This is where the multi-dog household really comes in.
It wasn't until we had four dogs
in the house that I really began to understand this. At first, with my boys and
Hershey, it was all fine. Dare and Da’shain
are so chill with other dogs, that I didn't realize that Hershey, well, she doesn't quite understand dog manners, like the “leave me alone, I don’t wanna play with you”
cues. And Cash, well….he was a touchy little guy….still is, sometimes.
I pulled into that parking lot to pick up Cash on
October 16th, by the end of the month we were nearly decided and by
November 4th I’d
convinced Dan that Cash (whom we already called Demandred/Dred) was there to
stay. However, it began to take a fine balancing act to handle both Dred and
Hershey at the same time. Looking back, I think Dred had two major issues.
Personal space, yes – some dogs do require it, or become insecure enough to
need it, and resource guarding (myself at the time being the resource he
guarded most closely).
We already separated the dogs for their meals,
breakfast and dinner, and it became even more important. Not because Dred would
actually fight over his food, but to stop the potential of any arguments over food. Also, with having four dogs in the house
(even if they weren’t all big dogs) it was nice to have a bit of a break while
the dogs ate. A bit of time to have the house to ourselves. We love taking the
dogs out to the desert to run (Dred is seriously one of the most athletic dogs
I've ever met) but there we learned that Dred does NOT like any dog running
behind him. So, with a “multi” dog household, our trips to the desert became
more complicated….three out, one in, and then switch. And it was crazy, too
because they both wanted to run
together, they didn't understand they really would end up arguing. Those days
made me very glad we have the Jeep Wrangler. LOVE that Jeep.
And this is going to
sound crazy (but only to non-dog people); I learned that using the restroom with
the door open made everyone so much happier than when I tried to close it. Dred
and Hershey had their only arguments in the house when they were both out and I
was behind a closed door. Life with those two made learning balance extremely
important and also watching for signs, as Dred was pretty trigger happy when we
first met (more on that later). Because of Dred (part of that being his
interaction with Hershey) I learned more about dogs than I ever thought there
was to know – and I’m not even close to knowing much, just my own.
Dred came into our lives when he was ~ a year and a
half old. He was one of the most polite rude dogs I've ever met. Dred would
sit down to say “please” to be let outside, but then knock you over on his way
out. He’d sit down to say “please,
may I jump on the couch to cuddle with you” but then jump on you. Dred would sit half the time when asked, not really lay
down at all (although he would every time IF I had a treat). He wouldn't stay (still has an
insanely hard time with that) and wouldn't “go
to bed” (the command to all our boys to get them out of the way, and we do mean
quite literally “go to bed,” as long as they go to any bed in the house they’re obeying, and they know
it. Word association and all, they’re (mostly) very good at it now.
As for Dred’s trigger-happiness, Dred had not been socialized
as a puppy very well and at the time we didn't understand quite what that could mean especially for a Doberman. Da’shain we tried to
socialize and he was around plenty of other dogs enough to learn most of the
cues, even if he didn't interact with them. But Dred, he had NO sense of personal space, so at the same
time, he’d get 110% into your personal space, be you animal or human, AND (to the animals)
he’d be like “no, you can’t touch me!”
Or, he’d be in the mood for playing for like five seconds but then he’ll be
like “Okay, I’m done,” and back away, but then get pissy if the other dog didn't get the message “NO, I SAID STOP,” he’d now shout instead of give another cue.
Or, same playfulness, he’s happy, playing and the other dog somehow breaks his
personal space issue “YOU CAN’T DO THAT,” he’d yell. With humans, happily, he’s
always only ever been happy (unless he thinks he’s protecting his home or
human, which isn't often).
My mom once
asked me if we adopted Dred because of his personality issues and, at the time, I said no. Yet, thinking back, Dred's personality is what makes him uniquely
him. Do I like that he’s snarky and needed special help just to get comfortable
being around other dogs on leash? No, but I understand him. I empathize with
his not always wanting to play with others, I understand he had a “different”
background and won’t be that dog that just loves to play with other dogs. That’s
fine, that’s who he is. All we ask of him now is that he at least behave in public
(mainly in the presence of other dogs, as he does pretty okay when it’s just
people). I tell him, “I wanna take you for a walk and not have you thinking you
need to protect yourself and me from all these threats you think you see around
us. I wanna show you off sometimes and take you fun places, but I can’t do that
if you’re going to continue to bark at all these other dogs you see minding
their own business, not even paying attention to you.”
Over the past
year and a half Dred’s come a LONG way with his behaviors, even learning how to
warn other dogs that they’re stepping over the line, before actually yelling at
them. We’re able to take him to his training classes without him barking all
over the place and struggling on leash, we can take him to a restaurant patio
where he just (mostly) silently sits, trying to eat our food like a "normal" dog. Overall,
he’s a more confident and less confidently defensive dog and I am so happy for
him. I think the consistency he has with Dare and Da’shain have helped quite a
bit. I also think the consistency while we have foster dogs come and go in
the house, he’s always stayed. And he’s always stayed the (dog) “head” of the
house.
I love my boy,
Dare, Da’shain and Demandred…crazy as it sounds for having three dogs, but I
can’t imagine life without all of them.
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