Q: I have a dog who really doesn’t like other dogs. He growls when he sees them. I haven’t really allowed him to actually spend time with another dog because I’m nervous as to what he’d do. How can I help him be less aggressive around dogs?
A: This one can be a little sticky. We have animals at the shelter (both dogs and cats) who really don’t like members of their species. It’s difficult to tell why this happens, but it’s possible that it could be a security issue and your boy just feels insecure around other dogs, as opposed to any actual dislike. Keep in mind, a lot of times our animals can sense anxiety from us and respond accordingly, so if you’re nervous having your pup around another dog he could very well be picking up on that.
Sometimes if we get a dog who’s older, it’s tough to tell what he may have been through in the past. Do not, however, try to introduce your pup to another canine on your own.
You wouldn’t want either dog to get injured, so I would highly recommend having someone there who knows not only what to look for, but how to control the situation. If you give the shelter a call, we can give you contact information for dog trainers in our area to set you on the right path.
Ask the Shelter:Can animals actually smell fear?
Q: My dogs have a lot of large plush toys that they love to “kill” and play tug of war with. Usually, the toys are in the kitchen by their beds, and they carry them around the house. But lately, one of my dogs has started taking the toys one by one into the living and dining rooms, piling them up.
We pick them up and take them back to the kitchen about five times a day. She’ll leave them there for a few minutes and then start moving them, leaving them in the living room and coming right back for the next one until they’re all in a pile.
It’s really funny to watch, because she almost tip-toes when she does this very, very quietly. What’s going on in her little doggy mind?
A: Ah, the antics of our pets. They can be so entertaining. If I had a guess, I would say there could be one of three different things going on here.
First, I wonder if your girl who’s doing all the collecting is trying to keep the toys from her sister, since they like to “kill” them. It could be she’s simply amassing what she sees as her victories to show to both you and her canine sibling her amazing achievements.
Secondly, since you move them back when she moves them to the living and dining rooms, I have an inkling she might be a bit of an imp and is looking for ways to buck the system (especially with the image of her tiptoeing quietly that you gave – which was too adorable, by the way). I know a lot of animals (both cats and dogs) that will do the exact opposite of what we want and think they’re getting away with it.
Another, rather amazing, fact I found is that some dogs will continue to have the mothering instinct even though they don’t have a litter. I wonder if she’s displaying a little of that in thinking that the plush toys are her babies and she’s moving them around as a mother would a litter of pups. If you think about it, the next time you’re at the vet, you might just mention the behavior – something to note on a chart somewhere to keep on file. Thanks for writing!
Ask the Shelter:How can my new puppy have parasites if she was dewormed?
Ask the Shelter is a weekly feature aimed at pet education. If you have a question, contact Jennifer Vanderau, public relations coordinator, for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org or 263-5791.
