Jimmy is having a breakthrough!!

[tru]

Glad to see the update Jenn, and loved the pics!

I'm not one for posting a whole lot even though I hang in and read what's going on with others. I do keep an eye out for updates with you because your "Chronicles at the Fur Ranch" are often enjoyable and sometimes heart wrenching because your feelings pretty much always come through when you post.

I'm real sorry to hear about the problem with Charlie. Sometimes, (whether it be human or animal), they are unable to let enough love in to soften them for positive change. No one can, (or will, I believe), say you haven't given the little guy every chance possible to fit in at your home.

It is said that sometimes the most caring and loving thing to do is say no. It's not about giving up or quitting, it's about knowing that another route is the better way to go.

You're good people and A number one in my book. Keep pushing forward in your amazing journey through life and continue to give us the occasional glimpses. Your sharing means much to many!

 

[jcribbs]

Thank you Tru............. that was such a sweet post.....

And I will always share here..... You guys are the people that understand...

AS far as little charlie, I had a stand off with him last night. He lunged at me again over me correcting him over the cats and I reacted "dog-like".. I lunged and growled back at him and pinched his scruff, which by the way he absolutely did not like. He growled back at first but I stood over him with a braced body and stared hard at him while I growled....... I was ready for whatever he was going to throw at me. I kept my eye contact with him and my firm stance over his body until he broke away and even then I still stayed there growling occassionally. It made him very uncomfortable after a few mintues. I was trying to sound low and menacing in my growl. When he finally lay down and I moved from over his body I ignored him till today except for crating him. I tried to play the role of an alpha dog. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM SLINK A LITTLE WHEN HE GOT CORRECTED AND DUCK HIS LITTLE DOG HEAD.

Today when I corrected Charlie over the cats over the same behavior, he did not lunge at me. In fact, he even licked a couple of the cats later on. And today his behavior with the cats was much milder. WE have not crossed a hurdle but we have one paw on top of it. He even licked my wrist today..........for the first time. I think he is jealous of them but that's just tough. Everyone gets their fair share of attention and we all live a certain way and we love them all equally. He has to learn that and accept it.

I am not saying you can/can't teach a young dog a new lifestyle but for Charlie to remain with us [for forever long], he has to go by pack rules........ and I am the ruler of the pack.

Jenn

p.s. While this was going on last night, Juan was in bed and he yelled "Is everythign ok?" ... I was growling that loud at charlie..... I growled much louder than Charlie when we first started our standoff. I quieted after I had his attention. At first I thought he was going to take me up on my challenge but thank god he submitted. He is not used to losing. He is a hard headed little guy... It took several minutes before he broke eye contact with me. But since I started it, I could not break contact first or he would win in dog language. It took at least a long 2 mintues before Charlied broke eye contact. He did not want to give.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/topdogrules.htm
It is hard work learning........ now he is tired.

 

[lsulover]

Originally Posted by Graciecat

That's the same with Gracie, she loves everyone and everyone loves her but she's my baby.
Everynight she gets under the covers and cuddles up to me with her little head laying on my shoulder, purrs as loud as she can and goes to sleep.
I love all of our cats, but I have a very special place in my heart for my little Gracie.

I hope you enjoy the movie.
I can't watch animal movies, I'm always afraid that something will happen to one of the animals and then I get to upset.
I'm such a sap that I can't even watch the part in "The Lion King" where Simba's Father get killed ( I know his Fathers name, but I'm not even going to TRY to spell it

)

That it kinda funny to me. I am the same way.

I don't watch the Lion King either, I also don't watch Bambi, the Fox and the Hound, Charlottes Web, and I never never never watch Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern grows. I never watch sad movies like that.

 

[graciecat]

I know it's not funny, but I just had to giggle when I pictured you growling back at Charlie.
He probably wonder "What the heck is going on here?"
Hopefully that put him in his place.
He looks so sweet laying there sleeping!

Juan probably wondered what in the world was going on too!!

 

[graciecat]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't watch movies like that.

I don't know if you read Stephen King or not, but the books are always a zillion times better than the movies...anyway in the book "Cujo" you feel so sorry for the dog because you know what the dog is thinking the whole time and it doesn't want to hurt anyone it doesn't understand what's wrong.
It keeps thinking "I don't want to hurt my boy".
The movie makes the dog look so evil, but in the book you really feel sorry for him.

 

[jcribbs]

Cujo was an excellent book.

Duma, the movie I watched was pretty good. No animals were hurt, injured and it has a very happy ending.

The cheetah is adorable in the movie. The is not animated so you can see everything in all it's glory........ beautiful movie. It's not one of those blood and guts movie so lots won't like it, but I loved it.

I also bought "the new world" but havent' watched it yet.

 

[graciecat]

As long as no animals get hurt then I'd be okay watching it.
My Sister thought I should take my three youngest kids to see "March of the Penguins".
But someone told me that a few of the penguins die, so I wouldn't take them.
I'm sure it's an excellent movie but I could never stand to watch it.

 

[booktigger]

Jenn, I am sure there is no one on here who thinks you are doing the wrong thing with Charlie, my only advice would be to have him neutered asap, you might find a difference in his domination issues, as he doesn't have as many hormones running round in his body then. Whether you can work out a way to have them all together, or have to rehome him, neither is wrong, you aren't giving up on him, you are accepting that he needs less animals and that is something you cant give - I actually have more respect for people who can stand up and admit that there is a prob and they have to rehome.

 

[jcribbs]

Thank you so much tiger. and there is a problem with charlie.

Last night, it was not as pleasant. I decided to sleep on the couch with charlie on the floor so I could supervise how he would do out of the crate. I woke with him attempting to "get a cat". I instantly jumped and corrected him and he turned on me. charlie jumped back at me and I thought he wasn't going to back down. He absolutely does not respond well to correction.

And just to add this. I am not hitting him, or using any type of physical punishment when I correct him. I tell him NO firmly and pull him back from whatever he is doing IF it involves one of the cats. He whirls around on me and shows all his teeth and growls. I tell him NO when he does that and he continues. I think at that point if I shook his scruff, he would actually bite me. When I say NO, he responds by more growling at me and more teeth.

What I did the other day evidently did not work.......

I am not sure if I want to spend the money to fix him. The pound can do that. When they have an opening I have to take him. It is making me nervous having a growling dog. I don't like it.

He will continue to be crated when I go to bed.

My routine to live safely with the kitties is to keep him outside while I work 4-midnight and then when I get home I keep him in the room with me until I go to bed. That is usually an hr or two or so. At approx 4am, I crate him until 7-8 in the morning. He sleeps while in the crate and stays awake as long as I am. The other dogs sleep in our room on the floor.

I figure they can work out their own problems during my working hrs while I am at work while they are in the back yard. I keep my dauchaund in the house with the cats. And Charlie has no access to the cats unless I AM WITH HIM. My big dogs, while outside would not intentionally hurt Charlie unless he bit them and then it would be in defense. They would not instigate a fight with him. With their weight size much larger than him, him hurting them is not a huge concern. He might break skin but I don't think he could do real physical damage to them.

And I will be glad when he is gone. This is very hard. I want peace and harmony back in my household.

 

[booktigger]

Jen, I Can understand you not wanting to spend the money on him, but I think you owe it to him, esp as you dont know how long it will take the pound to have an opening for him. It is so very hard being in that kind of situation, I have been there with a cat, but I was very inexperienced and didn't want to admit to the rescue there was a problem, so me and Ginger had 8 months of an aggressive cat, it was only after she became ill (and subsequently died) that I saw what I had put Ginger through, as he became a different cat, so you are better than me, you can see that he has to have a different house for everyone's sake, and are doing things to sort it, I could see it, but wouldn't admit it.

 

[jcribbs]

We are making him an appointment for next week to get him fixed.

You're right..... and I'm sorry about the cat. It is darn hard to be in this type of situation with any animal...

I put charlie in the crate an hr earlier last night so my group could relax with me and they all crashed in front of the stove. dogs and cats all piled up. I have a pic of it. Will post it tongiht after I get home.

I could sense the relief in them with charlie NOT running loose in the house.

 

[booktigger]

I am glad you are going to get him fixed, and I hope it makes things a bit easier until someone has a space for him.

Thanks - it is hard, but at least you are strong enough to be able to do the right thing, I wasn't.

Aww!! Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[lsulover]

Originally Posted by jcribbs

Thank you so much tiger. and there is a problem with charlie.

Last night, it was not as pleasant. I decided to sleep on the couch with charlie on the floor so I could supervise how he would do out of the crate. I woke with him attempting to "get a cat". I instantly jumped and corrected him and he turned on me. charlie jumped back at me and I thought he wasn't going to back down. He absolutely does not respond well to correction.

And just to add this. I am not hitting him, or using any type of physical punishment when I correct him. I tell him NO firmly and pull him back from whatever he is doing IF it involves one of the cats. He whirls around on me and shows all his teeth and growls. I tell him NO when he does that and he continues. I think at that point if I shook his scruff, he would actually bite me. When I say NO, he responds by more growling at me and more teeth.

What I did the other day evidently did not work.......

I am not sure if I want to spend the money to fix him. The pound can do that. When they have an opening I have to take him. It is making me nervous having a growling dog. I don't like it.

He will continue to be crated when I go to bed.

My routine to live safely with the kitties is to keep him outside while I work 4-midnight and then when I get home I keep him in the room with me until I go to bed. That is usually an hr or two or so. At approx 4am, I crate him until 7-8 in the morning. He sleeps while in the crate and stays awake as long as I am. The other dogs sleep in our room on the floor.

I figure they can work out their own problems during my working hrs while I am at work while they are in the back yard. I keep my dauchaund in the house with the cats. And Charlie has no access to the cats unless I AM WITH HIM. My big dogs, while outside would not intentionally hurt Charlie unless he bit them and then it would be in defense. They would not instigate a fight with him. With their weight size much larger than him, him hurting them is not a huge concern. He might break skin but I don't think he could do real physical damage to them.

And I will be glad when he is gone. This is very hard. I want peace and harmony back in my household.

I know how hard this is for you Jenn, I know how much you love Charlie. I am praying that everything works out.

I don't think though that you will be glad when he is gone. I think I know you better than that. I do think however that you want peace back in your home though.

I am still sending you and Charlie hugs and prayers from Mississippi.

 

[carolpetunia]

I just found this thread today and read the whole saga of Jimmy, Charlie, and all the rest of you. My gosh, what a wonderful place you're building for yourself, and what an exciting life you have there! Your hard work and determination humble me. And you have such a deep sensitivity to the thoughts and feelings of your animals!

Reading your thread is like watching a really good movie. It even has the element of mystery -- exactly who do those "night eyes" belong to, anyway? And you have the gift of a natural-born writer: the ability to express the most elusive of emotions in a way others can relate to. I'm so glad I found this thread!

And I'm happier than I can say about your decision to have Charlie neutered. It really may make a huge difference -- not instantly, of course, because the hormones have to dissipate for awhile, but soon.

However it works out, though, I know you'll do the humane thing. If reading this thread has convinced me of anything, it is the goodness of your heart.

 

[jcribbs]

Emma and Pebbles learning the stretch command........... "as a group effort"



And it will work out carol...........one way or the other.

 

[graciecat]

They learned very well

 

[jcribbs]

I dug three more post holes yesterday. The bedrock was 6-8"" down. But that is a tough tough 6-8 to dig. Our house must be sitting on solid rock. The interior holes will have a form built around them to make them more solid. I have one form and we are just going to move it from hole to hole as we pour concrete.

The exterior holes will just have to be wider since they can't be real deep and husband says he can brace it to make it solid.

So.....kitty enclosure is moving forward..... Today is another post hole day. I can't wait to finish ....... I am buying grass next week so I can go ahead and get some planted. It will be growing by the time we finish and with the grass that is already there, they will have a nice yard to play in.

Husband's gut is a little better so hopefully in a few days, he can cut some more posts.

 

[jcribbs]

WEll, it has been a busy day......

Still clearing land getting it ready..... 4 postholes left in first section. We are having to redo the posthole area's because of huge shelf rocks......

Here's a few pics of today.

Here Hubby dancing..


Here is the cats view of their new enclosure from the rear.... You can see the form we are putting around the interior holes to make them sturdier..


Here is the dog porch Juan built today.. .. so I won't have to put their food under the porch anymore when it rains.


And here are a few of the rocks I am uncovering during my clearing.






And that is our day.
Jenn

 

[graciecat]

That's Emma dancing with Juan, isn't it?
How cute!
Tell Juan I expect to see them on "Dancing With The Stars" next season

 

[jcribbs]

Yep, that's my sweet little hubby......... and Emma....... She's a good dancer... She will actually go forward and backward and follow his steps.. It's just too cute.

Also......

Pebbles, Flower, Snoopy [who is the only guy cat] plus......"Charlie" ...all have appointments at 7am on Thursday the 19th to get fixed.... We are taking them all at one time to get it done.

Remember me thinking Tulip was a boy......well, she is a girl after all. What I thought were testicles was just her female parts developing. There are no testicles there. Juan and I have both looked. Snoopy is getting fixed first since he is a boy. I have no other boys that I need to fix. He is it. I have never in my life had trouble figuring out if a cat was a boy or a girl. It makes you feel a little dumb....

I'll do Tulip in a few weeks along with Cows last litter. Hank is fixed but I never got Princess Minny Pearl or Honey fixed. So I will take them as a group in a couple weeks. I never worried about fixing them since I had no other boys but even though Snoppy is going to be fixed, I still just want to get them done. The final three.