Is he guarding or sending a harmless message?
Lately we have been spending quite a bit of time with our new friends who own Matunus, another OES (whom I believe some of you know). Tucker and Matunus get along very well for 98% of the time. The play well outside, chase each other all around, lie down together for rests, it works quite well. My concern is that when Tucker gets tired, he starts to get bossy and a bit snarly with Matunus. Tucker has played with many dogs before and is typically the less dominant of the two. In other cases, if Tucker is tired and the other dog wants to continue playing, Tucker WILL play, even if it's only half-heartedly. But with Matunus, if Tucker is lying down and Matunus comes near, he'll sort of snarl and lunge. He doesn't bit or anything like that, in fact he doesn't even make contact. It's almost like he's saying, "Back off, buddy, I'm done!". Another incident occcurred today, when I was sitting on the couch eating and Tucker came up beside me (not unusual), but then did the snarl/lunge thing again when Matunus came near for a sniff. It seemed he was protecting either me or the couch, which he may think is his (although he has let many other dogs on it without a second glance). What is going on here? Should we be somehow stopping this behaviour, or is it Tucker's way of asserting his dominance so that Matunus knows how to react?? Should we just let it happen? I'm at a loss! This is all new territory - in a whole year of having Tucker and watching him interact with many different dogs, this is brand new behaviour for him! |
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It sounds to me like he's gotten very comfortable with Matunus and has no trouble asserting himself when he's "done" with him. My two boys do that lunging business at each other occasionally and it sounds worse than anything. I guess I've never really worried much about it since it has never escalated to anything else or given any indication that it will. I've always chalked it up to boys being boys-- obnoxious boys.  |
ButtersStotch wrote: I've always chalked it up to boys being boys-- obnoxious boys.
I'm learning about the males of the species, give me a smart sheepie girl anyday.  
My syd is remedial and just does not get it. Maybe he was last in the brains department when they were handed out. 
Still love the dumb dumb though 
Even beforehand with all sheepie girls I have always most of the time let them work it out, as to who is Top Dog in the house. I would only intervene if it turned nasty and I have not had that problem in 31 years. Your two have to work it out and let it happen and only intervene if you think it is turning serious. Typical nature in a multi dog house. One has to be the Head Honcho the other the learning follower.  |
| The issue on the couch was probably the food you where eating. Your sheepie wanted it and didn't want to share if you where to hand some out.
The other actions you just have to keep an eye on what is going on and know when to seperate them. |
violet wrote: The issue on the couch was probably the food you where eating. Your sheepie wanted it and didn't want to share if you where to hand some out.
The other actions you just have to keep an eye on what is going on and know when to seperate them. It could be resource guardning. is he laying down by you when the other dog gets snapped at? |
violet wrote: The issue on the couch was probably the food you where eating. Your sheepie wanted it and didn't want to share if you where to hand some out.
The other actions you just have to keep an eye on what is going on and know when to seperate them. Not necessarily. I'd say 90% of the lunging, goofy behavior just comes when someone (whether it be me, or one of the two dogs) are only sitting on the couch-- no food. I always kind of thought of it a little like resource guarding of the couch! Like I said, in our house, I just chalk it up more as general dog craziness. It's annoying, but harmless. The worst part is usually that it gets them all excited and then they end up wrestling around and barking, making more noise! |
ButtersStotch wrote: violet wrote: The issue on the couch was probably the food you where eating. Your sheepie wanted it and didn't want to share if you where to hand some out. The other actions you just have to keep an eye on what is going on and know when to seperate them. Not necessarily. I'd say 90% of the lunging, goofy behavior just comes when someone (whether it be me, or one of the two dogs) are only sitting on the couch-- no food. I always kind of thought of it a little like resource guarding of the couch! sounds like they are resource guarding the occupants of the couch. |
| In this case, if it's between the dogs, it seems like the behavior is really in place just to annoy the other one, like to get them off the couch so that they'll do whatever that one wants to do, like play or go outside or something.
Sometimes it ends up being a very "King of the Mountain" situation. They'll play tricks on each other, like Clyde will stick his head through the dog door to make the sound like he's going outside and then he'll hide around the corner. When Bear goes racing by (freeing up the couch) Clyde goes running over, jumps on couch and stands there waiting for Bear to come back so they can do it all over again. It's really pretty clever, which isn't something I usually give those dillweeds credit for. |
| good luck i am going through this with my derby who is 2 and derby 16 wks. anytime he is on the bed, couch. anything high up he will lunge at the pup not to get up.. we are working on it! |
| I think this is competition for your attention, which can occur with younger dogs and when there is some dominance rights at stake. I notice with my two current males (4 and 2), I never see any friction when they are alone together, only when my wife or I are near. If the more dominant male, particularly, is getting attention or is in a good position to get attention from one of us, like on the sofa, he may lunge or lift his lips if the other dog comes up. If I actually give the other dog attention, the older one won't interfere but sometimes gets up, gives a disgusted grunt, and walks off in a huff.
Oddly, when my younger dog is getting attention and the older, more dominant one comes up and sticks his nose in it, the younger one may try to put his body in the way to block him, or will back off and bark at him, but whatever protest he makes is usually ignored. There is rarely a lunge or a growl or a snap in that situation. So I think for me, what I am seeing is a dominant dog who wants to assert his right to get attention without interference from junior, on the occasional instances when I see some lunging or snarling happen. |
| My girl, Bella, will do that to Nigel if she is getting attention from me and doesn't want to share. I just walk away when she does it...I don't think she will hurt him...but she is so LOUD! |
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