Ravenwolf

Yeah, boo - also another classic example of someone not understanding body language. I went to the dog park in my new town for the first time the other day, and I don't think I'll be going again unless it's near empty. It was so weird. This place it great - it has separate big and small dog areas, and when i arrived everyone was in the small dog park - I assume because they knew each other. Most of the dogs were small, except a labradoodle and a spaniel that could have gone either way for size. As soon as I arrived with Scout and went into the big dog side, they ALL came over to the big dog side, and a few even commented on how huge Scout was (at 65lbs I don't think he's all that "huge..."). One of the small dogs was terrified of so many another dogs around and was snapping and barking at any who approached. Most were respectful, except for a bulldog who was very rude about his insistence that this little dog was going to play with him. Scout being Scout wanted to get in there like dirty shirt, but I called him off and made him sit beside me until the owners sorted it out. Long story short - they didn't. Sure they broke it up, but the bull dog kept going right back because he wasn't corrected and wasn't made to calm down before he could play again. The little dog was so terrified he slipped the gate and made for the main exit. The owner was all "what's wrong with you? it's okay" then tossed him right back in with the other dogs. I left and walked the path that goes all the way around the dog park, and I could hear that dog being tormented the entire time. *headshake* And people wonder why there's incidents at dog parks. I pointedly didn't get involved. I didn't want to be that first time arrival who shows up and tells people how to manage their dogs...

Thanks, all - it makes me feel better to know I'm not alone in this, but also sad that so many of you can relate. Yeah, Emma, I guess you're right - I pretty much just have to resign myself to "agree to disagree." It just makes me so sad that he can't be involved in things that he should be able to be because he's such a "big mean dog" (that little kids like to come up to and visit in the parks). Ha, Elyse - my father-in-law has the same "taste for blood" mentality - I sent him a news article about a father-in-law who took his grandson out into the field, shot him and then killed himself. I held that article up as testament that father-in-law cannot be trusted, and if they have guns it's only a matter of time before they start offing their own grandchildren. He didn't have much to say to that.

Thanks all. I've been doing pretty well about the whole thing - as bad as it was it was an easy enough decision to make because there was really no choice to be had and the sooner we could get him peace the better. Reading all your comments brings fresh tears to my eyes though; the pain of their loss only dwindles, it never truly goes away. Sometimes I think fate plays a hand in such matters too - one thing I forgot to mention is that while the vet was checking him over for injuries, she found a large mass in his abdominal cavity under his ribcage - something that was missed on his check up less and a month before. With his abdominal muscles being so tight in life, and so loose while he was in shock, it was no surprise that it was missed in a quick physical but caught on the deeper probing for injury and through slack muscles. So I guess in the end this was a quicker way to go than the gradual downhill spiral he would have endured with a tumor or whatever it was, and having already done a 2 year battle with in incurable condition in a dog I was glad not to be put in the position of determining quality of life vs. final gift.

We lost Wyatt on March 10th. We thought we had the yard finally husky-proofed - it's been months since their last escape attempt. This morning Scout managed to get through by tearing the wood at the base of the gate and pulling the whole bottom of a solid wood gate back far enough to slip through. The dogs were out maybe half an hour and I only found out when I returned home from an errand to a phone call that the Humane Society had picked up the dogs, but Wyatt's back leg was hurt so they were bringing him to me instead of the pound. One look at him and Teresa and I knew it was bad. I carried him into the house and he just collapsed where I put him. It was very clear that he was in shock. We rushed him to the vet and they confirmed the worst. His back was broken. On the plus, he was feeling no pain, but he was in such an advanced state of shock that I don't even think he was aware of his surroundings. I half expected him to die on the table before they even came back with the euthanasia. The worst part of all this was that the person who hit him did not stop, and did not report it at least even to the Humane Society. I don't blame the person for hitting him - I'm sure it was an accident, being 12 years old Wyatt was nearly deaf and I'm sure just ran out in front without noticing the vehicle - but to leave him there, injured on the side of a busy residential road right in town? What a shitty, shitty thing to do. Fortunately someone who lives in one of the houses happened to see them and reported loose dogs to the Humane Society. A few days later, after posting on a community website about the shitty hit and run and a thank you to the anonymous person who called in, I was put in contact today with the woman who called the Humane Society for the dogs. The sweet woman told me how it was Scout who drew her attention to Wyatt by running to her, then going across the street to Wyatt. He nudged and prodded Wyatt until he tried to get up and moved a little bit, then ran back to the lady. She said he was so sweet and did so well trying to help Wyatt. Even more heartbreaking to hear, but I'm glad she could share it with me, and I'm glad I was able to convey my thanks to her. I'm sorry it had to end this way, Old Man. At least is was pretty quick, and at least you had some fun before you went. I'm glad I got to say goodbye and be with you at the end.

I feel the need to rant and rage about this but don't really have a venue where I can do it without starting shit with the family, but at least here you are all people who can understand! We went out to my husband's uncle's farm yesterday for a visit. Because it is vast tracts of land in the middle of nowhere, I asked if I could bring Scout along. Uncle said no because our cousin's dog, Nikita, was there, and he didn't want her to start wandering. I reminded him that Wyatt was the wanderer, and Scout wouldn't stray far at all. He said we could bring Scout as long as he stayed chained up, but since Scout would just cry on the chain and rather than start an issue we just left him behind. So toward the end of the evening when I mention we have to go Uncle is wondering why we aren't staying the night. I said that we need to go home and feed Scout, and he was all "you could have brought him!" But then he went on to explain the true reason he didn't want him here and lose - he doesn't trust him around the kids. Both my son and nephew are under 2, and though I assured him that Scout is fine with children he had this vision in his head that if my nephew did something to make Cael cry Scout would attack him. I just stared at him. Uncle had been drinking too, so I just couldn't bring myself to start what would quickly turn into an irrational argument, so I'm sad to say I just left it at that. Scout does not guard Cael, nor has he EVER shown inclination to do so. He is half German shepherd, so Uncle seems to think that the German shepherd part of him will want to guard, while the husky half of him will want to kill and maim, because that's what they do, right? He said "I don't trust wolves, I don't trust those dogs." Wyatt died a little over a month ago. He said that when he heard about that he was relieved, because he never trusted that dog not to hurt the kids. My husband's father said the exact same thing. I pointed out to both of them that of the two Wyatt was WAY better with Cael - and that's saying something because Scout is very good with him. Wyatt was very tolerant - he didn't mind Cael tugging on him while he was learning to pet nice, and was always very gentle. That dog never in his life growled at or offered to snap at any human being. If Cael approached when Wyatt had a bone, he wouldn't even have the chance to get within striking distance because Wyatt would go "oh, you want this? I'm sorry, here, I'll leave and you can have it." Wyatt was getting old, deaf, and sensitive about his body, so I would occasionally go up behind him while he was sleeping and grab a handful of fur or a sudden snuggle. The worst reaction I ever got he yelped in surprise and stood up to get away. This was not a dog who would turn on a child. But everyone thought he would, because he's killed cats. Scout has required more careful training, but I still trust him to do the right thing. Whereas Wyatt would tolerate clumsy petting and hugging, Scout doesn't like it and walks away. When he's royally had enough he goes to the basement door so he can be closed off on the other side for some peace and quiet. And keep in mind this is always supervised contact, too. Scout has never done anything to suggest that he would ever turn aggression on a human. He is not permitted to guard anything, ESPECIALLY not my son, and he has made no attempt to do so in the first place. But he, too, has killed a cat, therefore, it's only a matter of time before he starts mauling people. It had been my hope that with one dog, it would be easier to make him a part of family outings. But I still can't take him anywhere with my husband's family - ANY of them - because of the stigma of him being a larger dog, and a mix of 2 breeds who are on the shit list. Does anyone else have to deal with these frustrations? How have you handled it? Here is a photo of my killer dog with my son, who is eating a high-value treat. Typically Scout would not be allowed so close while Cael is eating, but this was a great example of his restraint. He lay close enough that if Cael wanted to feed him he just happened to be there, but he avoids looking at him and does not beg or crowd for food. Would that all dogs were so polite!

OMG, it is so sad that I'm just seeing this now! Better late than never, I guess! Thank you, Robke! And thank you to all for the birthday wishes! (Haha, and Elyse, the winter was as miserable as ever!)

Haha, I find that the running is WORSE with 2 dogs! If Scout escapes, he doesn't go far and comes when he's called (that be the German shepherd side I'm sure), but if Wyatt gets out, they both head for the hills! They're far bolder as a team and range much farther than they would exploring solo. So while yes, they do keep each other company and help alleviate boredom, when they do escape it's double trouble! How old is Hunter? I'm thinking the others are probably right in that he's still new to you and the area, so you are familiar and secure, but age could be a factor, too. He doesn't look like a pup from the photos, but in my experience they tend to be quite willing to come up until the age of 2 or so, and by 3 at the latest they have no comprehension of the word 'come' when freedom beckons!

It's true! I'm dead serious. I've been attacked on two separate occasions by two separate fuzz-covered footballs! One thought he could take Wyatt on (turns out he couldn't), and one ran out of its house and went after me, and the owner was horrified when I used my hand to shove it away - apparently the little mugger is bitey with even the family and totally owns them. For the most part I reserve judgement and try not to stereotype dogs by breed, but as far as I'm concerned the only good thing a Pomeranian is good for is a throw rug.

Proving once again that all Pomeranians are evil dressed in a cheap fur suit.

Don't count on it. As Al said, they aren't bred to be protective - rather, they are actually bred to be very UNaggressive toward people. I'm certain that if I were ever attacked, Wyatt would either a) run away, or b ) pace and cry anxiously wondering what the hell is going on. Scout would do that high-pitched, grating puppy bark at the offender, and there maaay be an outside chance that he would dig deep, channel his inner German shepherd and react, but if that happened I'd be just as surprised as the attacker!

First and foremost, I teach my dogs to ignore other dogs when on the leash. If your dogs show no interest in loose dogs, in my experience the loose dog will rarely act unprovoked, It also makes walking by yard with annoying yappy dogs much easier. Any time we are approached by strange dogs, I put my dogs behind me and using a commanding voice and body language let the other dog know they are not welcome to approach. With my dogs trained to stay behind me and not encourage approach the battle is half won. For most dogs this seems to work, but I did have one lab who completely ignored me and tried to get around me, to the point where I'd shove him away with my legs. Having said all of this, I don't think I've ever been approached by a truly aggressive dog. I would hazard to say that rare is the dog who is out just looking for a fight - many factors contribute to an attack. Taking your dog out of the equation and being calm and commanding with the loose dog have served me well so far!

The way Champ is lying - facing the other dog and watching intently while the person is handling her - is a warning sign, despite the face that he seems to be in repose. This is the body language of a dog who knows that at the moment they cannot get their prey/enemy and is calmly waiting for opportunity. Sending him to his kennel for some quiet time and to allow the other dog out in safety is fine, but where you erred was in allowing the other dog to approach the kennel. That's a big no-no. Now Champ is trapped and the other dog is not only wandering all over HIS house, but encroaching on his personal space and he can't do anything about it but threaten and rush the gate. My advice is to just keep them separated, but to prevent that form making the situation even worse, practice what you would do if there was no barrier. Do not allow Champ to look at the other dog. At all. He doesn't need to stare her down with challenge of intent. Teach him that the only appropriate response is to ignore this intruder. Same rules go for the other dog. You cannot allow her to bark at, mad-dog stare or in any other way attempt to assert dominance or antagonize Champ. They both must learn to pay the other no mind.

I used to take Scout to one, but no longer. I hated gong when it was busy - just an incident waiting to happen. I've seen enough fights and had enough dogs harass Scout that I don't want to risk an incident. What was worse is this park didn't separate large and small dogs, and of course it's the wee ones who want to start trouble. Now I just take my dogs out of town and let them have their run on the dirt roads. I'm just so sick of dog owners who have no control or discipline. Even walking in the park where on leash was mandatory was getting taxing because of the people who disregard the rule who have aggressive or obnoxious dogs.

Thanks, Liv! Nice to see you're still here! The dogs knew right from the getgo that they weren't to bother Cael - as a baby they were not permitted anywhere except the living room, never allowed to approach him of their own accord, and were never left alone with him. They both adapted well to him, and Scout especially liked to just be near him. You raise a good point about instilling that only I should get to correct Cael. As he gets older I want Cael to be able to start giving them commands and expect them to obey him as they would us. Thanks, Al - sometimes you just really need to hear it from someone else! I think you've encompassed my concerns far better than I could have. I do know that the bite was not unprovoked - Cael was beside him and probably pulling a handful of hair or grabbing a paw or something that obviously Scout felt needed correction. For all that it was terrifying in that this could have been an awful incident, I was actually very impressed with how gentle Scout was in his discipline. It reminded me of when he was playing with my friend's puppy. Haha, and you nailed it too - Cael definitely views the dogs as giant stuffies - he has a big horse one he can ride and tries to do the same with the dogs. He is not allowed and I've been trying to teach him how to nicely pet them, but at the moment he just wants to grab and climb on them. I guess he's just still too young to really allow for much interaction. I was concerned initially that jealousy would be a problem for the dogs, but so far it doesn't seem to be. They are locked on the landing when they sleep - they have only recently been granted the run of the basement, but they have no access to the upstairs unless we let them. Thanks, Emma! Yeah, wrangling a running toddler often feels like herding cats in a thunderstorm... We do have a door at the top of the stairs that we close to prevent Cael from getting down there, and also to keep the dogs out - they are left down there at night and whenever I can't keep a close eye on Cael, though as I said, I confess to getting slack about that and fortunately the consequences were not severe. I'm trying to teach Cael that we don't bother the dogs when they are lying on their bed or under the table, but at his age it's beyond him. Don't worry, I won't take it the wrong way, Louise! There's not doubt in my mind that Cael grabbed Scout in some way that made him decide he'd had enough. I put the blame squarely on my shoulders for not paying attention to referee. I'm pretty sure that Scout knows who the baby belongs to and I'm definitely on the road to instilling that Cael is higher up than them, but I'm both relieved and duly chastised by your comment. I was growled at and bitten by my mom's dog more times than I can remember growing up (and deserved each and every one of them!) but these days one incident and people are quick to get rid of their dogs. I love my dogs and don't want to be that person, but if the conclusion was that my son was truly at risk of a severe bite I'd hope to be able to re-home my dogs before the unthinkable happens. Thank you all for your advice! It goes without saying that the dogs and Cael will not get to be upstairs together any more, and will only get supervised visiting time when that is the ONLY thing going on. I'm still a little concerned about escalation, but I guess we'll see how the next little while goes.

Hi all! Long time no see! It's been a crazy year and a bit - I have a now 16 month-old son, we've moved twice, I went back to work then started a new job... sadly Husky Owners was one of the first things to drop off the radar! At any rate, I have a concern and I knew the best place to start was with you guys! So both Wyatt and Scout have been excellent with my son Cael so far. They are very tolerant during their supervised time together - Wyatt especially seems to enjoy the attention. They've both been doing so well that I must confess to a certain amount of slacking off a bit in allowing their proximity. Scout has been doing all the right things when he doesn't want to be bothered by Cael. He just gets up and walks away most of the time. My husband claims Scout has growled at Cael on 3 separate occasions - I have never witnessed this behaviour and each time it was because my husband allowed what I consider to be a stupid mistake on his part - he let Cael get under the table in closed in proximity to the dog. I think that's a dangerous combination no matter how good the dog is. And honestly, if the kid is mauling the dog, the dog has enough and growls, isn't that an appropriate response saying "leave me alone?" I would be more concerned if Cael was minding his business and the dog growled at him. So anyway, last night we were all in the kitchen. Cael was playing with Scout and both my husband and I were there. Any time Cael would try to do something inappropriate - climb on him, grab a handful of hair, etc. - I would stop him and correct him, and praise Scout for his tolerance. I was making cookies, my husband was cooking at the stove, and for one instant we both had our backs to them. All of the sudden Scout gave an open mouth growl and grabbed Cael by the shoulder/head. We were on them in an instant - I grabbed Scout, my husband grabbed Cael. I threw Scout outside by way of punishment. So now I'm at a crossroads and this is where I need advice. My interpretation is that the "bite" was mere mouthing - Scout has always mouthed when he doesn't like something (say you grab his paw). I have worked on discouraging that, but sometimes he still does it. The growl as he was mouthing was not a truly vicious sound - honestly it both looked and sounded like a mother disciplining her puppy. Cael had not even so much as a red spot. My husband, on the other hand, is understandably distressed and worried for the safety of our son. He has been looking for an excuse to get rid of the dogs and now he has some major ground to stand on. Am I looking at this through rose-coloured glasses? I don't condone Scout's reaction - I have learned from my mistake and will be more vigilant in restricting their contact to when I can give them full attention, and I'll have to work on Scout's reactions and letting him know that is NOT okay and he needs to walk away no matter what. But is that just me wanting to only see the good in my dogs at the potential risk to my child? Should I be more alarmed by this than I am and am I failing to see a tragic accident waiting to happen?