I think Oliver may have a giant streak of asshole. He spent a couple of weeks wooing us with his mad fetching skills and his pottying outside – but now? I think we’re fixing to have a doggy showdown. Tiny Dog has enjoyed her position on the throne as Alpha Dog for 5 years now and he is getting ready to knock her ass rolling off of it.
He’s started running in to steal Stinky Dog’s food. The barking. For the love of Pete, the barking. If I don’t do what he’s wanting RIGHT NOW then the barking starts. And after about 15 seconds Stinky Dog joins. Then you hear Tiny Dog screaming. It’s like they’re all in my head.
I’m trying to be sneakier about feeding them. If they know I’m feeding them then it’s 10 minutes from start to finish with the barking. If I sneak out of bed in the morning I can get a headstart on them. Then when I come home at night I tiptoe around to fill their bowls before they realize that I’m home.
Helps keep my eardrums intact.
But if we’re keeping score – Tiny is Alpha. For now.
14 Comments, Comment or Ping
Having a cone on doesn’t seem to bother Tiny. Is there anything that she DOESN’T hump?
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Chickie said:
February 18th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
No. There is nothing that she won’t hump. When my car was new, she tried to hump the console the first time I took her for a ride.
And the cone just came off yesterday! Hopefully she won’t start nibbling again.
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February 17th, 2010 11:46 pm
There is trouble when you have three dogs. I am learning that about my own three dogs. I gave my doberman, Carmen, to my sister. We’ll see how it goes when she comes home today. Candy goes back and forth to her home in La. to her little home here in Tx.
Oliver is too cute, but not as cute a Tiny dog. Is the collar to protect Oliver from her?
Can you set some limits? Maybe feed each dog one at a time. I sure hope you get this worked out for you saniety!
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Chickie said:
February 18th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Maybe Carmen will be happier alone. Some dogs are just like that.
The cone was to keep Tiny from nibbling her back legs. She’s been wearing the damn thing since August or so. It came off yesterday and I’m hoping she’ll be good so it doesn’t have to go back on.
I have to feed them all at once or they really go nuts but they all get fed in their own spaces.
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February 18th, 2010 10:25 am
Oh, dear… It’s a Bizarro World Oliver!
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Chickie said:
February 18th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
And he’s ready to become its King.
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February 18th, 2010 11:50 am
Oh Lord! That is hard. Not sure I could take all that Barking…And we must protect Tiny’s position…..And Stinky, too…..Though how you do this…lol! Good Luck, my dear.
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Chickie said:
February 18th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
I’ve starting corralling them in their rooms when I’m getting their food ready. They only bark while they see me preparing it. Impatient dogs!
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February 18th, 2010 12:38 pm
I know what you are going through. My dog Hunter(Jack Russell Terrier) is an alpha dog extreme. His only purpose in life is to dominate all living things. He will randomly kick my other dogs (Lily) ass just to remind her he is boss. My cousin said that if he could “he will kill you with his mind”. He’s even tried to challenge me for head of house a few times. It is constant work to keep his alpha-ness under control. Sadly, he is not allowed to socialize with other dogs besides Lily. His ego makes him want to control, but his size puts him at risk of serious injury.
Even though they can seem like assholes, I feel sorry for dogs with extreme alpha tendencies. They never can seem to fully relax and enjoy whats going on around them. Part of them must always be on the look out, because in their mind their status is always at risk.
I think instead of sneaking around with the food, you need to find a way to establish yourself as the alpha “dog”.
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Chickie said:
February 18th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Yeah, I feel sorry for Tiny because she is so on high alert just waiting for something to happen where she can assert herself. I’m hoping she’ll give Ollie a rest soon. Luckily, he doesn’t get mean with her when she’s barking and dancing around him.
I’m trying to establish myself as the alpha. But I’m a sucky alpha. Sweety says that I need to work on my “no!” voice. That I need to deepen my voice and sound like I mean business. It’s slow going.
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February 18th, 2010 9:18 pm
He’s probably learned the barking thing from Stinky. Seriously, Stinky knows how to control your ass from barking nonstop until you do what she wants, I’m sure Oliver has learned to do that as well especially if it’s something relatively new.
Like children who throw temper tantrums to get what they want, they’ll continue to do if it the parent always gives in. You need to take control of the situation, YOU need to be the alpha dog in the household. You don’t let them control you and bark until you give them what they want. You can yell at them, punish them, flip them on their backs to show their bellies to you (Cesar Milan style!). They need to learn they’re not in charge.
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Chickie said:
February 20th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
I can yell my fucking head off at Stinky and she just won’t shut up. I’m afraid to flip her on her back because she’s old and brittle. I will start that with Oliver and Tiny when they start screaming though. Thanks for mentioning that. I do it when they’re being bitches in the the living room but never thought to do it in the kitchen.
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February 19th, 2010 4:44 pm
ha, ha! love that photo of tiny dog.
and as for Oliver’s change in behavior, I guess the honeymoon phase is over. :)
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Chickie said:
February 25th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Yeah, the honeymoon is over. But! I’m working on my “assertive voice”. Sweety and the boys say I need to deepen my voice more so Ollie will mind me.
I think maybe they just like hearing me yell like a man.
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February 25th, 2010 10:25 am
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