Whiskey just tried to attack Norris!!!

I am so glad they all are getting along good now. and no problem and I am just so glad I didn't offend you! I would never intend to do that but you know that. Love ya, Nikki!

Nikki, there are so many here that are trying to pursuade you in what to do with him.Only YOU know what is best in this situtaion.If he growled at you,I would be even more concerned.
But, it is YOU that has to make the decision on what to do.HUGS and I know you'll do what is best.No one can fault you for what ever you decide.
The crate idea is a good one.But, it can be hard to do sometimes when you are in a hurry walking out the door for work.
Even in the crate,our male would growl at anyone.

I dunno Nikki. We all know you love these guys. For now, I would go big time on the "he's lowest on the totem pole" until you can talk to the behaviorist. I wouldn't do anything until you talk to the behaviorist. But, if it comes down to you re-homing Whiskey, I understand.

My Macey growls, bites, snaps, the whole works. I guess all my animals are "rejects". It's something some people can live with, other cannot. I understand the concern, esp. since you want kids.

I just got caught up on this -- I missed it while dealing with my own dramas -- and I'm just so sorry. It has to be heartbreaking to you. I know very little about dogs, but it does seem telling that both times, it's been about food. Is there any chance that maybe Whiskey feels more hungry than usual lately, and is being extra-protective of his food? Like... maybe somehow he's gotten a tapeworm?

Whatever happens, I know you'll do the right thing... your love for animals shines in everything you write.

Just a little update- Colin and I talked about it when he got back in town last night and decided that right now we just can not rehome our little guy. we are going to do every single thing we can to try and work with him on his behavior (involving the vets/behaviorist/etc). if after we exhaust all methods and we're still having problems then we'll discuss rehoming again, but for now we do not plan to. (i just can't- he's my baby!) on last night colin and i worked with him a little bit and we did again on my lunch break today. on my lunch break he tried (key word "tried" to go after norris again- this time food wasn't involved...norris just accidently bumped into him while hobbling around) we immedately corrected him and he stoped instantly. so it looks like progress is definitely being made with us working soo much with him.keep your fingers crossed that all continues well we love him soooo much and really want this all to work out- we're dedicated to seeing this through and working with the little guy.

I'm glad you guys are going to work with him! Just be sure to "know how boudaries"....so to speak. Don't let him get worse. I know I don't need to tell you that, but I feel better reminding you to be extra careful. I don't think, from what you've said, he'd attack you....but I'd hate to make him feel like he has to. (That probably made no sense)

I know this was covered before, but I'm not seeing it....when was his last physical exam?

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I'm glad you guys are going to work with him!

Just be sure to "know how boudaries"....so to speak. Don't let him get worse. I know I don't need to tell you that, but I feel better reminding you to be extra careful. I don't think, from what you've said, he'd attack you....but I'd hate to make him feel like he has to. (That probably made no sense)

I know this was covered before, but I'm not seeing it....when was his last physical exam?

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Thanks Natalie! His last physical was in March. However soon after he the first "instance" happened- i took him up to the shelter with me and let the shelter vet give him a one over.

Awww Nikki, I just saw this How scary that must have been for you to see Whiskey like that.

I hope working with him helps him, so you don't have to rehome

Good luck hun

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Awww Nikki, I just saw this

How scary that must have been for you to see Whiskey like that.

I hope working with him helps him, so you don't have to rehome

Good luck hun

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thankyou hon we are really trying to work with him. he is our little blonde baby!!!! i just couldn't part with him right now! we are really trying to work with him along with the vet & behaviorist to nip this in the bud and get him the positive help he needs. Colin and I both worked with him a little bit last night and again on my lunch break today and his lunch break tonight. We are really trying. And since this morning there hasn't been any more incedents and they've all been running around together so that's great! they were all 3 playing earlier too- it was cute seeing them all trying to play tug of war (supervised of course!)

Can you afford to do a blood work-up on him? I just wonder if there is an underlying physical condition that blood work might show? This just seems really weird for Whiskey, I know he got along so well with Fosters!!

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Can you afford to do a blood work-up on him? I just wonder if there is an underlying physical condition that blood work might show?

This just seems really weird for Whiskey, I know he got along so well with Fosters!!

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that's the next step we talked about doing if it becomes necessary. (for now the vet and behaviorist said to just try the training routines and see if that helps before shelling out money for the lab work at the moment.) if he needs it though there's no doubt about it- we will definitely get it done at the vets suggestion and yes this whole thing is REALLY weird. He still gets along well with Fosters- never a problem there ever. It could just be he's scared of Norris (which norris is more submissive than a little kitten so he shouldn't be - but norris is a bit bigger than him and noisy with that missing leg and all so maybe that's why) i do think he's feeling more comfortable around him tonight though- they've been out all day together (supervised and no problems since this morning. so that's a good start!!!

Well, I do think that between you & Colin...working with a behaviorist...that you guys can do this!! If you ever need to vent or anything, just PM me!!!

Just a thought here. Your situation got me thinking about my ex's dogs and our fosters we had. We had one dog then we adopted another he was fine with her but any time we brought in a foster he would do like you describe Whiskey doing. If the dog would walk past him if he had his favorite toy, if he was near food, if he was laying down and generally any time he felt vulnerable in general. But he would play with them fine. It would take him a few weeks to really start it up I guess he got a little comfortble with the other dog and about a month before he stopped doing it completely. We finally figured out he was just showing the other dogs who was boss and they all learned what they could and couldnt do around him. Once they figured it out and learned to respect him they were fine. We think he didnt do it with our first dog because he was coming into her territory and therefore she had the rights. Maybe thats what is going on with Whiskey? Wjiskey sounds like he came from the same kinda situation that Bubba was in before we got him. So thats an idea. Either way sounds like you have things under control. Keep on working with him. Bubba ended up being an awesome dog once we figured out what he was doing and corrected his behavior. We let him know that he was not top dog in the pack. He knew it with us humans but he had to learn that he wasnt with other dogs. We used very very strict NILIF with him and hes turned out great.

Is there any way that he suffered some head injury Nikki? Maybe he has some kind of imbalance going on in his brain?

Whiskey just attacked Norris again. He was not spooked, he had no excuse he just went after poor Norris. Norris was just walking past him (even keeping his distance!) and Whiskey snarled and went after him. It took both Colin and I to get him off of poor Norris. Poor Norris is scared to death and Whiskey is sulking because he got in trouble. I am about ready to scream! I told Colin - we can NOT keep him if he's going to keep doing this- what happens when he goes after one of the kids (my nieces or nephews)??? Colin was like - well what do you want me to do. I told him that we both have to work with him and both be on the same page training wise to try and help him. If Whiskey keeps this up - there is no way we can keep him doing this. I hate to sound soooo horrid- but he scares the tarnation out of me when he does that- i will not keep a violent/aggressive dog in our house like this This is such a tough sitauation. I told Colin that we need to take him into the vet next week for some blood work to make sure everything's ok mentally/etc - so we're going to try that along with working with the vet/behaviorist. PLEASE keep your fingers crossed that all of our efforts work- i do not want to get rid of Whiskey, but i am honestly scared to keep him here like this.

One thing i did want to ask about though - When Whiskey attacks Norris- he doesn't break the skin and make him bleed- just "teeths" him to death. What does that mean??? He also growled at Velvet today

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Well, I do think that between you & Colin...working with a behaviorist...that you guys can do this!! If you ever need to vent or anything, just PM me!!!

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thanks for letting me vent hon and being such a sweet friend.

Originally Posted by Fostermomm

Just a thought here. Your situation got me thinking about my ex's dogs and our fosters we had. We had one dog then we adopted another he was fine with her but any time we brought in a foster he would do like you describe Whiskey doing. If the dog would walk past him if he had his favorite toy, if he was near food, if he was laying down

and generally any time he felt vulnerable in general. But he would play with them fine. It would take him a few weeks to really start it up I guess he got a little comfortble with the other dog and about a month before he stopped doing it completely. We finally figured out he was just showing the other dogs who was boss and they all learned what they could and couldnt do around him. Once they figured it out and learned to respect him they were fine. We think he didnt do it with our first dog because he was coming into her territory and therefore she had the rights. Maybe thats what is going on with Whiskey?

Wjiskey sounds like he came from the same kinda situation that Bubba was in before we got him. So thats an idea. Either way sounds like you have things under control. Keep on working with him. Bubba ended up being an awesome dog once we figured out what he was doing and corrected his behavior. We let him know that he was not top dog in the pack. He knew it with us humans but he had to learn that he wasnt with other dogs. We used very very strict NILIF with him and hes turned out great.

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what you're describing with your dog- sounds exactly like what's going on with whiskey. he's never gone after fosters- but then again fosters was here first and he's huge in comparison to whiskey. fosters is definitely top dog out of the two (but both are submissive to us because we are the pack leaders). Whiskey was doing ok with Norris for about 2 weeks then this all just started happening. BUT Norris has never tried to be aggressive/dominant over him. Is Whiskey you think just trying to establish himself about Norris or what? I'm soo confused about this all. I REALLY want to help my little guy- i love him to pieces and i hate that i'm even considering rehoming him- but i am scared to keep him in the house doing this. I'm hoping that when Norris leaves this behavior will stop but i honestly don't know what to expect. Any tips or advice as to what else you did with your dogs?? I'd REALLY appreciate it! Thankyou soo much hon!

Originally Posted by crittermom

Is there any way that he suffered some head injury Nikki? Maybe he has some kind of imbalance going on in his brain?

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I have no idea Tammy But after what happened a minute ago- i told colin that he HAS to work with me and him- we have to work together as a team on this to get him the help/work he needs. We are planning to take him to the vet soon to have some blood work/neurological exam done in case this continues. He doesn't seem "off" in the head but i honestly don't know what to be looking for.

IMO, Whiskey is trying to assert his dominance. He knows Norris is "vulnerable".

I would clip a leash to him. He wears it all the time in the house & out. NILIF big time. He sits whenever he wants something, food, out a door, to be petted. If he's not with you on leash in the house, crate him or close him in a bathroom.

Try to not give him the opportunity to go after Norris. If he's on a leash, you can stop him before he goes after Norris. Also, watch him closely for any signs, they will be subtle, before he growls at a cat or tries to attack Norris. They are there, it's just a matter of seeing them.

thankyou natalie- i will start putting a leash on him. at this point i'm up for trying anything. how long to i need to keep him on the leash do you think?

Until you feel he is trustworthy. With him being a leash & with you....you will get to learn more about him....you will learn more about what makes him tick. I kept my Macey on a leash for 3 weeks. Some people may think it's mean, but I figured out what set her off & was able to prevent & stop her attacks.

Nikki, I am sorry but I have to post this.If it makes some mad, then so be it.
How many chances are you willing to take with Whiskey?What I mean is, you keep giving him chance after chance and what is happening? He goes after Norris again.There may come a time when you and Colin CAN'T stop him and he may kill Norris.
I'm sorry, but I think the BEST thing for Whiskey is in a NO other animal home and SOON!!

Any tips or advice as to what else you did with your dogs??

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Basically either me or my ex-husband kept him leashed to us if he wasnt in his crate. The leash was 10 feet long so he could wander around and interact. But any time the fosters were near him we would praise him alot if he wasnt getting tensed up and was acting friendly. If he started to tense up we would yell NO CALM IT DOWN! He would usually either look at us and them calm down or just walk away from the dog. We also kept a mini super soaker ready in case he didnt listen. He never actually broke skin either like you said he would just mouth them and scare them to death. He would sound super mean but we could see he was just putting his teeth on them. I dont know if thats what Whiskey is doing or not. He was always given treats last put in a sit stay and had to wait patiently while all 3 + of the other dogs got treats. When he was fed he had to wait till the other dogs were done. The we would put his bowl down let him eat a few pieces on his own and then started reaching in and taking it away from him. Told him wait then made him do tricks for the rest of it. He would get one piece at a time (he also had a problem with throwing up because he ate to fast). He had to wait at every door, could not walk in front of us even off leash he had to do a heel until we told it was ok to go play with the other dogs/go potty and we never ever gae him attention if he came to us. Only if we called him and he came right away would he get lovings. Basically he had to work for everything and had to wait for everything. Now he accepts all the fosters that my ex husband fosters and has turned into a really good dog. But my ex still cant give him an inch or he will try to take a foot. I do believe you might want to keep him locked up while your nieces and nephews come over at least until you figuer things out. Also have the vet do a thyroid panel.