even though he gave it up willingly.

 

Shees, I forgot how much work I put into this nerd.....

 

Good luck and I am glad you're rethinking the nipping!

 

Karen

[Dixie_Girl]

I don't have crates. I know it's not too late to teach him to use one, but literally, there is no place to put one! After the grandkids leave, I would have room so maybe I need to try that afterwards, if nothing gets better. Yeah, dammit, I know you are right about the re-inforcing when he gets clingy!! When I am loving on him, I even tell him so! But he has these eyes.............................LOL What a smuck I am!!! So, I will work on that. Really hard!

 

As far as the toy chasing, I can make Jackon wait while I throw for Skip, and am at the time working on Skip waiting, it is really coming along pretty good. I don't have to hold Skips collar any more, he is getting the hang of it. Also, when it is the frizbee, and they both go for it, Skip is getting better about letting it go.