"Brotherly" love

[OurBoys]

A lot has been going on in my life lately so I was late in getting JJ & Jake in for their rabies shot. Jake was due for his annual checkup so I took JJ with us yesterday for him to get his. When Jake is stressed out, JJ becomes a little concerned over him. When they took Jake to the back to draw his blood and weigh him, JJ stayed in the exam room with me by the door they took Jake through and whined until they brought Jake back and JJ was able to check him out. When they picked Jake up and put him on the exam table, JJ put his front paws up on the table and whined some more. (I made him get down.) Later when Jake was placed back on the floor, JJ checked him out again quickly then went and sat in front of the vet. The vet was standing next to the counter that had the treats on it and JJ knew this. Of course, when the vet said “I know what you want. You want a treat, don’t you?” Jake decided he could tolerate the vet long enough to sit next to JJ and get his treat too before rushing back to me.

 

For us, this is a normal reaction JJ has with Jake. When we first adopted Jake, we had to be careful when correcting him. JJ would always find a way to get between us and Jake. (One time DH ended up with JJ sticking his nose in his mouth. As DH was spitting, sputtering and complaining I told him “And if you’ll notice, your attention has been drawn away from Jake”.) The vet, OTOH, looked and acted pleasantly surprised. But then again, this is the same vet that pissed me off last year and his whole front desk plus office manager got a taste of my temper so it could have been an act. I’m sure others have dog(s) that are somewhat ‘protective’ over a member of their pack. If you have a dog like that, what stories can you tell?

[njnovice]

Well, Mick, who is often a complete ass in many ways, has been very protective of my kittens against the grown cat since day one. He kind of took them on as a "job." Sinead nurses them, thankfully very rarely now, as I want her to dry up. But I was worried about them with Mick, since he can be a bit of an ass. I wouldn't call him aggressive, he just doesn't take crap. He has been amazingly tolerant of the kittens. Not above giving them a very corrective nip, but he seriously treats them like little babies.

 

Then, again, he's prone to picking fights with dogs that could kill him and he LOVES toy dogs. Sinead, on the other hand, most definitely does not like small dogs. Although she does like dogs her size and is VERY good with any sort of puppy. My mom's GSD puppy is excellent at testing her. He's already over 30lbs at 3 months and high-drive to boot. I need to steal him.

[Belleview]

Years ago, I was setting out at a trial which was using nearly unworkable sheep, as in for a variety of reasons, the sheep were repeatedly challenging the dogs, both on the course and at the set out. At one point, a non-saavy announcer apologized to the crowd for a delay, saying, "sorry folks, but the sheep are attacking the dogs at the top." We laugh about it now, but at the time it wasn't so funny.

 

Long story short, two of us were at the top. I was (stupidly) using a young dog, who was short on brains, but was willing to repeately fight the sheep off the set out chutes. My set out partner, a friend, was using a bruiser of a dog...experienced, no nonsense & just plain brave. Our dogs weren't kennel mates, but spent time together enough to to be companionable

 

We were taking turns at set out. On one of my go's, a giant old ewe squared up to my dog. Both his & my timing was just a bit off and her momentum of coming at & down on him seriously outweighed his coming up at her. I remember it as a spectular crash. He screamed and I wondered if she had broken his jaw. (She had hit him so hard that his teeth cut thru this cheek.) The ewe had knocked him off his feet and kept after him. As I was on my way to help, a big black & tan hairy flash rushed by me and absolutely bowled into the ewe, both knocking her off my dog and taking her down. The other set out dog had independently bolted in from the side lines to "help". It was pretty cool. We called him off...but not right away.

 

Lori Cunningham

Milton, PA

[ejano]

The night that Brodie was attacked by the Aussie at the ACK club - we were there, for all things, Brodie's the Canine Good Citizenship Class! - Robin had already passed his test and I were in a far corner, just hanging out. He heard Brodie yelping and boy, oh boy, this deep rumble of a kind I've never heard came out of his chest, "WHOSE THAT PICKING ON MY BABY BROTHER!"

 

The classes were in an old warehouse and Robin's warning growl traveled over all the noise and suddenly everything went still...people and dogs. Robin didn't move a muscle, didn't pull against the lead, didn't try to attack, just made that one deep throated growl as he stared intently at the other dogs. In the silence, DH said, "Guess we don't need to be here anymore." He scooped poor Brodie up and walked out the door. I laid a calming hand on Robin's shoulders. Robin looked up at me and we followed DH out the door. And we haven't been back.

 

We worked for a long time, and continue to work with Bro to get him over his fear of other dogs attacking...he did go on to a different class with a private instructor that happened to have a number of BCs and beagles and did pass his CGC but he's never going to like Aussies and Collies....

 

I sure hope that if the situation should call for it, Robin produces that growl again!

 

Liz

[OurBoys]

I know that growl. We had a young foster once that didn't have very good doggie manners. I don't know what that young fella did but Jake peeled his lips back and growled while exhaling and inhaling. He'll growl at JJ when he ticks him off but never like that. And one time Jake walked up to Josie while she was by the back door. They kind of looked at each other then Josie laid her head back down. When she did that Jake let out a soft, short, low growl. Josie jumped up, came over to me and placed her paw on my leg; her way of telling me she wants to go out. When I got up both Jake and Josie went out. I don't know why he didn't ask me himself. I now refer to Jake and Josie as partners in crime.