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Another first for us - not sure how to deal with this one???

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  • Another first for us - not sure how to deal with this one???

    I don't know that there is a training forum for how to deal with this action. KK (my daughter) has a friend over for a sleep over. Last night Coltrain followed them everywhere as he usually does w KK. We noticed that he would go and try to sit in between KK and her friend .while watching tv. Then when they went to lay in bed C goes with her as he does every night. He gets in the bed and lays right in between the girls (not much space in that bed - 2 11 yo girls and a 6 mo GD). Next we hear a loud thump and C has pushed the other little girl out of the bed! Of course extreme laughing begins bc they think it is sooooo funny. We close the bedroom door and he will not leave the door. Just sits at the closed door. This morning I am keeping him almost tethered to me so the girls can play and not have to worry about him getting jealous. Thoughts??
    sigpic
    Coltrain AKA "The Crazy Train"
    4 months old

  • #2
    Wow! Do you think it's a "protective" or "possessive" issue? Or, just a weird response to a routine change. One of mine is all about the schedule. He knows when we are supposed to go to bed (He sits in front of me and whines) and when it's time to get up in the morning.(No sleeping in at my place)

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    • #3
      I'm not real sure if it is possessive or protective or something totally different. He is normally fine when we have guests over but this time has been very different for him.
      sigpic
      Coltrain AKA "The Crazy Train"
      4 months old

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      • #4
        I think he stretched
        Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened.
        - Anatole France

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        • #5
          I have no advice but really would like to hear what others have to say about this issue. Ace will not let a stranger close to me. He will actually sit on the toe of my right foot (between me & the person).
          sigpic
          Roxy & Ace

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          • #6
            It all depends on his attitude during the whole situation. There is a chance that he was resource guarding a bit...there is also a good chance he just wanted to be in the middle of all the action.

            The main thing would be just to get him really used to it, lots of good positive associations, etc. Perhaps when she has a friend over try to do something extra special with him, or give him a special toy or treat to have so he gets rewarded for not being in the middle of them the whole time?

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Greenmagick View Post
              It all depends on his attitude during the whole situation. There is a chance that he was resource guarding a bit...there is also a good chance he just wanted to be in the middle of all the action.

              The main thing would be just to get him really used to it, lots of good positive associations, etc. Perhaps when she has a friend over try to do something extra special with him, or give him a special toy or treat to have so he gets rewarded for not being in the middle of them the whole time?
              I did go get him a new toy when I ran an errand today. I think he might like to be in THE MIDDLE (literally) of the action. He abandoned his new toy and has sat in between the girls any time he can. We have a large couch w an long ottoman that he likes to lay on w KK and the girls were on the ottoman/couch and he muzzled his way right in the middle. Lots of petting and kissing happened along with laughing about how Coltrain likes to be with the girls.

              How can I tell the difference btwn guarding her and just liking to be the center of her attention?
              sigpic
              Coltrain AKA "The Crazy Train"
              4 months old

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Greenmagick View Post
                It all depends on his attitude during the whole situation. There is a chance that he was resource guarding a bit...there is also a good chance he just wanted to be in the middle of all the action.

                The main thing would be just to get him really used to it, lots of good positive associations, etc. Perhaps when she has a friend over try to do something extra special with him, or give him a special toy or treat to have so he gets rewarded for not being in the middle of them the whole time?
                ok, i'm not and expert by any means, but i've been doing a LOT of behavioral research and i'm inclined to agree with this one. lilly(5mo GD) follows my boys around (3y and 5y) and would never leaven then alone if i let her--when we meet kids out on walks or at the park she always wants to be with them. i'd consider having your daughters friends over more often and then doing some training drills with to dog while they girls are playing the the room--for one things that reminds him that *you* are in charge, it gives them a little time to play and it also gives him the chance to get used to having her around. i think i would also introduce the dog to the friend with a treat and perhaps an easy command like "sit" so that he associates her with good things, but also recognizes that she's higher up on the food chain.
                again, my opinion is assuming that there wasn't any growling or aggression involved... if there was i'd suggest getting help from a trainer and working on desensitizing that dog quick. try reading "the dog who loved too much" by Nicholas Dodman--it's very informative. good luck!
                Mom to Isaac (5y), Moses (3y), Lilly (5m GD puppy) and wife to Daddy
                sigpic

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                • #9
                  No growling or anything that could be aggressive. The push off the bed could have been stretching I guess but considering all of the other "in the middle" actions I am not so sure. We always have girls over and theyball love to play with him and we haven't had annoy problems until yesterday. I will take your advise and donsome training with him and include her friends for sure. Also thanks for the book rec. I will be sure to read it soon!
                  sigpic
                  Coltrain AKA "The Crazy Train"
                  4 months old

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                  • #10
                    IMO - it is a very "cute" way of being pushy/dominant.

                    My Bronte is is very much like this - she is insecure dominant. She likes to be in the middle of everything. If someone else is getting attention - she wants in. I have to set boundaries - make her wait her turn, etc.
                    sigpicNikol Marsh & Glory, Emma, Tycho & Bronte
                    Dantrydane's GloryB Gallantree
                    Am/Int CH Perlwin's MBN Original Emma V EIO, RN, TT, CGC, TDI
                    Int CH Blue Moon's For Game and Glory, CGC, TDI
                    Sasdania's Poetry In Motion, RN, CGC

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                    • #11
                      Simon stretches and nearly knocks me out of bed often.

                      He also HAS knocked himself out of bed a few times stretching out & kicking his legs in his sleep; plop, right onto the floor... Now I keep pillows and blankets on the floor around my bed so he doesn't get hurt lol
                      - Chris
                      "Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal"
                      sigpic

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by tammystringer View Post
                        I did go get him a new toy when I ran an errand today. I think he might like to be in THE MIDDLE (literally) of the action. He abandoned his new toy and has sat in between the girls any time he can. We have a large couch w an long ottoman that he likes to lay on w KK and the girls were on the ottoman/couch and he muzzled his way right in the middle. Lots of petting and kissing happened along with laughing about how Coltrain likes to be with the girls.

                        How can I tell the difference btwn guarding her and just liking to be the center of her attention?
                        I agree with a poster down the line that this could be a bit of insecure dominance, but also read what you wrote. C gets pushy, the girls love on him. So they are in effect reinforcing this behavior. Maybe he was more insecure with this particular girl because your daughter was paying more attention to her than other friends, maybe because there is one of her and there were multiple friends over before, whatever it is, something about this girl make C feel like she is a threat for your daughters love and attention.

                        Personally, I would set some solid boundaries for him. If she wants to play with her friends, then get a baby gate, so he can see her but they can play in her room or in the living room without him barging in. I don't know how old your daughter is, but if she is old enough to understand, I would also encourage her to get up and leave when he is being pushy. The most valuable reward to C is her time and attention and if being pushy get the opposite of that, he will learn to wait his turn.

                        I also think the push off the bed was probably him just smooshing in and was just too big. My boys knock the kids, themselves, me, pillows, everything off the bed just rolling around being weirdos or stretching in their sleep.
                        sigpic
                        Shaun-4, Kairos (SDiT) at 13 weeks, Cole-6, and Zeus (CGC, PAT, TDI) 2yrs

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                        • #13
                          Reich does this with my 10 year old son and his friend Nick. Nick has a running playdate of every Tuesday, so he is here a lot. With Reich it is just that he loves having the extra person in the house, and he thinks he should be right in the middle of the two boys, as if he is one of the "crew". If they play video games, he lays in between them (in a tiny circle) so he is touching them both. THey actually use him as an arm rest. He does the same thing with wanting to sleep with them. The boys sleep on cots during overnights, and we set up a cot for Reich. I tried keeping him out of the room, and he did the same thing with laying outside the door. When Nick is not here Reich is my shadow, and only hangs out with my son if I am around too.

                          I can not judge your dogs temperament, of course, I'm just relating what we see here. For us it is really just the dog wanting to be one of the boys and included in the festivities. Reich is very social though, so I do not find your experience unusual. When he was younger, like your pup, I had to teether hiim to me with a leash anytime my kids had friends over, or he would be in their laps. I also have two teen sons, and I swear the entire group of girls that visit here are 5' tall and 95 pounds (how do they ALL stay that small? ) and of course Reich, living with all males but me, thinks little teen girls are The Bomb. Now he is trained to be polite, but when he was younger he was quite the pest. It is really cute to see the facial expression, ear set, and antics he displays around the female guests.

                          I guess I look at the first year as being one solild training exercise. Every experience the dog has teaches him something more about life. You just have to reinforce your expectations at every turn and be consistant.

                          This is just my perspective though, and I am by far not an expert!


                          ~Reich (CGC) 12/21/09 - 1/26/12~
                          ~Behr 4/22/11 - 3/28/14~

                          ~Buhl 2/09/10~
                          <3 My heart breaks for my lost Dane babies <3

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                          • #14
                            My Deuce is just like Reich as well Courtney and I would have interpreted things the same way as you did just because of this. When we have people over they are the most interesting things in the world and forget mom and dad! He shows off his toys, expects that everyone would like kisses and of course guests in the house aren't always as careful as we are as far as making sure that food etc. isn't easily accessible.

                            Deuce also insists on sleeping between myself and hubby when we let him sleep with us which is generally a once in a while treat!
                            Tamara and Deuce
                            sigpic

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                            • #15
                              Thanks for all the great help!!
                              sigpic
                              Coltrain AKA "The Crazy Train"
                              4 months old

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