For those of you who haven't seen my dog, Louie, here's a great shot of him. Word of warning. Don't get depressed if you have a Shih Tzu. They don't come over and snuggle up to you to make you feel better or give you kisses. Oh, no. They see their chance and attack if 1) they sense you're omega that day and not alpha, and 2) you try to pick them up when their raw chicken bone is nearby.
Yep. Full on attack is what I got. I felt like Roy Horn but with no audience, and I don't kid myself that he was grabbing my hand to hld it lovingly. Do I need this? What kind of dog would be NICE to me even when I'm omega instead of alpha? I still miss Hazel, the crazy Aussie I had for 3 weeks but had to return to her foster home when she wouldn't get it my little car (only the big van) when I had to go to the motel, and she went into complete panic if I left her. Hazel would not have attacked, mouth wide open, coming down on my hand, when I was a bit down. No. She would've brought me the bone to make me feel better. At least I like to think so. Louie is in the dog house. Any alpha person out there who wants him, raise your hand. And don't tell me I need to train him better, and remember to stay ALPHA!! Yeah! BIG ALPHA DOG ME!! Woof woof! If there's one more thing I "need to do," I don't want to hear about it.
6 comments:
Lois, as an dog obedience instructor who has numerous lots of different dogs with lots of different problems come through her classes, I would tell you not to feel like you've done something wrong. As much as experts like to make you think that every dog can be "fixed" if you just do the right thing and be the right way, that really just isn't true.
Sometimes the best you can do is just to manage a behavior. In Louie's case, I would counsel that he should never be allowed to have high value treats like bones, pig ears, or rawhides. He simply hasn't earned that privilege, and you need to keep yourself safe. You, as the human, come first!
Thanks, Laurie! I have been feeding him "raw" for over a year now. I long do I let him go without eating in switching him off of it? And what to switch him to?
Those dang Shih Tzu's!
Darn. Ms. Moon! You read it! I was plotting to drop him off in your yard on the way to Mexico! ;} He knows he's on my shit list, and man is he behaving now. Still, when I got him I admired his spunky attitude but until they can come up with a spunk pill for me, it doesn't work for me now. I almost posted a "Dog needs a home" post on your blog since you have such wide readership. You can charge me. Ah ha! That could be a moneymaker for you!
Loo-Boo needs to be put on notice that he is a BAD DOG and cannot bite the hand that feeds him. Tell him he's going to the dog house. Even good dogs can be a handful, but he needs an attitude adjustment. He IS full of himself. Guess he knows he's cute.
I would catch Sergio holding him like a BABY! He knows he's been bad and is trying to be good, but it's against his nature not to be spunky and demanding of attention like a prince! And it's hard on me to treat him like a DOG. ;/
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