From: mlhb@mammoth.dr.att.com (BL054626-BonhamM(DR2020)214)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Pack Hierarchy
Date: 22 Dec 92 15:30:35 GMT
Reply-To: mlhb@drutx!att.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Bell Labs, DCTT, Denver, Co.

In article <1992Dec21.201537.3602@itsmail1.hamilton.edu>, mblumens@itsmail1.hamilton.edu (Mary Blumenstock) writes:
|> OK, here goes...
|> 
|> I've been reading r.p.d. for over a year now, and therefore feel
|> real "close" to a lot of you who've never seen my name - this is
|> my first post.  I've read the guidelines, but please bear with
|> me for any violations of netiquette.
|> 
|> As many of you who I've spoken with privately know, I have two
|> dogs - Jake & Charlie.  I adopted Jake from a backyard breeding
|> at 7 weeks and a year and a half later adopted Charlie as a 2 yo
|> adult.  A recent post on pack hierarchy by Steve Lee prompted me
|> to finally ask for some net wisdom on my particular situation.
|> 
|> Jake & Charlie get along great.  There were very few dominance
|> struggles at the beginning and virtually none now.  Although
|> Jake was the established pet in the house, there is no mistaking
|> that Charlie is the dominant one.  The concern I have is this:
|> Jake has mild hip dysplasia and a low-normal thyroid reading.
|> He therefore tends to seek out warm, comfortable places to
|> snuggle up and sleep.  Charlie, however, totally resents this,
|> and whenever Jake is on the one old, comfortable chair that we
|> allow the boys on or on his own bed at this time of the year
|> (Charlie has a bed too, it's just in a cooler spot), Charlie
|> goes over and chastises Jake (oow woooOOOOOOOO rooo wooo) until
|> he gets up.  Now I generally don't believe in imposing
|> hieararchy on my dogs, but what should I do in these situations?
|> I've been telling Jake to stay and Charlie to stop, but
|> eventually Jake gets up.  I guess I'm mostly concerned because
|> of Jake's health issues.
|> 
|> Any net wisdom on this, especially from those of you with
|> multiple dogs that have addressed this topic before?
|> 

Generally I don't intervene in pack order *unless* there is a definite
chance of injury.  A typical instance of this was when my Alpha male bit
my Malamute puppy.  She cried and he kept biting her.  Or when my puppy
bit another dog on a sore paw.  If you feel that this is hurting Jake
in any way, just scold Charlie.  Perhaps you might want to provide a diversion
(i.e. distract Charlie from what he is doing) so that Charlie doesn't think
you are putting Jake in the Alpha spot.  You might want to move Charlie's
bed in the same vicinity as Jake's bed so he can share the warmth too.

Good luck and keep trying.  Remember, even though Charlie is younger, he
doesn't understand why Jake is getting preferential treatment. (i.e. warmer
bed, nice chair to lay in, etc.)  You'd be surprised how quickly the 
habits will break when Jake is laying there and Charlie is complaining when
you walk over to Charlie with his favorite toy to play ;-)

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah etc!

Sky Warrior & Family

|> Thanks in advance!!  ....  and Merry Christmas!
|> 
|> 
|> =====================================================================
|> Mary Blumenstock              mblumens@itsmail1.hamilton.edu
|> Mom to the Menagerie:
|>  Jake, a 90 lb puppy (or so he thinks, even if he is 4!)
|>  The Furry Bear  (aka Charlie) (Relax, he's a dog!)
|>  Merlin, Gandalf, & PAWS  (The Fat Cats)
|>  Cuervo (a Macaw), and 
|>  Matt, Wheelie, NoName, The Heckels, and Rock & Roll (The Discus)

-- 
-----------------------------                                              
SKY WARRIOR aka MLH Bonham  | "Good tea.  Nice House." -- Lt. Worf
mammoth!mlhb@druhi.att.com  |----------------------------------------------
mlhb@drutx.ATT.COM          | SKY WARRIOR RACING KENNELS - Coming to an
                            | Iditarod near you!
----------------------------- 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs